Originally Posted by
unitedabx
On Friday I had the pleasure of having my lunch ( tuna and tomato sandwich and ginger ale ) sitting opposite a young woman who has recently joined CX from EK to improve pilot recruitment. She asked if I was a pilot (yes) and what fleet (777). I didn't know CX had 777's was her reply. I thought CX only operated Airbus. No I said that is Cathay Dragon. I reruit for them too was her answer. I bet you are struggling to meet your cadet quotas I asked. Yes she said and asked me for any suggestions. You get what you pay for I said. Up the package being offered and your numbers will improve and then tackle the many other issues to retain the pilots. We can't up the package she said "there isn't any money in the kitty for that". Pity I said because thats what it will take to get numbers rising. By the way why did you leave EK to join CX I asked. Her answer " a better package of course ".
The sadness is that she saw absolutely no problem or felt the need to mediate her comment.
Right now, down under Qantas has yet another operation designed to circumvent exiting terms and conditions, it is called Network Aviation. It was a few decades ago a charter operator with a C99 and a few other twins.
It is now an A320 operator in Qantas colours no less in YPPH.
At the regular headfest, the HR management asked the operations people about why the 'package' fails to attract sufficient interest and they are always politely reminded that their JQ DHC 8 operation in NZ, Jetconnect and indeed Cobham contracts (of which Qantas own the aircraft) have similar problems: remuneration.
The circularity of their stupidity is simply because for the last three decades, supply of pilots outstripped demand. Therefore HR/IR got lazy and incidentally wealthy stripping salary out of pilot's pocket.
They will do everything, before doing the right thing and restoring remuneration to the point where the skillset, cost and time taken to acquire are adequately compensated. Many circular 'meetings remain...