captjohndoe

Check out Pprune forums if you haven't yet. There are some good gouges there as well. The interview and the sim is nothing like Cathay's BS, but your sim is almost 80-90% of your interview. Know the basics for technical and don't crash the sim. As for the contract companies, they are all good as posted. You receive the same gross pay, but it's "allocated" and posted a bit differently so you might see a little more or less net. But all in all, it's neglible The only real advantage CREW has over other contract companies is that the company is based in the US (like WASINC) and its VP is ex-ANA executive management. So the ties between CREW and ANA might be a bit tighter than with other contract companies. CREW also has a Japanese rep in Tokyo and yes, the Aetna Global can't be beat. All your dependants are covered free of charge with very, very low copay and deductible.

As for training bond, yes they have one - ONLY if you do not give them a 90-day notice before you bail. In Japan, 6 - 12 month notice is the norm. Once you complete the seemingly endless training, it's one of the best jobs out there. From schedule flexibility to QOL, it really can't be beat. If you come in as FO, in the worst case, you will upgrade at the end of your 5-yr. contract. As LostinAsia said, I think the current going rate is between 3-4 yrs. for upgrades. With the accomodation, you will use more or less of the accomodation pay depending on your schedule.

Working in this part of the world, it's how you make out of your situation that'll determine how happy or miserable you'll be. This long distance commuting or relocating definitely is not for everyone though. And like other companies, not everyone is 100% happy here.

JetMonkey

On the pax side, is there any flights to the us with long layovers? (Lax, Sfo, etc..) What are the plane delivery schedules for ANA, they are the launch customer for the 787 are they not? Thanks!

CloudSailor

Thanks captjohndoe!

F5KemoLoco

Bizal,

After about a week or two of answering questions at the local CReW level, they sent my stuff for review last week...let's see, today is the 28th....I would say that it was submitted to ANA on the 18th. It became official yesterday as in ANA said YES, SEND HIM AN INVITE, and I am heading out to Japan on the 22nd thru the 27th of September. Academic test (holy sh@@), HR Interview, Sim, and Medical....all on different days I hear...I dunno. If I actually make it thru this I will let you know how it all goes. Just got a big packet full of stuff in the mail and I have to go to Kinkos and get pictures takien and put into various sizes.

SO...hope that helps. I'm sorry you haven't heard since July...I don't know what to say to that. I told CReW that I was ready to rock and roll asap, and that I would be bugging them until they said yes or to pack it up and go home.

Good luck!

LostInAsia

Only US layover is in HNL. Others are in Asia. Air Japan will be on the 767 until it goes away. After that....who's knows. ANA is the launch customer for the 787 whenever Boeing gets their act together and gets one in the air. The sim is already in the training center gathering dust.

EK Birdcage

In AJV (Cargo) we have layovers in ANC, ORD, BKK and I guess TPE soon. ANC and ORD can be quite long depending on the pattern.. BKK is 24 hours usually, possibly longer on some patterns in the future..

I will be very suprised if the AirJapan boys see the 787 anytime soon, but I could be wrong.. A good first step would be to see it actually fly!!

F5KemoLoco

......just to make sure, as it sounds like previously this was a sticky point.....

CReW has it in their document that you can EITHER take the 2K in funds to work your own commute OR they will buy you business class to and from your home to go to work. Being lazy...and hearing all of the ZED nightmares....I would prefer the latter..if it's really the case...of course I will be studying to pass the SIM first....holy fan blades...!!

Please confirm?

captjohndoe

With the commuting, you have an option every month either to receive the dinero or the Business seat. During the mid-summer season, you may want to do the Business Class/confirmed seat just because the loads are so high and there are occasional ZED embargo on certain airlines. But most other times, the loads from/to Tokyo on many airlines are only 75-80% full. And unless you really have to sit in Business, you can buy a confirmed economy (if you're worried about not getting a seat on ZED) and pocket the change. I believe that's what some guys are doing.

Hey Birdcage, how's the car? You still in NRT or KIX?

EK Birdcage

Hey there A. L... All is well and still in NRT.. The hotel gig works fine for me having the gym, shuttle service and nice places to run (When it's not so f*cking hot) etc.. so for now I will stay.. We miss seeing you around here.. Just get a new AmEx and your wife will never know when you go out and have fun with us!! Car is great.. Drove it to Minnesota in June, and to the beack place in N Carolina in August so actually getting some miles on her now.. I will say you are right about those tires.. Michelins coming soon....

On the Commute: I think I have a pretty good system.. I buy a full-fare coach ticket (costs under 2k) and then use miles to upgrade.. Works great since you earn about as many miles each trip as it takes to upgrade for the next!! Plus on DL when you are platinum, you get 8 international upgrade certificates per year too.. I am now bias, but I have found Delta's international service to be awesome... Hope it stays when NWA comes around...

Cheers,

BC

F5KemoLoco

Let's hope the cost stays down! I like your plan. Buy coach, and on DL, are you able to upgrade to first, or are you specifcally talking business? I'm close to Platinum so that interests me...!

Thank you all for the info.

How's this for the next "Hope to be one of you guys" question:

What's the hardest part to this SIM during the interview?

Thank you again.

Cheers,