Does anyone have any information on Eastern Airways UK please?
I know there routes aircraft ect but just wanted to know what the working conditions are like at the moment moral wise, progression ect if you accept working as cabin crew or in ops before you get a chance on the flight deck?
Also what is it like working in Aberdeen?
And why are they always looking for cabin crew in Aberdeen?
Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Working conditions for cabin crew and flight deck are generally poor. Roster stability is virtually non-existent and short notice disruption is the norm. Disruption payments are extremely rare due to numerous "get-out" clauses recently introduced by the company. As a result, morale is very low and people are leaving on a regular basis.
Currently there are a few low-houred pilots working as cabin crew, one of whom has recently been offered a position on the J41. Not sure what his terms are, but Eastern normally ask for £12000-£15000 upfront towards the cost of the type rating. He may, however, have been bonded. Normally, there is also a further 12 month bond for the cost of line training (circa. £8000).
Eastern will undoubtedly be looking for flight crew in the next few weeks, if they aren't already. Four FOs left recently and another two are due to leave in the next few months. It's a similar story with captains. When the market starts to pick up properly, Eastern may be faced with a serious shortage of crews, as so many people are seriously hacked off with the poor working conditions and roster disruption. There is also no progression for Saab FOs as most haven't the experience to operate in the LHS in and out of Scatsta.
As for cabin crew, Eastern struggle to keep them for long. Aberdeen is the company's main base and it has the highest turnover, hence why they constantly need to recruit there. The girls and boys in the back often suffer the greatest roster disruption and work the longest hours for very poor pay.
The company is taking on a great deal of work, particularly charters, and often hasn't the crew to operate them. Several charters have had to be cancelled as a result. There has been no pay rise for a couple of years and people have been forced to relocate to avoid redundancy, with no financial assistance because they are then deemed to have "volunteered" to move. For a long time, crews on the Saab were forced to travel on KLM standby tickets to attend simulator training, with many being bumped off flights because they were fully booked. Thankfully, this policy has recently been reviewed.
Captains from other bases who are required to operate out of Aberdeen often have to position to/from Aberdeen on the same day to save on hotel costs. This means they have long duty periods. Other crews operate one or two sectors then have to sit around at the airport, often for 4 to 6 hours before operating a further sector home.
The crews are the best thing about the company. It's a small company and most people know each other. The people we work with day to day are the only thing which makes working for Eastern worthwhile.
My advice: Look for a job elsewhere.