What a great guy you must be to fly with.
Typical "I've got mine now shut up and take it like a man".

Definitely not a team player...

 

DHL pays about the same to all their contractors. Where did the money go?

I have no problem with SAI losing the contract. Bird says I ought to quit anyway.

Somebody is going to fly those parcels. Somebody is going to fly the planes I fly. Say its Atlas, well they're gonna need some warm bodes. I'm a warm body. Second year FO at Atlas beats fifth year FO at SAI anyway. Lets say its Connie, well then its third year FO pay. ATI? ABX? Same song, different verse.

Southern had better realize that 75% of their pilots no longer have any expectations of 'making it' here. 75% of their pilots won't 'suck it up' until an upgrade that isn't coming. 75% of their pilots don't have a vested interest in the success of the company. So what if SAI goes out of business, it won't hurt me much. "When you've got nothing, you've got nothing to lose."

We do have leverage. Not directly with DHL, but we have it. Its the 'invisible hand of the market'. When SAI can't get enough crews for their 737 because conditions are so bad, that's leverage. When a flight is delayed or cancels when a pilot calls out sick to avoid losing their banked sick time, that's leverage. If SAI can't do the job they are hired to do DHL may look elsewhere, but they won't be looking for cheaper, they will be looking for more reliable. And we are at the point where reliability is directly related to compensation.

 

FedEx and UPS reliability numbers are less than the DHL contractors because their pilots don't have to fear "losing the contract" for poor on-time performance. UPS uses contractors during peak and they generally fly JUNK aircraft, yet they very rarely cancel or even delay a flight because they know UPS won't use them again if they aren't reliable.

Contractors must be reliable or they will be replaced. Most SAI pilots won't put the DHL contract in jeopardy as they need the job.

Lots of ACMI pilots just move around from one ACMI to another. Like the Willow Run vortex for the auto parts hauler pilots. Once you get in, you can't get out.

DHL has a different business model than FedEx and UPS. You are not their peers.

 

Lots of SAI Captains won't, as they can't replace their income. Nobody on the FO list won't be able to find a similar job in short order. When widebody Captain was the carrot, it was ok to suck it up. Now there is no carrot, just a stick.

But apart from fighting for better conditions, SAI may continue having problems manning the aircraft they have. Five more people quit in the last three weeks. There is a new hire class to replace them, and very aggressive interviewing for more classes. Its hard to imagine that its cheaper to train a new pilot than to improve conditions for the ones who are here. Failure to adequately compensate 737 crews is directly related to SAI being unable to fulfill their contract with DHL and having to sub it out to NAC.

Can SAI fill the bucket faster than it drains out?

 

NAC has been wanting a bigger piece of the DHL action for some time. This just might be the avenue for them to get it.

 

With what pilots? Look at SA they can barely find people. Hopefully the 737 terms will improve a bit with lack of crews. Maybe better schedules or home basing.

 

Haven't seen this thread in a day. Wow, sure has got busy!

In short, SAI management treats their employees like cr*p, and will do so for the foreseeable future. Their employees have done nothing to deserve this as they have all labored far and beyond what others in this industry have. Their efforts are based on their professionalism and dedication to making things work. There is no fault to be placed on them.

The point of this thread is to inform those that are interested in employment with SAI as to just what it's all about and just what they are going to get into by accepting employment with SAI.

To that end your going to find differing opinions from different sources in this thread.

There are those that are just rank and file crew members with SAI. They are just narrating their perspective. There is nothing to be gained by just telling how it really is.

There are the others, that are obviously members of some level of management or management wannabes. That group is selling a product, there is something to be gained in that.

So when you go buy that car, do you just check what the manufacturer says or do you check the owner's reviews?

 

Delta Connection pilots peers with Delta pilots? The very moment their Delta wings are pinned at class graduation ceremony. Let's say tomorrow morning, Dan & Dave agree over breakfast they've been a real pair of sheets and direct SAI to give Rob3 what he deserves; parity with FedEx scale, a pension, hell everything, and have it sent up like room service. Might be a little shortfall on the books come next month but, no problem, we'll just go on down to Plantation and tell the customer our CMI block rates have doubled. When they stare at us mouths open, we'll respond, "Costs $200 to ship HKG/MEM dudes, so where'd the money go?"

 

As long as young pilots emerge from flight schools with flying licenses in their pockets, SA and the like will have pilots to fly the jets. As long as SA and they're ilk have sufficient Capt's to fly with these young guys and gals, the jets will continue to fly. There's nothing to stop this process, unless you can convince people to voluntarily stay away. The young guys are looking well beyond the bad pay at the supplemental's. The guys in the left seats make enough to be satisfied to the extent they don't leave.
I would suggest that the level of negativity toward SA posted here is meant to chase away potential new hires as they stand in the way of any improvements for the pilot trying to make a career there. And, nobody wants to make a career at an airline with a revolving door. I don't either.
In 1988 I was paid $75/hr as an F/O in a DC-8 freighter with a 70hr guarantee. How can this be, especially considering the alleged pilot shortage?....Not in the US anyway.
By the way, SA had no trouble filling the two most recent 777 classes so how can anyone expect anything to change. Supply and demand...

 

"Say it once."
"Say it twice."
"Third time's the charm."

- Beetlejuice