Gents,
Greetings from HKG - I am not saying that this proposed basings deal won't work but I think QR will be in for a shocker...
An airline with a green tail based in HKG has had people rostered and based out of Oz, NZ, Canada, the US and Europe since about 1995; only in 2001 when we had some serious labour disputes as well as subsequent lawsuits in the pilots' respective countries woke up the tax authorities and ordered our airline to "on-shore" their pilots in order to comply with tax laws. Now since last year every pilot in our airline who is not based in HKG is employed at the airline's respective onshoring company with a local (ie. Canadian, Aussie and so on) contract and pay transfered into a local (ie. Canadian, Aussie and so on) bank account. This of course means that the formation of unions, proper pay negotiations, respect for labour laws and basic human rights and so on must/can take place at the place of employment and the airline just can't ignore that.
Reading these forums I just cannot simply believe that an Arab airline is going to put up with Western labour laws and their associated effects on their operation so they can base their pilots and save money - unless the cost savings are so substantial.
Of course I wish every QR pilot that this will work but I really wanna see it first...
AB
For Qater basings is win-win. The employee wins 'cause he gets his base.
Qatar wins because they reduce costs and basing a pilot is cheaper. The problem is pilots think they are going to get it all. I've had this discussion many times in the flight deck with guys assuming a basing will be paid and operated in the same way as the 'local' contract.
My guess is a 'basing' will operate something like this:
It will not be a true basing. The contract and terms will still be based in Doha (or whatever city). The rosters will just be built beginning and ending in the 'base'. You will still be paid in local currency into a local bank account. No school allowance if the country of basing provides free schooling. No medical. No housing. Just base pay and flying pay. You can request days off only within the seniority of your base. The flying will be based on co. requirements (ie. you'll fly DC-Doha, overnight, do some night turns or whatever they can fit in, then fly back).
This is how they will save money--all those extras, housing, schooling etc will no longer be paid. They certainly won't pay MORE to cover taxes as so many seem to believe. At least my best guess is they will not!