I am working for Spring now.
For those who would like to join Spring because it is based in shanghai : prepare yourself to stay in Shijiazhuang 4 days then back to base and wear your uniform for another equivalent pattern.
The salary was good ( at least if you are not European , since you will be payed in dollars ) but promised salary increment for pilots who have joined the company 3 - 6 years ago : not happening ; leaves request and flexibility for rosters or personal requests , also in case of very serious problems : zero ( my have been rejected multiple times, more than 10 .... I have given up in the end ) ,
Chinese captains are flying from honquiao and foreign from pudong only , which means an extra “duty” spent in the bus of at least 2 hours per pattern, communication with the company : very poor : either you are on training or released line captain they do not answer your questions ( I tried with foreign office , chief pilot , training ..... they do not know the regulations, often you get different answers and non coherent ) , during the summer prepare yourself to 18 hours duty with delays or more : you fly 2 captains and one first officer with very few landings, often they are unable or not allowed to make even ATC communications but the company uses them to increase the duty, the captain extension of the duty is REQUIRED. instructors professional level and judgement is very poor,
they are very rude and they do not apply even basic procedures , I have been told that nowadays with modern instrumentation it is better to fly with newspaper on the windshields so that you are more fresh at landing. the simulator check is a lottery , mostly foreign pilots do not pass the sim check.
pilots meetings are all about what kind of punishment you will get if you make a mistake , the English level is generally very poor, Chinese captains smoke and sleep in the cockpit , they will touch the FCU even as PM.
Hotels are being improved but still you will find yourself imprisoned with no chance to eat western food in dirty hotel rooms.
So guys : I was working in a professional environment before Spring , and I have to say : for those who like to make some money ( at least in dolllars) at the cost of their professional dignity this can be the right place , but prepare yourself and give me some feedback once you have joined
