Hi PipeRider,
First of all let me thank you for asking how life is around here, not every one wonders what happens on this side of the world.
As a Captain of the A320 with more than 10 years of working for the airline as a captain you can expect the following:
- SENIOR CAPTAIN:$3400.. per month (payed in your country's currency which means you will win less every day.). A new captain and a 59 year old captain get the same.
- Not a single raise for more than 4 years now.
- No overtime payment or sectors or night time, no extra money. You just get your base salary and that's it.
- Vacations.... forget about them, you can ask for them but you'll never know when you'll get your 15 days promised per year...
- No contract, it doesn't exist and no Union, it is illegal to have a pilots union here.
- If you complain they'll kick you out.
- No 5on 2off or whatever, work more than 85 hours a month in whatever way the scheduling department thinks suits them best. I mean they can call you today and tell you you won't be free tomorrow even tho that's what your line says.
- When you travel in the airline as extra crew for example.., you are subject to space, in the worst seat available and you won't get anything to eat (of course). If they could they would send you standing by the door so that you won't occupy a single space in the aircraft even if exec class or other seats are available.
- No loss of license insurance.
- NO OTHER 'BIG' AIRLINE IN THE REGION so they can keep on doing this for as long as they wish.... (at least they think so... it has worked so far)
- Pension.... Less than half your salary per month.... that is not a pension.
- As you can guess by now, moods are not the best here.
Heard QR will be setting an office for recruiting in Central America.... pilots here are being practically trained for them....
Many factors have helped this situation end this way and while this empire keeps on growing here, things will not get any better. The airline seems to be related to the mob maybe... old CEO was murdered on 2004 (this is no s*&t)..
I hear everyone complaining in other airlines and I think, they are right to complain about that, if they don't fight for their rights they might end up working in another TACA. As far as this airline keeps doing what it does you'll be meeting new central american pilots all over the world.
LongAgo9