Spring Airlines Screening Update
I just wanted to update you all on what to expect at Spring Airlines Screening.
As some of you know they are offering a fairly hefty compensation package, and this is attracting a fair bit of interest so I wanted to point out what is going on there.
There seem to be three contractors/4 ways to apply. The contractors who are jockeying for position to supply expats...you can also apply to Spring as a direct entrant. All pay packages are the same $11000 a month salary, 2000 living, 1500-3000 fuel bonus, 10k travel remibursement, 1000/mo safety, 500/mo loyalty - short term, $1500/mo long term loyalty. Spring makes a point to say they always pay their bills on time so...? A lot of politics going on between the contractors - Aeropersonnel has hooked up with a local Chinese company called FASCO. There is another Chinese company there as well - these two are ALWAYS politicking behind the scenes with the HR and mgmt types at Spring. Parc does not have a local hookup probably to their detriment....and advantage.
1. Aeropersonnel (small operation based in Quebec)
2. Parc
3. Chinese/Hong Kong firm (unknown name - sorry)
Here is what I know.
- You actually become an employee of Spring. The contractors are paid a finders fee only.
- The safety bonus is based on 3 QAR events - supposedly checked by pilots although none of the contractors are pilots. Slow reduction of "major" QAR events which reduces the safety bonus to zero.
- Training pay is higher than the other carriers.
- based at ZSSS, however they are considering another base (be careful here)
- most Spring pilots do not speak english so they need expats for international
- interviews stress working really really hard (is it ok if we work you past your legal CAAC limits?) and low cost environment (i.e. crappy hotels - although it seems like the expats would be home each night)
- sim profile is tough - try to get a lot of emergency training before showing up - bring your own checklist and QRH as the sim stuff is always 2-3 emergencies and the local stuff is ALL in chinese.
- medical and written are as advertised here previously standard CAAC stuff.
- when you come back - no training - you do your CAAC ride immediately with a CAAC examiner (high failure rate), THEN ground school THEN OE.
Spring is pretty new to the expat thing although they are attracting a lot of interest with the pay package. Pretty low rent airline, shoddy offices, still in terminal one at Hongchow (terminal 2 is new and ultra modern and attached to subway and rail station) although there is a bus across the airport (about a 20-25 minute cab ride as terminal 1 and 2 are on opposite sides of the airport).
Plus now they are talking about flying out of Pudong so I am not sure how that is going to work.
Bottom line - Pay is great. Spring is pretty small but profitable but also cheap. You will be higher paid than any other employee including the CEO. PVG and ZSSS are miles apart of course, and getting around is pretty much by cab or subway or bus. I could never imagine driving there.