Re: Eastern Airways Scam
No, it's not a SCAM but it is another example of a small company trying to save money at the expense of its future employees. Perhaps Eastern is actually going to start to incurr some real costs for operating the J41 - has the Citiexpress subsidy run out at last?
£15K for the bond - probably overpriced and I'm sure you could convince a court to that effect but it is no great tie given that the majority of raw recruits would probably stick with an outfit like Eastern for 3 years in any case. It is the self-funded ground school and sim ride where the compnay, and others doing the same, are taking the proverbial. I have some sympathy with Nomercy in that takers of this scheme are doing the airline a huge favour and themselves a diservice - why the hell should you subsidise a company who might, after 6 weeks, throw you back on the scrap heap? It is the company which requires your skills and dedication and if it isn't prepared to pay for that from day 1 then it isn't worth working for.
PPrune is weighed under with threads concerning the erosion of terms and conditions professional pilots have suffered over the past 10 years, the self financing of type ratings etc. While people are prepared to sell themselves short to the likes of this unpaid work scheme Eastern is trying, then employers will continue to try it on and the mugs will still roll in through the gates. The first mug may well do well but he is doing no favours for the mugs that follow and don't. They walk away more out of pocket and more disillusioned.
Day 1 of ground-school should be day 1 of your paid employment!