Parc and Air Japan not interested in trvl arrangements....I speak with 1st hand knowledge and candidates are left in no doubt at the interview. Some investigation for you:
1. ID trvl ex Australia not viable as high density traffic route code shared between 3 airlines.Good chance that there will be a time you will not make it to work so will have to call in sick to cover your arse. 12 sick days allowed in 5 year contract and I reckon you may need them. Full fare economy fluctuates around the 3800 AUD dollar mark depending on the season so their "generous USD 1000" tvl allowance falls far short.For the gentleman previous, you can be bumped on an ID 50 "supposedly firm" ticket by anyone who has a full fare or, depending on the airline, discounted full fare economy ticket. If you don't beleive this then ask any Emirates staff. They even get bumped so as to put on more freight!
2. Accomodation arrangements are, I quote : "an agreement btwn Air Japan and the Kansai Airport hotel that crews will be elidgable for a rate of $ 50 USD/ngt". This coincidently is the same amount as the accomodation allowance of $400 USD / month (ie 8 days in Osaka). No pre booking of rooms by either parc or Air Japan for their crews.....no arrangements made if hotel is fully booked.
3. 10 days off /month but only gauranteed 8 days off in 1 block.If commuting from Australia/NZ and assuming worst case senario of finishing duty after 8pm Japan time then must wait until 8pm next day to catch flight home (daily departing approx 8pm). On return trip flights leave Australia early morning so potentially you have lost 2 days of 8 days off to traveling.This is not as unlikely as you may think keeping in mind that A.J. is primarily to service the tourist market and most tourists, given the choice, tend to choose return flights arriving Japan later in the day / evening so as to maximise time in holiday destination.What of the other 2 days off you ask to make up the contracted 10 days off / month.Not enough time to travel to your home base and you are left paying accomodation in a bloody small hotel room, finding enough carpet to do some push ups is a challenge and again I speak from experience. End result is you may get as little as 6 days/month at home and you can be damm sure the 10500 USD they are paying you will not go far in the subsequent divorce!
4.Compare this to Skymark deal:
(i)This is a TAX PAID CONTRACT. If , for whatever reason you expose yourself to a tax position in Australia/ NZ/ UK then it is up to Parc to sort it out. The money you are paid (just been given a pay rise to 11 k USD/month )is the money you get.
(ii)Own fully furnished apartment in Tokyo with tel and elec. hooked up at no cost to employee however you pay the bills.
(iii)Confirmed Business class ticket home every month (this is costing Parc about £2500/ month to send the guys back to the UK and $4500 AUD/month for Australian guys.... big slice from their take).
(iv) 300 USD/month laundry allowance.
(v) all taxi fares associated with travelling to / from work related / commuting activities are reimbursed ( 10 min taxi fare about $40 USD)
5. Tax is definitely an issue. In NZ you will definitely be paying tax. In Australia there is a posibility that you may not meet the provisions of Section 23AG. My accountant was very wary of such. Do you really want to be a test case?
6. Contract completion bonus of 30K USD is just 500 USD every month taken from your wage and invested at paltry European Central Bank rate of 2% which is absolutely pathetic. In essence it is an insurance policy held by Parc that you will complete the contract and, if not, it will cost them nothing out of their pocket to get a replacement. Parc would not be drawn on whether bonus owed would be forthcomming should you be unable to complete contract through reasons outside your control,ie sickness/loss of medical/family crisis. this was brought to light after a Skymark pilot was put in similar situation and when questioned his position was given very ambiguous reply leaving all in the dark.
Any wonder why they are now looking elsewhere for crews (ie Hawaii/US), obviously the word is now out that this is not good enough.
Parc guy (G.O.)looking after contract is a good guy and I beleive has the pilots best intrests at heart but contract is too loosely worded.
For those that really need a job then go for it,at least you now know what you are getting in for. For those who are already gainfully employed and have the luxury to wait for something better, your wait may not be long as there is more in the pipeline but not before US economy picks up. However, if companies such as Parc get the message that Pilots as a group will accept such a contract (which I think I have shown not to be up to speed ) then they will keep trying this on. For me,I require better.
[ 22 August 2001: Message edited by: fire wall ]
[ 22 August 2001: Message edited by: fire wall ]