chuck h

Heard the rumors that FedEx officially has the wheels in motion for a CDG base (if rumors can be official). Anyone know if this is going to initiate any hiring before the May 08' I keep hearing?

dojetdriver

I don't work there, but from what a friend of mine that does; With the age 65 debacle and some other things, FedEx hiring may be an oxymoron for the near future. Hopefully for many of us, that is not the case.

Another friend did his meet-n-greet over a year ago, did well enough apparently. Never heard anything, he's tired of waiting and is going to SW.

Deuce130

Perhaps, perhaps not. I know what the company is saying (Summer 08), but what if they have a bid in August for HKG and CDG and noone bids it? I've got a hard time believing enough F/Os are going to bid those places at narrowbody pay without a major financial incentive thrown in. That might spur some hiring - as in we'll send you to HKG for three years right away. Could happen, I guess.

dojetdriver

Interesting. So, if they do hire and send new hires there, will there be a moving package/COL offset?

If not, will those newhires be looked down upon becuase they were willing to take a job in a foreign domicile with no moving expenses paid/COL bump?

Magenta Line

Any domicile that purple opens will get bids and plenty of takers. It's called MONEY!

More MONEY and more incentives -- more senior people will bid the domiciles.

Less MONEY and less incentives -- it'll be staffed by eager junior guys chomping at the bit.

In my brief time here I've learned a few things and probably the most important is that FedEx doesn't like to spend MONEY on crewmembers. We are hired help, a work collective, a human cost center. Sorry to sound so cynical but if you think Fred is going to lay down a bunch of coinage for the boyz wearing epaluets then show me in the past where he has rubbed out a favorable check to the pilot group. Key word: favorable.

md11phlyer

Uh yeah, what are the rest of the airline pilots in the world? We're contract laborers my man, it's the profession you chose. First airline job?

Magenta Line

Got no beef about contract laborers, I agree. Maybe my language was a little harsh.

My point was that from Fred's perspective, it's about money, that's all. If he could staff 10 foreign domiciles and make it cost neutral, he would.

Edited: One of the rumors I had heard was a good relo package for CDG to keep more experienced guys in the new airplane that's going to new markets in Europe. I just don't see it happening; some bean counter will say we've hired all these furloughed guys and virtually have the pick of the litter on applicants -- what's the matter with these guys we just hired? Can they not do the job?

Deuce130

Sorry, Dojet, I've got no answers for you. My post was pure speculation, that's all. My point is that I don't think a foreign domicile will be very attractive to narrowbody F/Os. Others think differently. If there are no takers, then they'd have to get them from somewhere, kind of like the Alaska MD-11 newhires. As for being looked down on, I can't speak for everyone, but I know that I wouldn't care if someone got hired off the street to work in HKG or CDG - as long as that person wasn't Chinese or French!

dojetdriver

Deleted, Duece beat me to an answer. Point though, people look down on SW for buying the type, although it reaps rewards later in life. People look dowm on UPS for their abysmal newhire pay, although it reaps benefits down the road, people look down on CAL for their low first year rate, I guess after years there it will FINALLY pay off.

What is the wife going to do? Will FedEx find a way to secure right to work in the EU? Will FedEx pay for the kids to go to an American school? I think the concept of a Chinese/Paris domicle is going to get expensive wether Fred wants to pay for it or not.

A new hire at Fedex that gets sent to China/Europe will be basically the same as the CAL/UPS new hire. Forced to live in an expensive place on very little (relative) money if there is no COL package unless the MEC fights for something. Sadly, as we have seen in the past, MEC's tend to care little for the new-hire/junior pilots as far as compensation. I know, FedEx has one of the highest new hire rates, but that isn't going to be sh1t in Euroland.

Not slamming FedEx's MEC, but it's a proven fact over time as far as pay rates go.

Magenta Line

It would not be cost neutral for the individual, that's my point. Fred is not going to give your family a 20,000 lbs move package, pay to move a car, or pay to put the kids in school overseas. Costs way too much money.

Read the other thread posted last week about the crewmember's neighbor who is a FedEx accounting dude going to HKG; huge move package, big housing allotment, $$$ for kid's school, etc.... Why? I do not know but I would speculate he's one guy and he's important in somebody's book.