1. Is it possible to change between a confirmed provided ticket and the $2k allowance on a month to month basis?
Yes, the key is to do it well in advance, they don't like it when you come two days before your scheduled day to go home with "BTW, I need a business class ticket for tomorrow" that creates all kinds of headaches for them, but if you are organized in terms of what you want to do for that particular month and give them a heads up (I make it a point to give them no less than 10 days advanced notice for my monthly commute request) you can change your request from month to month.
2. Can you usually get a business class seat or does it never happen due to loads or other staff with higher priority?
It is a confirmed business class seat and you get to keep the miles (most of us have the ANA mileage program and it is pretty good) if you decide to commute that way for the month. Now, be mindful that if you commute by ZED, ANA's staff will NOT put you in business if you identify yourself an employee, even if they have space available like they do on other airlines, if you chose to go ZED, you will be in coach, even if business class is empty.
3. Do other carriers in the alliance honour the staff travel, i.e. Qantas and Lufthansa etc.?
Yes
4. Can you take your annual leave as a block after your guaranteed consecutive time off? i.e. 17 days on then 1 travel day + 10 days off + 1 travel day + 12 days annual leave (for a total of 24 days off), then return to work?
Yes
5. Do most people share a crash pad or just pay for a hotel for the nights that they are at their designated base between trips?
Both, some guys are at the hotel and others have apartments. The hotel will get old though! There is so much bitching about scheduling from the cabin attendants of other airlines that you will be able to handle during breakfast and dinner at the crew cafeteria, listening to the same conversations over and over again, while they consume the wine they stole from the galley during the flight will be enough to drive even the most patient person totally mental
6. Does this cut into your salary dramatically?
Yes, depending on how many nights you are in Narita that month (varies from month to month, anywhere from 6 to 12 nights) you will spend more than your allowance, if you go with the apartment, some guys are sharing so the costs are lower, some of us are by ourselves in an apartment, evidently you will spend more like that but it is well worth it in my view.
7.Does the company or contract agencies assist with finding your feet during initial training or is it a case of being thrown in the deep end and sink or swim?
Listen, the agencies are worthless (some do try but at the end of the day, the company is their CLIENT, not you, they will do what the company says)haven said that, the company has appointed a group of pilots as training liaisons, they are there to answer any question or bring any concerns to the company.
8. What are the average hours per swing of an FO/crew? Do rostering push the limits?
It varies (not very knowledgable about the F/O's rosters to be honest) I know than since there are less F/O's than captains, they do fly a little more than we do, the problem here is not the amount of hours per month, other airlines fly a lot more than we do, the problem here is the constant change from day to night and back to day during the same trip pattern, very fatiguing!
9. If rostering make an illegal roster and you notify them do they rectify it? Are you persecuted?
I have to say that we were very pleased when they agreed to implement scheduling guidelines that were suggested by the pilot group, scheduling is trying their best to enforce those guidelines and if you come a cross a pattern or duty that is not compliant (after verification with the scheduling committee) if it is verified that is not in compliance, they will change it.
10. Can you bid for trips, layovers, days off etc. Can you extend a swing and get more days off?
You can only bid for days off, not sure what you mean with "extend a swing" but you can use your vacation days to extend your days off in a monthly basis.