Check your receipt before you go home

 Overcharging at Sheng Siong supermarket a mistake?? Read here

According to rumor SIA is .....

If the rumor is true, it will augur well for SIA. It seems that the airline may start recruiting new crew again. Don't take this as the gospel truth because it is just a rumor. I don't really understand why in the world would it start recruiting when it currently has about 7,000 crew on its payroll. Can anyone confirm hearing the same rumor too?

L/S tested positive for Covid-19

 A 48 year old leading steward who operated to the USA and back has been tested positive for  the coronavirus. He is asymptomatic but is isolated in a dedicated facility. He is also a part time Grab driver.

More info here

Don't waste your time being a cabin crew?

 Hi Boh Tong

My opinion is that even if Covid-19 didnt happen, CC shouldnt live in a bubble life of flying forever. They should've plan way ahead.

When they are over 35 years old, its gone case unless steward/-ess wants to be taxi driver or other menial jobs they looked down upon.

Worse, if theyve children to feed.

If youre a O-level holder, understandable.

If youre a poly/Uni grad, dont waste your time being a CC. Its a dead end job not a career.

Note to CC:
Never look down on ground jobs for one day they may become your saviour.

An interesting article on SATS by Kristy

 The SATS experience over two coronavirus pandemics: A question of investors vis-à-vis employees, and SIA (by Kristy)

The name “SATS” would have been familiar to many Singaporeans. For many years, it was known as the ground-handling subsidiary of the Singapore Airlines (SIA) group, supporting the latter’s airport operations such as check-in, inflight catering, and aircraft cleaning, just to name a few. Moreover, over the years, SATS had also provided some employees with an eventual steppingstone to cross over to its more “prestigious” SIA parent as well. However, SATS’ relationship with its SIA parent was about to change in the wake of the 2003 SARS coronavirus pandemic, which saw both SIA and SATS staff undergoing retrenchment exercises on the back of reduced passenger activity at its Singapore Hub.  Following the SARS episode, then-Senior Minister, the late Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, openly proposed that SATS be divested from SIA, to allow the latter to focus on its core business of running an airline.  That suggestion eventually become reality when SATS was officially divested from SIA in 2009. 

As a result of the divestment, Temasek Holdings, through its subsidiary Venezio Investments, emerged as the chief shareholder of SATS, by virtue of Temasek’s direct majority stake in SIA. Thus, SATS became affiliated with Temasek Holdings itself, just like its former SIA parent, albeit through by indirect means via Venezio Investments instead.  However, being a separate entity from SIA also meant that the SATS staff lost their staff travel benefits that they had long enjoyed as being part of the SIA group. Nevertheless, SATS continued to be featured, and remained a cornerstone in SIA’s service and operational endeavours;  with SATS staff continuing to don the SIA gear whenever the situation warranted it.  Notably, SATS share value achieved new highs beyond its previous pricings when it was still a member of the SIA group (see Appendices Charts). One could say that although SATS continued to remain as a valuable “wingman” for SIA’s Singapore Hub, the employees of both companies now “enjoyed” distinctly different benefits, even if they were both supporting the same cause. Clearly, the past decade since divestment was a joy to SATS investors, including management staff who received share options as part of their renumeration package, but questionably so for the rank-and-file employees. 

Fast forward to 2020 and with the advent of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, the Singapore aviation industry was dealt a far more serious blow than the previous SARS pandemic 16 years earlier. Both SATS and SIA saw their share prices plummet to record lows, and staff from both companies were redeployed to secondary positions in an attempt to avoid direct layoffs.  Although SATS’ aviation-related businesses, such as its passenger services arm which took a hit owing to sharply reduced passenger traffic; its food business unit, which includes the provision of meals to airlines, as well as to the Singapore military, shifted gears to soften the business impact.  Arguably, the advent of another coronavirus pandemic shows that history does repeat itself; and on hindsight, a “spare engine” in the form of SATS might have helped the SIA group to stave off its first-ever full-year financial loss, or somewhat mitigate the fallout.

Despite receiving heavy government support, SIA was finally forced to embark on a retrenchment exercise this year− this unprecedented and extended blow to its operations was simply too much for it to bear.  While SATS has yet to openly announce any retrenchment like its former SIA parent, it mentioned in its quarterly financial results that it was “reducing headcount” and was seeking to step up its efforts in this area.  

