Qantas CP unofficial comment on pilot shortage.

[soarer78]

I had the minimums for QF 7 years ago. Since then I have flown all around the world in a few different types of jets. Why would I want to go to QF now to be a radio operator for a few years. I would also have to wait until all the instructors, scenic pilots and GA pilots with 500multi to be upgraded before I could. I think that seniority may have seen its day. Bring on sideways movements. If you don’t like the idea of this now think about it a bit more, its not going to slow down upgrade times by much if most companies do it. Do you want to work for the same carrier for 30+ years in this day and age. I don’t think so but its so hard to move knowing you will go straight to the bottom every time? So is QF a good job? It would have been for me 4-7 years ago but now……… NO WAY, not as it stands right now! So lets face it the window for a lot of pilots of getting into QF is about 5 years. After that you are probably flying jets already and don’t want such a big demotion just to fly for QF. The pilot market for QF is not as big as many would think. I don’t know why anyone would leave a command or even FO positions from overseas, VB or even Skywest to be a QF SO.

Fix up the antiquated seniority system
Improve terms and conditions of employment
Dump the payment for ratings
Increase salaries

Result
Experienced crews from overseas will come home and slot in Aussie airlines without going backwards in all the above mentioned areas
Make being a pilot a better proposition and investment to wannabe’s
Increase the amount of pilots in the pools for operators to employ from

Its an easy fix to a problem you created for yourself.