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Old 27th Jun 2011, 09:28
  #9 (permalink)  
Narrow Runway
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
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Biting the hand that feeds you.

I think this will make easily identifiable by former colleagues.

I spent 2 years at Wizz until recently. I had a lot of worldwide experience of large Airbus aircraft as an FO before I joined.

Wizz Air gave me a DEC.

They left me alone and allowed me to develop as a Captain, without fear of dismissal if I made a minor error. I could uplift extra fuel and never have to explain why. I could pick up a phone and get advice if needed at any time.

I was promoted to a Base Captain role after 15 months in the company. A very difficult job, in a challenging base, which I did my best to run fairly - and professionally.

I was given the chance to perhaps enter the training department - but declined as I knew I would be leaving soon after.

Wizz Air paid me, on time and every month. They gave me a port in a storm in 2009 when Virgin Atlantic were binning me for being near the bottom of their seniority list. They gave me my Command - and I'll always be glad of that.

So, is it sh1t? Well, the money could be better - especially for FO's.

But, for BBU pilots to think they should be treated differently is not correct. I had to pay €1000 per month in Katowice for an apartment when I was based there. Do you think Warsaw or Prague is a cheaper city to live in than Bucharest? Do you think Katowice is prettier than Bucharest? Get over it. The housing allowance was divisive - no other bases got it, so why should you? I tried my hardest for my pilots in my base, via a letter to senior management, and was royally slapped down for it. I never really did expect to get them a housing allowance, because BBU pilots received €1200 a month and only spent €500 of it on rent - whilst letting it be known that was the case. Smart? Hardly.

To put €1200 a month in perspective: the Base Captains only receive €1000 a month for all the hassle they endure....

So, as an ex-pat, I took as much as I could from Wizz Air and left when I got a better offer.

2 1/2 years ago, I was an FO with no prospects in Virgin Atlantic. Redundancy loomed.

After working hard, making sacrifices and being lonely whilst away from my family, I got a far, far better job back in the UK. I even had a choice - because I am now a Captain.

The moral of the story? Wizz Air will give you chances if you want to step up to the plate to take them. But don't stay too long if you're an expat, and if you really think it's so sh1t: either don't apply, or just leave for better things.
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