Good to hear some contrarian points from xavierb and DCH6to8.
As has been discussed by some, flying long haul cargo is not everybody's cup of tea.
For myself it's been a very good move, coming from short haul airline with a rostering practice that was killing me faster than a speeding bullet.
I took a good long hard look at two former colleagues that had gone to CargoLux earlier and I was shocked at what I saw... we are all the same age and about the same physical size... here we were sitting and having a beer and it looked like I was sitting with two old men, one looked half dead and the other looked like a cancer victim....
Mind you, these people you'll find in every aspect of aviation. As has been pointed out earlier, a lot has to do with the fundamentals of long haul versus short haul, but a
lot also depends on the kind of life you lead. How much partying or sports you do and if you commute or not. Going out for a beer once in a while, or not being a world class athlete is no problem, and neither is commuting, but you have to do it sensibly. That count for both in short and long haul by the way. Unfortunately some colleagues are leading a very unhealthy lifestyle and/or have a hectic commuting lifestyle trying to save pennies by not getting a decent crash-pad near LUX. The later group spends a lot of time hanging around in the ETAP on the airport, counting down the hours (or perhaps even reducing their rest or selling off days!) in order to get back on the next trip again, or they are p!ssed off that they missed the last flight home.
The name of the game is having a good think over what you're signing up for. It's not
just about flying a 747 and a reasonable paycheck. Trust me, the 747 is a cool airplane but at the end of the day it's just another big aluminium tube with wings and engines on it. For as far as coming here just for the money: the money is okay, but in many low-cost airlines you can become captain much quicker which will translate into earning a lot more.
Joining CLX is more about a lifestyle that has to suit you. Don't come here if you want to sleep in your own bed every night, have a girlfriend/wife that needs a 'personal assistant' 24/7 next to her side, or you want to have a fixed roster that you can plan lightyears in advance. If you like to see more than just the tarmac of airports, have some sensible ideas about (possibly) commuting, long haul etc and are flexible then Cargolux is the place for you!
