AIR MAURITIUS Exodus

[inchallah]

News circulating that a large number of F/O's are hitting the road, mainly to the sand pit and this could well affect roster planning for the European Summer. Looks like cancelled leave for anyone staying behind then? Sources close to the action say they have advertised for In Flight Relief to come and help out again with rather generous offers, which is a kick in the teeth for those already working in the company. :*

The SAS boys from DEC to FEB, were asked to stay behind for a further 6 months to help out so that everyone could get some Leave. What about A319 Capt operating as In Flight Relief, im sure they'd love that!!!!:=

So with that kind of offer on the table, why not quit and re-apply as In Flight Relief. Im sure a few boys here would love to head back for a break, whilst getting paid generously for parking off on the beach.:)

[rwethereyet]

The more things change, the more they stay the same.....used to be a fantastic company to work for and sooooo sad to see what state it is in now....:(

Cheers,
RWTY

[FEW030TCU]

Whats happening guys . . .

Iev heard that they are hiring foreign Pilots these days. What is the induction process of FO like ???? and wat do u mean by COMPANY IS NOT DOING GOOD ????

Please explain . . . . .

Regards.

[inchallah]

RWTY, I agree it was such a wonderful company to work for and could still be if they manage to find some people skills and treat their staff better. I was amazed how loyal people were to MK but unfortunately the feelings were not reciprocated. Lot can be said about looking after your number one commodity, your staff. :ugh:

[Sir Osis of the river]

So would they be willing to hire any of the guys that left to get a command elsewhere and now want to go back as a DEC?

Just asking......

[rwethereyet]

Been there, done that and got the T-shirt:)....it was a wonderful experience and a good time in aviation.....until the locals decided to take over:bored:....well lets just say it's been downhill from there and we ain't talking about skiing:}. When the Mauritian local pilots start leaving, then it's a sure sign of bad management or no management and when they treat the staff like second class citizens well....we know what happens there.....such a shame for such a good company (in the past) to end up like this....:(....c'est la vie....en aviation :rolleyes:

Cheers

RWTY:)

[TSHEKUDU]

Dont waste your time, MK flight ops management has no idea how to run a company, excluding the die hards like T.O, F.O, J.D..........ect,dont bother, your a nothing, you will be treated as a nothing....There are so many better jobs out there, look past the sea and sand:ugh:

[ALTCRUISE]

Sad but TRUE......YOU are not going to change AIR MAURITIUS....but AIR MAURITIUS might change YOU!

The ISLAND HOLIDAY lasts about 6 months...then the small irritations like having your roster changed in less than 12 hours....being called for a flight OUTSIDE of your standby times...being harassed to fly on your "day off"...thats why most Pilots have "caller ID's connected to their phones...so as to see if it is OPS calling....but they are getting SNEAKY and using their own personal cell phones every now and then...so be CAREFUL!

Oh yes...you need the CHIEF PILOT'S permision to leave the ISLAND if you have consecutive days off....which is UNLIKELY...it will probably be written OFF OFF STBY OFF OFF.....so that you can do very little with your days off....and the list goes on and on and on!

If you are DESPERATE for a job, or are unemployed...and they give you a gap, then take it....but it comes at a price!

Also, don't let the salary fool you...the Island is DARN expensive these days...!

My TWO CENTS WORTH....please consider any move to MAURITIUS carefully :-(

[inchallah]

