Letters to the Government and the Media re: Apparent Pilot Shortage

[fedup1]

Letters to the Government and the Media re: Apparent Pilot Shortage


I am writing to inform you of my dealings with the Aviation Industry both here in Australia and internationally, in particular the reported “Pilot Shortage” and poor conditions offered by Jetstar Airways.
I am currently employed as a Jet Airline Captain. I have been invited to interview with Jetstar for some time now but have chosen not to at this stage. These are the reasons why.

· Jetstar charge a fee for submitting an application for pilot positions.
· Jetstars interview process is complex, with each stage costing the applicant a few hundred dollars. So the cost of going through the interview process is substantial when you add the cost of airfares, accommodation and assessments.
· Pilots have to pay for their training prior to employment at Jetstar. The training must be conducted at certain providers only and costs $38,000.
· The recruited pilot must pay all costs associated with training, including airfares and accommodation.
· During training the recruited pilot is without a salary.
· First year salary for Jetstar is substantially lower than Virgin Blue 737 first year salary.

I am not prepared to be without a salary for up to 2 months, and, pay over $2000 just to attend interviews, and, pay $38,000 in training costs. This is unacceptable to myself and may other Australian pilots who would otherwise love to work for Jetstar.

Virgin Blue has had no difficulty in filing positions, because their conditions are so much better.

I have an offer for a First Officer position with a starting salary package of about AUD $240,000 p.a.

Why would I stay in Australia with Jetstars very poor terms and conditions when I can move overseas and be treated with greater respect and make substantially more money.

The company I currently work as an Airline Captain pays less than the award wage, but the interview process was efficient, professional and didn’t cost me more than one return airfare. The company provided the training with a return of service guarantee, and I was on full pay from day one of employment. Now that my return of service guarantee has expired I am now looking for another job that at least pays the award wage.
So it seems that Australia is about to lose another experienced Airline Jet Captain to a foreign airline, not because the terms and conditions on offer elsewhere are so great, but because the terms and conditions on offer in Australia are so poor.

I have, in the past worked overseas as a pilot on a work permit. This was done in countries where the local airlines offer cadetships at no cost to the young wannabe pilots to pay for all their licences and training in return for a 5 year contract. Some even pay a salary during their 12 months of training. They do this to help fill their future pilot demand and reduce their need for foreigners. This is not the case in Australia. India, a third world country has recently announced that I will stop foreign First Officers from obtaining work visas on domestic airlines. The airlines in India are offering great opportunities for bright youngsters enticing them away from other career paths and into aviation. As a result they no longer have the need for foreign First Officers.

I have heard from friends overseas and former co workers that Jetstar has streamlined their recruitment process for foreigners and in most cases they have waived certain assessments altogether. Why have they not offered the same courtesy to the citizens of Australia?

Pilots in Australia are now faced with a different outlook than in the past. Pilot training costs have increased greatly making it difficult for many. In the past it was the enticement of a highly paying airline job that was enough to get young pilots to find a way to fund their licences as I did. Historically you needed to pay for your licences only, and if you required additional training for a specific airline or job then your employer was responsible for your additional training. Now it costs in the region of $55,000 for your commercial licence, instrument rating and ATPL subjects, Add to that, licence renewals, medicals and publications at about $1400 per year, and low wages in GA for a few years. Then when you think you have finally made it you now have to find another $38,000 for you Jetstar training and your without salary for up to 2 months. Most young pilots are looking at spending $100,000 plus for training with wage prospects that are no better than in construction or IT for example.

The Airlines have created their own problems by lowering pay and conditions, more Australian pilots are leaving for better deals overseas, and less people are interested in becoming pilots in Australia with the high training costs and low wages at the end of it. Some airlines now require you to pay for things that in the past were paid by the airline, such as: medical, airport car parking, aviation ID, meals while on duty, uniforms, and publications.

Recently a friend was offered a job with V Australia. His starting wage is $47,000 with no scheduled increases in his contract. He is also required to sign a return of service guarantee for 3 years. For his $47,000 he is required to work 38 hours a week, thats $23.80/hr. He has been flying for 5 years and has paid $75,000 for his licences over the last 5 years. Could you blame him for wanting more money and moving overseas?

Pilot wages in regional and smaller airlines have been effectively in a freeze since the late eighties. A captain on a F28 or similar size during the 1980’s were paid about $50,000, today 20 something years later captains are paid $55,000 - $60,000. That’s why pilots leave for overseas!

So I fail to understand how Jetstar can employ foreign pilots when there is an abundance of Australians locally and internationally to fill these positions but choose not to because of the poor conditions on offer. There is not a shortage of pilots, but a shortage of pay and conditions that is to blame and only the airlines can change that. I fail to see how our government will allow them to recruit foreign pilots. It is only serving the purpose of keeping wages low.

If Jetstar were to streamline their recruitment process, abandon their pay for training policy, and increase their pay then there would be no shortage of takers, but a flood of experienced candidates.


Regards
Fedup1