Originally Posted by
Red69
Compared to the 3 major airlines people aspire to work for in this country - QF, JQ and VA. The former now pay better, have better career progression, better base options and better fleet options.
The 12 days off are required to stay functional in this job. There is no functioning PBS or Trip Swap system. FDP are used as targets. People are exhausted. Throw in the people who commute (guessing approx 30% of crew) and there is a lot of disharmony. The resignation rate reflects how people are feeling.
It’s a good place to use as a stepping stone to greener pastures, but not many are staying for the long term.
I don’t think the days at JQ or QF on their respective NB fleets are much better to be fair. The fact is flying around NB aeroplanes under CAO48.1 (which VA aren’t on yet!) is hard going. I’m certainly thankful I have a minimum of 12 days off. I don’t know how you’d survive this job on 10.
People are resigning, but again I don’t think it’s in any great number. It definitely peaked when quite a flew left for Atlas, but since then it seems to have gone quiet (unless there are a heap to still go to QF - but that number has been big for 18 months apparently.). At a guess I’d suggest the resignation rate is around the 5% mark? I’m also not sure it’s quite right to say that people aren’t staying long term - there is a hell of a lot of people who have been in the place 20/15/10 years.
You make a good point about career progression and QF certainly offers variety in a career. It’s the one thing Virgin can’t offer, and it’s significant. It’s the one thing if I was younger and had a choice of who to apply to, that I’d be factoring in.