Gnad - I have no satisfaction at all regarding the deteriorating conditions in oz. I hope to return one day and would much rather an AN pay packet than a Jetstar / Virgin pay packet. But these things are in the hands of the global market gods, not mine.
I have not paid for training for almost 15 years now - the only outgoing I have had since joining the airline game was paying to be interviewed by QF. But, if me and the missus and rugrats decide one day in the future that moving back to oz is required, I will seek the best highest paid job that I can. Bearing in mind that I have no skills other than flying, I will be seeking a flying job. QF have given me the big no, so I ask you Gnad, what would you do. I am A320 rated, not 737, so Jetstar will probably make more sense - although I wouldn't really care either way. As far as I can tell, getting a 320 job with jetstar brings the highest salary and staff travel benefits available in oz, with the exception of QF. I would however, pay for a 737 rating were Virgin the only offer on the table.
SWH - very little point in arguing about definition of regions, but Sin and Hkg have never and will never be considered the same region as far as staff benefits are concerned, in any industry.You may wish to work in oz getting paid a Hkg salary, but wishing it doesn't make it so. Your offer of flight times to define pay scales is hilarious. If only it was that simple. You also quote ZP thus "as they mentioned the US tax system does not rape you as much as in Australia either". The US tax system is totally irrelevant. As Zap pointed out, AFTER TAX, a Jetblue / Frontier etc pilot is worse off than a Jetstar pilot.
Boocs - "perhaps by saying no is a good start". A friend of mine in Europe is flying RHS 767 and would love to come back to oz. He is not 737 type rated or A320 type rated. He is an adult and fully prepared and financially able to pay for an endorsement. He has been interviewed by virgin and told to pay for a rating and is aware that if he were interviewed by jetstar he would also have to pay for a rating. So do you suggest he pass up the opportunity to return to oz, something he wants to do, by saying to both airlines, NO. In the vain hope it would force them to change recruitment policy? More importantly, do you have the right to dictate to my friend what he should do?
rtforu - "If you want the good money and conditions, and they are out there, then persue that, but please". I assume that you consider QF to be the only airline in this category (although I don't). Could you please please please explain to me just how you "pursue" a job with QF after they have turned you down. I am really keen to know.
I know many pilots at
VB, Jetstar and QF. The
VB pilots are not that happy with the number of overnights or the pay being less than the same job being done at QF. The guys I know recently arrived at Jetstar (ex AN), are just glad to get back to oz, from eva, silk, value and even one who gave an offer at KA the flick in preference to J.
BUT, they generally accept the decisions they made and do not "bitch and complain" as you infer. The lions share of whining I hear is from pilots at legacy carriers that are S@#$% scared that the rest of the industry is undermining their pay and conditions.
Market forces that give you a DVD player for 200 bucks are the same market forces that rationalise the compensation levels of a deregulated industry.
Please, take it up with Friedman or Keynes, not me.