Seems all true about the beloved island in the sun. Those Captains who have been there for a long time, i mean over 8yrs(2 contracts) are the only ones benefitting from staying in MK. They have established a relatively good seniority in the company and the money is good enough to live on. I would like to say they usually get left alone but from past experience, they also get treated like nothing(sh*t) if they make a decision which doesnt go in line with the A Team. :D
I keep seeing more and more familiar faces in the sandpit. So my guess is this exodus has just begun, as I was told by one chap who has made the move this way, "I dont think MK fully realise how many guys they are about to lose". Whether this is true or not I cant confirm but he did say about 10 guys approached him personally for tips and interview information.
Time has come where guys realise the sandy beaches, blue lagoon and house on the beach isnt all it's crack up to be. Although the MK elite(A Team) feel this is the best place anyone would want to be, but as most of us who have ventured outside MRU knows, there are a lot of beautiful islands around the world offering same if not better ammenities(not to mention the girls) than MRU. Whether you are into surfing, diving, kiting or fishing there are better places around and cheaper.
Some of the boys usually organise there roster and pop down to MRU for a few days, which is what you guys are spending on the island these days anyway. I understand the rosters are diabolical and guys are getting about 6days max on the island a month, spending most fo there time paxing around and days off outstation.
Good luck to those who decide to stay.................:ugh:

[Malagant]

Check out Flightinternational,com, job section. Air Maur seriously advertising for crew..

[VIRGA]

Do they bond or only accept rated bus drivers?

[Dessert Aviator]

Would anyone care to elaborate on the EURO pay for Flight Deck. Having done fifteen years in the sandpit a return to Pointe d'esnay and blue bay has a certain apeal.
Ex MK:cool:

[VIRGA]

Is PPJN correct with their estimates for pay and as I said above are they only accepting type rated pilots or do they bond?

[Ferrit]

They think they will get crew if they shake the trees, not any more I left and more than quadrupled my salary and got S&T on top. Management sucks to say the least.

[tyne22]

What about the ambiance in the cockpit and with the cabin crew ? and about CRM, procedures ?

Thank you

[Captain_djaffar]

10% increase in flying crews salary at MK.
Trying to do few good steps forward or strategies?
Moreover if not with management,pilots here seem happy with their re-structured allowances.

[LocaliserAlive]

It is funny/weard that all those guys that have left really wish that MK would be the worst airline to work for!!!:=

A lot of guys are actually finding it much harder elsewhere.

Most Captains are staying because they can't find better elsewhere (all considered...money + route structure + standard of living).

The so-called exodus is from F/Os as now time to command is long as there is no big expansion and not much movement. That's the main problem, that's all.

[tyne22]

Do they need a lot of FO's ?

[inchallah]

Believe me, i can assure you out of the people who have left, MK isnt what they miss. Dig deeper and you will find that these people most had little beach houses, boats and generally a good social life.

Yes the route structure was good but now with less down time, things are not looking so rosy. Having pilots paxing all over the globe, there's a money making idea. But im sure they know what they are doing.

Most Captains are not leaving for several reasons. Some have tried and not made it with other airlines, consequently they get promoted to training Captains and so on. Others want to be close to their homeland(RSA). I can guarantee you if there was a contract out there which suited them, they would be jumping ship very quickly.

So nobody wishes MK was the worst company they worked for, give them enough rope they will take care of that themselves.:D

The guys i fly with, we all speak highly about the activities outside of flying in MRU, as I said there are other places in the world you can get the same kind of lifestyle. However one thing we all agree on is the people running the company are the same people who will be a detrement to MK's future.

[flyingwerks]

Its all about pros and con's.
Choice and compromise.

Some guys i have spoken to have tried other ailines and did not like what they saw there anyway, especialy some management attitudes.

Cant blame them for staying in MK.

Some are glad that they did stay,as package i beleive is now in Euro and not peged to US dollar.
Lucky them.:ok:

[LocaliserAlive]

Of course it is all about compromise. No place is perfect. I keep hearing these horror stories of guys transiting through their home for less than 24 hours and rest periods of 18 hours for a duty of 17 hours, east west flying etc, etc... A lot of guys I meet tell me that when they left MK, it was as if holidays were over and that they were now starting to work!

Inchallah, I am sorry that you did not have a good time in MRU. I am enjoying my flights and work here. Looks like you have some personal grudge with MK management. I am sorry it did not work out for you or for others. Managing a company is not as easy as some may think, especially a small airline, and pilots are difficult to please:ugh:.

