UK Viking said:
My allowance with Ryanair,even after 40 % tax, easily covers all my extra expenses ie. SIM, Parking, Uniform, ID, Hotels (max twice a year doing SIM). I was ones politely ASKED to take 5 days in Italy, hotel paid and extra allowences during the stay, a very good and fair deal.
What was this allowance in 2000? Same as it is now. Have your expenses gone up? Are hotels, parking, uniform more now than they were in 2000? Yes they are, you are now worse off than the same pilot in 2000
UK Viking said:
I also get like 10 % extra for pension if i pay the same amount, which is almost as good as the one I had in a Scandinavian Airline some yers ago.
Basic pay for a UK based captain in 2000 was approx 50,000. Inflation since then has been 30%, so just to be the same as a cpt was in 2000 your basic should be 65,000. if you are a UK based cpt you will be now getting no more than about 57,000. You are 8,000 poorer in real terms than the same cpt was in 2000. And if you think a measly 5,000 ish a year pension contribution from the company will keep you in retirement in anything other than poverty, think again.
UK Viking said:
I have a 5/4 roster which is very good if I live near my base BUT also very good if I need to commute on a absolutely free basis within Ryanair network.
this is about the only decent thing about the ryanair setup, but does it compensate for getting poorer every year?
UK Viking said:
My netpay is, for the time being, at least what my ex-colleges gets around the world.
You need to look around a bit more. An ordinary easyjet captain earns a minimum of 105,000 GBP, a Tfly captain at least 10,000 more than that. Both Balpa companies BTW. Look at your P60, I bet it doesn't show 105,000. More like 85,000? If so, you are very cheap!! Also there are strong rumours that ryan have just arbitrarily lowered new captain salaries to the level where there will be pretty much no financial penalty in moving from the left seat in ryanair to the right seat in BA, Thomson etc That's how Ryan management works, attack the new (weak) guys
UK Viking said:
I don't have my favorite base yet, but do you think you get the base you want in other large airlines ? We are a very large airline with about 2000 pilots, not easy to manage concerning everyones wishes.
In other large airlines there is a system to determine base, usually seniority based. Therefore it may take time but eventually you get where you want to be. In Ryan there is no system because they don't want a system. Why? Because it is a hold over you to stop you from asking for a fair set of T&Cs or complaining when you get shafted. It is a way for them to reward people who give them what they want (a continuation of reduction in dignity and respect and T&Cs) by way of participating in the sausage machine to deliver more, ever cheaper pilots. It is a way for them to dilute possible 'troublesome' ie organised, groups of pilots with new pilots who are more acquiescent to the pay cuts etc
UK Viking said:
Ryanair just send out a note concerning the BALPA recognition, I can't see BALPA being able to change anything to the better, myself just joined a independent union instead, as I am quite happy with my job and don't see any better T & C anywhere.
Like I said, you need to look around a bit at a few BALPA companies to see WAY better working environments where pilots are treated like professionals, and don't get ranted at via pidgeon hole dropped propaganda garbage or threatened in meetings with dire circumstances if they exercise their LEGAL RIGHT to collective representation with a union
Sorry for the long post and to address every one of your points but I encourage you to do a bit of research and find out what is actually happening in Ryanair compared to the other big UK based companies.....
Ssschmokin1