Qantas Recruitment

[Makiko]

These "Stories" are always the same

Guys crowing how they played the game & won

Each to their own & free to work/ live wherever wish

But I would have thought VKs career plan would have been an example of an absolute disaster - couldn't have timed it any worse

Back in 2006 QF ML were on top of the world , no competition in Aussie - can't call Virgin Low cost competition

Short time SO, era

& the reason for leaving , JQ going international ?? Very curious , think they got maybe one A330 in that year , maybe 5/6 (at most) by 2008

& that's why someone would leave QF mainline ? Well its a free country - but its interesting logic

& also flawed logic as what you anticipated simply did not occur , JQ 12 WBs versus QF 50

If you were a 76 FO at that time , likely circa 2000 joiner (+/-) , say joined at 30ish (+/-)

So now in 50s as a NB FO in USA

Consider if you had stayed at QF , you could have (if you wanted easy life) transferred to A380 SO , nudging $300K writing you own rosters

Or gone on 747/330 FO (seniority dependant obviously) , or 73 FO or 73 LHS (Perth)

If you had waited until 2010 + taken LWOP & gone on to ME3 etc etc , perhaps even DEC or accelerated to LHS . Emirates had formal program with QF back then
for a number of years . & if the ME was your cup of tea just kept extending lwop (as many did). & LWOP in 2010s with 3000 hours more time on 767 would have resulted
in much quicker journey to LHS overseas

Or just stayed with QF in whatever position

At the very least now you would have the best trips as a QF WB FO , getting paid way more & working way less than you are now

15 years "Major International Airline" well if it was CX you would have been in RHS - not a bad gig but fairly same same (then they started
amending contract). If SQ local contract & all expats got flung 2016

If ME3 , well likely at least 3 to 5 years until LHS , then the guys over there started changing everything. Bunk time not counted as flight time
& 24 hour stop after 14 hour flight (QF/BA / Americans anyone decent ) all getting at least 48 hours rest. The rosters must have been brutal and incredibly
fatiguing - just so far off "best practice" its not funny

Joining United at best mid wave of the hiring cycle , say mid 50s on a NB . How does a mid 50s chap manage to get a greencard - US citizenship whatever ?
Sure you might be able to upgrade quickly to lhs (NB only) but your rosters will be very poor for a number of years - permanent reserve. & If you want to go to WB
sure can do , but you will be on permanent reserve for years (reserve is not "shared" like QF LH) . Ever seen a youtube about United LH guys sitting in hotels (expensive) in NYC
waiting for a callout - it looks absolutely miserable . & remember if there is recession the US majors do not hesitate to furlough, this has happened twice this century & people are
often flung for years

So sure I agree with you entirely that you cannot compare flying with a major in Australia V USA. Years of permanent reserve & the threat of furlough for at least 5 years
& the company pissing your pension up against the wall Vs no compulsory redundancies for 50 years & good rosters from day 1. As you say it ain't a competition

I suspect you were the only 767 FO who resigned in 2005/2010 period & I don't think any of your fellow QF joiners would swap your career path

It was EBA 6/7 back then btw

QF could fill all ML vacancies with Americans from US Majors if they wanted & they know that