[planecrazi]

Localiser Alive,

How well are you enjoying your job in MK? Judging by your previous posts and enquiries about other airliners, it seems as if you're were about to make plans!

Hello everybody,

One or two questions for guys working there already. I made some research already but there is too much stuff to go through (and so little time!!) and I am getting confused the more I read through the threads.

1- Where are the aircrafts registered?
2- Do you get the gateway that you choose or does the company choose for you from a list?
3- What will be the approximate salary(basic + allowances) that an F/O based in France will bring back home (money in the pocket after taxes, contributions etc etc)
4- Same as 3 but for a Captain
5- What types do you operate in Netjets
6- How many days of leave(holidays) per year
7- Do you follow Portuguese legislation

Thank you for any response. I know one or two replies will ask me to do a search but it is not the most convenient means to get my answers.

Cheers and happy new year,

Loc

Hello all,

Been a while since my last visit to this forum. Would anyone care to update me on the terms and conditions for the AMS basing, with figures in Euros and details of the other benefits? It is not clear from their website wether you get the same conditions when based in HKG or overseas?

Rgds,


Loc


So, does anyone know if they would hire A340 captains on the A330 at KAL?

Thanks for any info

Loc.

How long between application and 1st interview at CX?
Could anybody give me some details about the above?

Thanks,

Loc
Thanks guys,

I wanted to know how much time I would have to prepare for the interviews.


Cheers

Loc

Need I go on about how happy you are at MK, did you actually make any of the interviews??

[inchallah]

Loc, read my post again I never said i didnt enjoy MRU. I did however say there are other places in the world which i feel is better and cheaper. Yes it was the management or mismanagement that I was upset with.
It you cant please a small group of pilots then how are you going to run a big company. I think a small airline is the best place to keep guys happy, the demands are not all that lavish and since you are dealing with such a small group, it would be rather easy to come to an understanding which suited both parties. You will find that big companies such as EK, BA, CX, EY have so many pilots, all wanting different things from the company hence you have more p!ssed off guys.
So it wasnt so hard for MK to come to terms with what we proposed, infact I know we were all willing to do our bit to pull them thru the bad times. BUt when you have bean counters running the show with no idea of the aviation market and some arrogance(perhaps ignorance) to boot, this is a recipe for disaster.
I believe they are now seeing the fruits of their labour. They thought they would be so clever to counter propose with some Sh!tty proposals and with all the delays. Well the results are now speaking for themselves and now we wait for them to cancel leave and get ready to do some overtime. Only thing they can rely on is to get approval to not log time in the bunk, i understand from sources within this will happen soon.:ugh:
I enjoyed my time in MRU and certainly the flying was great. But I need to know where my career and life is going and need to put food on the table. There were too many hidden agendas and nothing was ever clear, which made it very difficult to know whether you had a future with MK or not.
I wont bother getting into the treading on eggshells, one has to do with Flight Ops.
SO good to see you are enjoying MK LOC, or perhaps you are one of these guys who went to interviews and didnt make it and now realise you have no where else to go.........

[LocaliserAlive]

Helo Planecrazi. I do not know one pilot who does not start reading a Flight magazine from the back pages! Of course I had a look at other places for work, one would be stupid not to. I've also had my bad times here. After considering everything, I still find I (and my familly) have a good life in MRU and the job is not that bad. So, I am enjoying myself (You can't blame me for that?!?). I know what I have here and not really sure what to expect elsewhere. Finally, I never went to any interviews!!I do not plan to move now. I am not saying it will not happen but this is how it is now.

Inchallah, you would be surprised that even in a small airline, every pilot thinks he has a solution for all the problems happening and how things should be run!! You would be amazed to hear about all the stupid requests or proposals that pilots(like you and me) come up with and are p!ssd off when management does not agree.

