I understood the no bonus ( despite certain parties getting a 500,000,000 AED bonus ) I could even understand the no pay increase, but the No Step just is a complete slap in the face. It is semi contractual, its was advertised as such to me. When I joined I was told every year as a reward for service you WILL get 3% step. It doesn’t just affect your present, it affects your whole future at the airline and beyond into pensions since it is compounded over the years.
The pay pot is pretty much a fixed amount ( aside from the pilot body size increasing due to the airline size increasing, so in effect it is in fixed proportion to the airline size) All the step does is shuffle the pay around, you go up a step, the guy below you moves up and the guy above likewise. Eventually you leave, and a new joiners takes your place at the bottom. Based on that I really don’t understand the no step, it is saving nothing and is just a slap in the face. Work harder and we won’t reward you.
Inflation plus the VAT implementation of 5% last year was met with 3% step, so we lost out. This year further inflation and not even 3% step to allow you to even keep pace. Will this aid retention? I leave that to your imagination. Will it aid recruitment? It will make little difference but do you really want an a long haul airline eventually totally crewed by 2000 hour first officers?