I think most of us knew it was a huge risk and probable eventuality. We chose instead to ignore some of that reality and make the best of the situation. It’s still was (is?) the best commuting contract in the airline biz.
Not really sure about What you mean here.....signing for a contractor job has always had a relative risk of losing your income without a protection, but the lack of ethics shown by the korean managements, together with a complete and disappointing behavior by the agencies was a major disaster.
I think we’re on the same page here. The only difference I see is that I fully expected their response whereas you expected the KAL management to manage this/us well and the agencies to care about us and fight for us? Please advise me when there was ever evidence that this was going to occur as they’ve only shown the opposite?
From day one, you learn 1. KAL FLT OPS management is in it for themselves and the power, not doing the right thing 2. The agencies do next to zero for us.
I don’t understand why you think a crisis would make any difference? They’re showing their true stripes, which is what everyone pretty much knew would happen.
What you state above is heresy. Yes, about 10% of the force don’t like us, maybe another 20-30% have been brainwashed to dislike us as well, but the larger part of the group prefer to fly with us, as our CRM skills are evolved and we are generally more team focused and kinder to the FOs.
You call this an heresy, but I believe you should really do a rain check: what you called evolved CRM skilled for them is just a mere opportunity to reaffirm their individuality in a company , or more widely speaking a society, which is based on seniority and rank with no mercy. We are not welcomed in that country and the last covid crisis showed it really hard: there is no help for foreigners, even if married with koreans....
With over a decade in KAL, I fully understand what you’re saying. My “reality” (?) check isn’t required, I’m pretty sure I 100% get the culture and where we fit into that. And I am no fan of the culture, but I keep my eyes on what’s important to me - the time off, the salary and lifestyle it gives me. I’m under no illusions as to my rights or importance to KAL.
Reality is we are a perfect workforce for KAL, on the margin. If they need us, great, bring us in and fly us, if not, send us home to sit on our hands. Another reality in aviation, the retirements hit fast and hard over the next 10 years. The more pilots that get brushed aside, the harder this is going to be on airlines in the middle of the 20s, when there is absolutely no pool of qualified applicants. Especially if the terms and conditions erode throughout this period, as I fully suspect. Smart management won’t see this as an opportunity, they’ll be wise enough to realize what’s further ahead of them and treat the pilots as the professionals they are.
But for now, it’s a waiting game. The well managed will prosper in the coming years.........
Originally Posted by
Flyoveriraq
I agree, let’s wait and see what happen, and please, let us know your insight when your license and qualification will be expired, and you will not receive even a pat on your shoulder for all these years hard work.
By the way, what is your family saying about korean pilots receiving 70% of their salary for sitting on their hands compared to your ....nothing?
All the best to all of us, we really deserve it...
Once again, I think we are 99% on the same page. However, i feel you’re painting me as delusional, whereas I feel I’m more in touch with the reality of the situation.
Did you expect KAL to treat us like employees? Did you expect the Korean govt to send cheques overseas to take care of you?
Should they at least take care of us on some level, as workers which have contributed our time, life, health, etc., to the company? HELL YEAH. Would I ever have expected them to? Nope.
My point, ultimately, is that we know what we’re getting ourselves into or putting ourselves through by choosing to stay. To expect a caring attitude and perfection from a corporation which has always shown the opposite, seems out of touch to me. KAL is a poorly capitalized airline that is on the edge during this time. And Koreans only care about Koreans.
These are all known facts. It’s just a matter of how you process and cope with it.
As for losing currency, it’s going to be world wide. I’m in the throws of shifting careers, as I don’t think KAL, aviation and my health, are worth it anymore. If I do happen to go back, I’ll is it as a time to set up to pivot out. Regardless of what happens, it’s just not in the Koreans to treat us well, so why expose yourself to this anymore? If you’re disappointed with how this is gone down, you’ll be disappointed with the next few years as they stumble through it.
Good luck, we’re all going to need some of that going forward.