Originally Posted by NewYawk
Dear Phil, First, I would like to thank you for taking the time to share some very useful insight with respect to SIA Cargo. I am currently with a U.S. Cargo company, with a myriad of contracts with major airlines and the government, which takes us to some very interesting places. I love my job, and the people with whom I work with are great. However, you do have to work very hard, which I don't mind one bit, but you can see the strain on some faces. I am in my early 40's, and have had my eye on Singapore Airlines since I started with Pan Am in New York twenty years ago. I would like to know if it is possible to travel on your days off, to a North American city served by Singapore Airlines, every other month? Is the total earnings potential, for a SIA Cargo F/O, approaching the six figure mark? (in greenback terms), and considering you start off with an abundance of meaningful heavy international time, and you have your act together, the possibilty of upgrading is available, to an American, to those they deem suitable? Lastly, what are the prospects for assuming a leadership role within the SIA Group, ie. management? Thank you again.
First of all, the earnings potential is there. As a Captain my total earnings were in excess of $180,000. A FO should have no problems going over $100,000.
As far as travel goes, the travel benefits aren't the best, we have no access to the jumpseat or upperdeck (as of now), but you get plenty of time off to travel if you wish. I am currently on a 12 day trip, I return to SIN on the morning of the 26th, then I'm off for a week. There are no restrictions placed on your travel at all.
Upgrade is possible, I don't really know what the latest time is, but there is talk of 5 years or possible less depending on your experience.
Management???? Well, let's put it this way, you're not Singaporean! But, with that said, there are a number of expat instructors, Check Airmen and the like, Chief Pilots, so it depends on what you mean as "management".