Contract companies out of talent
 

I had a call from a guy at a crew leasing company the other day and had an interesting conversation. Good guy and one of the ones who will work to find you the job you want. Anyway, it was unsolicited by me, and ended up as a possible offer to fly a heavy aircraft with an airline that hires locals and expats (no I won't tell you who as I might want the job). At any rate, he's always very calm, in control, and possitive when dealing with me. This time he sounded stressed. Apparently we (experienced pilots) are not taking jobs for peanuts anymore. Pilots are actually telling them to get them more money or bugger off. The pool is running low.

So the 'looming' shortage is perhaps in full swing. Anyone else had a similar experience.

I haven't heard anything, but haven't been looking too close either. I just sent you a PM.

I have gotten a couple of job offer emails from some of these leasing companies lately. I am sorry but $5k a month with 7 days off is just not enough to go fly a 747 in India, an aircraft that I am already qualified on.

No kidding eh! When their private competition (Jet Airways)is paying way more, I just wonder who they think they are going to get. There are other companies paying FO's what Air India pays skippers on the 744. Hopefully more people take the stance you are and the wages will come up. Have you seen what the new Lufthansa/Chinese operator Jade Cargo is paying for skippers on their brand new 744's. . .abismal. I guess it will take an accident or two for these guys to wake up to the fact that price equals quality, even when it comes to pilots.

My company has given a 15% pay raise in an attempt to stem the tide of resignations.

Netjets Europe just did something close to 30%.

It's all good :)


TP

Not all good at EK - yet. It wasn't 15%. It was 6% + our annual 3% increment + flight pay. When you add up what you make next year and compare it with what you would have made less the 6% + flight pay, (including all forms of compensation - provident fund, overtime etc.) it won't be anything near 15% more. That's the problem with this place, smoke and mirrors. On a month that a pilot flies a full month, it might be 14% more but what about all those months when you work for free (training, simulator, etc.). When you figure in the effect of your provident fund as compensation, it actually waters down the figure by quite a lot.

Must be that fine cabernet talking. :p

I was JS'ing home last week. The other guy in the JS was a Legacy 777 guy about to retire. Anyway, he just got back from interviewing with Jet airways, said there were a total of 6 guys there. All were US legacy pilots qualified on the 777. He said the pay was pretty good, something like 20k a month with the ability to commute. Not a bad deal if you can handle some of the other stuff.

Koru, et. all:

I did not get a call out of the blue like you, but I was able to dictate a lot of things once I was hired by an Asian carrier on contract.. I think it is a combination of what you said (lack of people) and also people actually getting through the hiring process.. On a different subject, any more word on some of your boys coming to the sand box (sand hole) to fly the 777??

I agree with the guy above in that the Air India people are smoking crack.. The Jet deal is better in everyway, except they dont fly to the states YET..

As far as the EK raise, well it is something.. Honestly, nice for the guys who are content (I think there are a couple) and not enough to change the minds of those who want to leave.. That's it, plain and simple..

Quite fun to sit back and watch, especially on the 777.. All of these companies are tapping the same well, and sooner or later, someone will offer "Great" pay and (or)
1st world bases, and the whole group will walk... Might be Qater from what I hear.. We will see..

BC

I got to agree with Gillegan on the "raise", especially with the new extra 10 sim supports when you close in on the 900 hour target

On the contract companies, I have had 3 hits in March alone, one of them with a straight invitation for an interview I did not apply for; all that and I am still not "worthy" of that elusive sinister seat on the Shuttle Discovery...

I hear the train a coming, it's rolling around the bend...

Howdy EK,

Yes, it is true. The fine people from EK showed up in AKL looking to pull some of our pilots. Again, I think a number of our over 60's who will not get a chance to hold the right seat here again are looking to go somewhere that will take them for a few years, in the left seat, so they can finish off skipper; a bit of a dick size thing if you ask me. I do now know for shure that any of them were offered left seats at EK, but I'll ask around. Frankly, with the way the industry is for us at the moment I am not sure ANZ really wants what they think they want. It might possibly bite the company in the rear as my chrystal ball shows us with a very seriuos looming shortage if they go ahead with this. Oh well, for us at the bottom of the list it really doesn't matter.