The Shovel.
The current pay structure within Qantas has pilots paid at a rate commensurate with the length of service they have been employed.
The scale is currently first year pay to year twelve pay.
When Qantas were recruiting in the late 90's and early turn of the century the average pay for an FO was for example closer to the year 8 pay rate.
Now every single Longhaul FO is on year 12 pay rate.
Again. My A380 Second officer example. In 2008 all Second Officers were on year 1 pay. Qantas are currently forcing First Officers (who are in the highest pay rate of year 12) back to the A380 as SO's.
The average rate of pay is now getting closer to 10 years and if nothing changes in a few years every SO on the A380 will be at year 12 pay rate.
As previously posted. The difference between year one and year twelve SO pay rate on the A380 is 83%.
All the flying around the group has to be crewed. Its just how the group choses to crew the flying.
The problem is the group is looking at pilot costs in isolation.
You say your a cadet. Wouldn't it have been cheaper for the group to have you join as a Second Officer on the A380 so that crewing costs on the A380 could be kept down?
Instead, by quarantining the groups of pilots. Instead of crewing an A380 with a year one pilot. They are currently sourcing pilots because of a surplus at the year 12 rate.
The group cost of pilot labour has continued to balloon cause JQ are continuing to recruit whilst QF mainline are carrying a surplus.
The current mainline surplus is just a little under 100 (excluding those on leave if absence)
However JQ continue to recruit whilst another part if the group is carrying a surplus. Surely its cheaper to utilise the pilots you already have rather than recruit more?
As for the forcing of pilots onto the A380 as SO's. QF ARE forcing pilots to the A380 as SO's who are currently widebody FO's.
So whilst the two pilot groups remain two distinct groups. JQ enjoy the benefit of new hires at the lower end of the pay rate. Whilst QF are paying maximum pay rates for the job a new hire should be filling with an increased cost of over $100k per year per SO.
MC.