You speak from my heart.
You forgot to mention the 3 A320 guys who joined 6 months ago and who have already left GF in the last weeks.
Add me to the 3 guys you know who have major airline contracts on their table. I actually got 2 offers and I am waiting for the 3rd.
When I joined a while ago I came here with very good intentions and I had planned to stay for a long time. I played the game until today.
But IF it is true that GF is transfering B767 guys out of seniority onto A330 I WILL PACK without delay! In actual fact it would make my decision much easier.
We already watched 18 direct F/O with minimal regional jet experience joining the A330 fleet this summer. Enough is enough!
My dear GF Senior Management have you guys ever asked yourself why you can not attract and recruit suitably experienced candidates anymore? Have you asked yourself why GF is so short of pilots that is not even funny anymore? Have you asked yourself why Senior Training Captains and newly upgraded Captains from all fleets are leaving GF in droves to join ETIHAD and other carriers? Have you asked yourself why your middle/ upper management i.e. HOFO is leaving? Have you asked yourself why GF pilots seldomly smile but look tired and disgusted nowadays?
Lets start with the current market conditions. Right now it is the "employee market". Everyday 20 new ads appear on the Flight International Website looking for Boeing and Airbus pilots.
For those interested:
http://www.flightinternational.com/jobs/Search.aspx
The world is short of Airbus and Boeing pilots like never before and 2006 will be much worse (better for us though!). BA for example is going to hire another 280 pilots until end of March
2006! India requires for the next 2 years approxiamtely 2000- 3000 pilots! The Middle Eastern carriers like EK, EY and QR "try" to hire 20 pilots a month each! This is without Air Arabia, GF , Jazeera etc... So just the GCC requires more than 100 pilots a month! Far East, Europe etc. etc.... are hiring in the hundreds.
Since 9/11 the flight schools were barely training anyone. World aviation has hit a pilot shortage already a few months ago,
only the so called "airline managers" fail to notice.
If you want to hire and RETAIN professional AIRLINE pilots you have to treat them as "professionals".
Its very simple! Listen carefully PCE, VPO and VPHRS! Here comes the lesson in Flight Ops Management for dummies.
In order of importance:
- RESPECT
Genuine respect for your pilots and workforce
Respect can not be commanded but it goes around and comes around.
- ROSTERING
Stability, effective bid system, "reasonable" duty regs. 11-12 days OFF a month to recuperate from one of the most demanding
jobs in the world, physically and mentaly. Hold the rostering department including crew control accountable! If you are short of manpower (pilots etc.) hire them, it is cheaper than losing 80 -120 pilots a year.
- SENIORITY
Only one way to enter GF! As A320 and B767 F/O only. Progression by seniority, experience and merit only! As promised at the GF interview!! The only thing required is planning. If you do not know what planning is google it up and read a few books
or step down from your positions.
- ADEQUATE FINANCIAL COMPENSATION
You know what that means.... especially housing and school
allowances.
You follow these 4 points and GF will be the big winner in the Middle East because you would be one of the few GCC airlines
besides ETIHAD who has some pilots left by next year. If not you will ground aircraft soon and probably run out of business unless the government steps in again.
Probably without me though