Barring any official releases of information concerning SATS’ Human Resources policies, one can only reasonably surmise that the headcount reduction at SATS was achieved arising from these few factors as listed below:

1. Staff who accepted SATS’ early retirement scheme rolled out earlier this year 

2. Non-renewal of SATS staff under limited-term contract service, possibly including flexi/part-time staff and those working under post-retirement re-employment contracts

3. Resignation of SATS staff (including those who were redeployed to secondary appointments over the course of this year)

Without the need to declare a retrenchment exercise, it is safe to say that any company implementing the above measures would be able to achieve a headcount reduction, reduce itself of the relatively experienced, yet costlier senior staff, and also relieve itself of the need to pay out costly retrenchment benefits as well− a clear win-win maneuver from both management and accounting perspectives. Interestingly, the market evidently took well to SATS’ plans for headcount reduction− SATS’ share price closed higher upon the publishment of such news.  Evidently, the spirits of SATS investors were cheered up by SATS’ consideration of employees into its cost-reduction plans. One could say that those investors who had bought into SATS at its record low in March would be smiling away, albeit at the expense of the employees who once again took some of the brunt, again owing to circumstances beyond their control.

Presently, even as plans for a worldwide transport of the Covid-19 is being rolled out, SATS’ share price has rebounded back to nearing that of its pre-Covid value, probably in anticipation of the key role that its local and overseas aviation services arms would play in the eventual distribution effort. At the present time of writing, SATS’ share price is also nearly on-par with that of former SIA parent− an unprecedented scenario which looked out of reach when SATS was still an SIA subsidiary. On hindsight, if SATS had continued to stay within the SIA family, it is likely that SIA’s investor sentiment, and share price in turn could have also been rejuvenated by association as well.  Alas, one can only speculate the benefits that could have been if SATS had remained as an SIA subsidiary in the present age.

What does the fate of SATS employees, and those of its former SIA parent hold in a post-Covid world? One would only know when the new Collective Agreements of both companies are up for discussion, and eventually published in future for further analysis. Owing to its long heritage by virtue of its long association with the SIA group, SATS has grown in tandem with its former SIA parent, and had provided many Singaporeans with a stepping stone for their careers, and bread for their families by extension. Yet by the looks of the present situation, the future still appears to be a hopeful one for SATS investors; but questionably so for the rank-and-file employees, some of whom have given their best years to the company, and had rode through the aftertaste of the previous SARS episode which ended up in SATS being cast off from the SIA family.

References

Ahmad, Izham. "Singapore Airlines Announces It Will Lay Off 414 Workers." The Wall Street Journal. Last modified 19 Jun, 2003. Accessed 25 Dec, 2020. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB105600352322681200.

Centre for Aviation, CAPA. "Big Changes Ahead in Singapore?" Informa Markets. Last modified 2006. Accessed 25 Dec, 2020. https://centreforaviation.com/analysis/reports/big-changes-ahead-in-singapore-675.

Koh, Fabian. "SIA Kicks Off Retrenchment Exercise; Affected Staff Told They Will Be Paid until Dec 15." Straits Times. 15 Sep, 2020. Accessed 25 Dec, 2020, Straits Times

Lee, Joshua. "Sats Asks Older Staff to Volunteer to Retire, Cuts Management Pay by 10% Amid Covid-19 Slump." Mothership. Last modified 27 Feb, 2020. Accessed 25 Dec, 2020. https://mothership.sg/2020/02/covid-19-sats-older-workers-retire/.

SATS. "The Way to Happy Passengers: A Peek Into...The Life of a Customer Services Officer." Passion To Delight, Nov, 2016.

SATS. Sats Ltd - Annual Report, 2019/20. Singapore, 2020.

SIA. Singapore Airlines Ltd - Sustainability Report, 2018/19. Singapore, 2019.

Sreenivasan, Ven. "Good for SIA - but What About Sats?" Business Times. 15 May, 2009. Accessed 25 Dec, 2020, Asiaone

Sreenivasan, Ven. "Sats Bonanza for SIA Shareholders." Business Times. 15 May, 2009. Accessed 25 Dec, 2020, Asiaone

Tan, Gregory. "Temasek Holdings (Private) Limited, Dell Technologies Inc Class C Common Stock." U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Last modified 2018. Accessed 25 Dec, 2020. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1021944/000114036118045716/0001140361-18-045716.txt.

Tay, Peck Gek. "Sats Reports Q2 Loss of S$33.2m, with Staff Cost Down 61.3%." Business Times. 12 Nov, 2020. Accessed 25 Dec 2020, Business Times.

Vishnoi, Abhishek. "Your Nurse, the Air Steward: Singapore Rejigs Workforce on Virus." Bloomberg. Last modified 27 Feb, 2020. Accessed 25 Dec, 2020. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-21/your-nurse-the-air-steward-singapore-rejigs-workforce-on-virus.