Anyway, I see that I will not convince you and do not want to. Everybody has his own experience and is free to have his point of view. Maybe you are one of these guys who did not make it to command with MK and left angry!:E

Cheers,

Loc

P.S. The new logging of hours was introduced in Oct 07 but nobody followed it. DCA has just come back with a letter (a few days back)to remind us about it. So, bunk time is not logged by co-pilots. However, salary will still be based on FDH and overtime on the full flight time (of aircraft). I beleive this is applied in the sand pit already (please correct if I am wrong).

[inchallah]

LocAlive, yes I can see how you could come up with the conclusion that I left because I didnt pass the command selection.:D

However, your assumptions are not far from the truth. I left because I couldnt see myself getting a chance for a long time at command. All the National guys are now approaching their chance and it is their airline, so they should be given that chance. I felt that I would be pushed further down the line and perhaps that opportunity might never come to me.

Another thing was watching certain guys getting through the command course who let's just say anywhere else they would be lucky to hold on to a FO position, that includes the expats too.:sad:

And yes I dont think you will change my mind about pleasing a smaller pilot group. Im sure many would have their own ways to run companies and so on, but I strongly believe it is much easier to negotiate with a small pilot group in a small airline that the opposite. I am talking from experience. Nevertheless you are going to have guys who will complain but i feel you can please the majority in a small group.

[LocaliserAlive]

I am sure we must have flown together then. I have flown with a few F/Os (expat and locals) who have asked me for my opinion about command upgrade here. I told them that in their position I would go and look somewhere else now because time to command is a problem (except for guys high in seniority) and there is no guarantee. Once you have been through upgrade in MK, beleive me life is enjoyable and it is worth staying if you can adapt to the country. I think you took the right decision to leave if you were far down the list. You had to take control of your future.:ok:

[inchallah]

Im sure we flew together depending on how long you have been a Capt. If not then Im sure we flew as FO's together.

Now that you say they have confirmed the "No Logging of bunk rest", there will be some tired guys out there. Do you guys still get a lot of sick days because you will be using them. It is very tiring let me tell you now, doing 1200hrs a year, luckily you guys dont have many East-West flying.:ugh:

[exde]

The latest from the island is:
The DCA have been pressurised into not allowing F/Os to claim flying time while in the bunk. Even although it seems to be a recognised practise it is done with a bit of island flair in Mauritius.
This now affects the 900 hr max yearly total( even although this is supposed to be block time)
The 80 hr contract limit will now never be seen as they can add a good 24 hrs onto that(time spent in the bunk on each leg) so no more overtime even although a F/O will spend more than 100 hrs every month in the airplane.
Many who were on the fence have been pushed.
Those of you thinking to go to the island paradise be carefull,you will never be in paradise and will only spend time recovering for the next flight.:ugh:

[inchallah]

Just ran into a couple of lads from Paradise in ops on my way home. According to them more guys are following suite. So does anymore have an idea how many are leaving MK?
Im also told the last attempt of trying to extend the crew hours by not logging bunk times had hit a brick wall.:ugh:

[Captain_djaffar]

Hi.
Sorry to sneak in between your hot conversation guys,today I was in the south of the island,at around 11:10 am,and saw in the skies a GA light aircraft,kind of a cessna 4-seater or piper,(i couldnt distinguish more precisely unfortunately) on its base leg on a right hand circuit at fimp.
Could anyone if he knows tell more about this aircraft?Is it for rental?Who is the probable owner?a local guy?

Thanks.

[TSHEKUDU]

yes,its management trying to escape :E

[flyingwerks]

Heard from some of the boys who fly in paradise that Air mauritius is getting rid of the two A319's.
Is this true?

[Captain_djaffar]

One is already on lease.
Any actual MK pilots could comment on the future on the A319s?
Will they be replaced by other aircrafts?

Had the intention of getting a type on A320,but not anymore.