Originally Posted by
jpdesantis
Any current Air Japan Pilots:
I am about to make the jump from military flying to the civilian world and am hoping will have many options to weigh. Been stationed in Japan, flying for nearly 4 1/2 years. My family and I love Japan and would make it our long term home if it makes sense. My questions are these; 1) Can I opt to not commute and live in Japan with a sponsored VISA? Will I be compensated in any way for not taking the commuting money/flights? 2) Maybe more importantly, I am very competitive for direct hire into any American major airline. I value quality of life and being paid well for a valuable skill set. Is this worth it if I could get hired directly by Delta/American/United?
I realize that it has been a while since you posted this but I hope it gets to you before you make a mistake! This job is ok (And I do mean just OK) in times of furlough or a bad job market, right now this is not the case.
If living in Japan is your goal, I recommend that you target United and then bid for the trips they have out of
Narita, as I understand from pilots that regularly bid those trips is that they can get them regularly so you can work at a normal airline and still spend the majority of your time here.
Air Japan is NOT a career choice in today's market.