Wee, Rae. "Sats to Cut More Staff after S$43.7m Q1 Loss." Business Times. 25 Aug, 2020. Accessed 25 Dec 2020, Business Times.

Zheng, Zhangxin. "Covid-19: Sia's in-Flight Catering Provider Serves Foreign Workers 'Healthy & Balanced' Meals." Mothership. Last modified 15 Apr, 2020. Accessed 25 Dec, 2020. https://mothership.sg/2020/04/sats-foreign-workers-dormitories/.

Another nail in the coffin?

 Another variant of coronavirus is detected in UK. It originates from South Africa and may be even more infectious than the one currently spreading in UK.

If the vaccines do not effectively immune the people, I think the world is done for.

The Straits Times carries the article here

The future does not look good for cabin crew

SIA has spent S$7.1 billion of the $8.8 billion raised in rights issue. That is a lot of money. The Job Support Scheme or JSS will expire in March 2021 which is a few months from now. If the pandemic does not go away and with the newly mutated coronavirus which is ravaging the West, things do not seems to be fine.

There are currently about 7,000 cabin crew left in SIA. The future does not look bright for them. If the current situation does not improve then cabin crew may face another retrenchment. There are still many foreign crew left in SIA and they are the senior ones which SIA has not let go. Will they be axed too, like those below 2 years service in recent months? It is just a thought on my part.

New variant of coronavirus in UK

The newly discovered variant of the coronavirus that is currently circulating in the  UK has put a damper on many businesses, tourism and airline travel in particular.

It is highly contagious, at least 70% more infectious than its original cousin. Whether it is more deadly or not is left to be seen.

Most concerning to us is whether SIA will continue to fly to the UK and vice versa is anyone's guess. One thing for sure is the mutated virus is causing a lot of havoc to people's lives and livelihood.

Hopefully, the vaccines will help stop the virus from spreading.

Jewel @ Changi Airport, Singapore

We were at Jewel Changi T1 this afternoon and was surprised to see so many people there in spite of the pandemic. Nevertheless, we are glad that people are enjoying themselves and spending money to stimulate the economy. There are many photos that we took of Jewel but did not intend to post them. The video should suffice. Check out at bohtong2ndlife.blogspot.com for the delicious Thai food that we ate at Jewel.

Crew fined for breaching NSW quarantine rules

 

13 airline crew from South America have been fined for breaking NSW quarantine rules. They left their hotel rooms during their layover and visited nearby venues.

Crew blamed for bus driver infection?

 

Why show only the SQ crew? The video seemed to imply that SQ crew were the ones who infected the driver of the bus. After all, the Covid infected bus driver also transported other international airline crew.

Goodbye bohtong.com

The guy who tried stealing my airline stories and published them has finally gave up his blog domain (www.bohtong.com). He gave up his blog for a few reasons. Firstly, he has lost time and money in copying my stories because many people knew that his bohtong.com was a fake blog. Secondly, his blog did not generate much money as most of the time did not know what's going on in cabin crew. Those who aspired to be crew asked him questions on how to pass the cabin crew interviews and often got replies which were either copied from other blogs or he gave them wrong tips etc.

Thirdly, he could have forfeited payment for his blog service and domain.

Long story short, such dishonest people often failed in their so called business venture.

A repost regarding the Japanese stewardess supervisor

Poor girl who got through the final round of the cabin crew interview only to be booted by a Japanese supervisor who felt that it's "un-Japanese" to travel all the way to Singapore to attend the interview. This supervisor is still on SIA's payroll (supported by the JSS) even though flights to Japan vv are declining due to Covid-19.

The Japanese supervisor who preceded the current one has already kicked the bucket. She was a terror to the Japanese stewardesses of her era and now another one?

To continue reading click here

Why no social distancing and masks huh??

 

 Good day Boh Tong,

This photo was taken on 22nd November, on the event Insides Singapore Airlines.

While the public is trying to adhere to our government's strict guidelines to keep everyone safe. These stewardesses blatantly defied social distancing and face-covering rules. That is one of the reasons why we are presently in Phase 2, people are not cooperating.

Under regulation 7 of the Control Order Regulations, an individual must maintain a distance of at least 1 metre from any other individual, with the exception of lifts, public transport or vehicles.

They failed to don a mask which also falls in the Temporary Measures Act.

Lastly, they fail to observe Company's social media policy/regulations by displaying company image along with them.

Can the public still entrust their safety with Singapore Airlines?

Hope this article helps with your content in your blog and creates awareness among the crew and the public too. I don't see anything wrong posting it, they already broke both the company and Singapore Law.

Stay Safe and Healthy BT!

Sincerely,