We are expanding - into the back of the clock!!
Compared to a year ago we have some new routes and rescheduled times, all back of the clock and absolute killers.
In fact they are now manipulating flight times to coincide with longer duty periods (sign on 5mins before 2200 and your duty time magically goes from 10hrs 15min to 12hr 15mins) so now you can do a Darwin turn around which was previously a turn around. Also SIN-BKK-FUK, 2hrs on the ground in BKK, because if you had a normal turn around time of 40mins, that would mean you signed on in a lower FDP limit and could not complete the flight (dont forget you do not get paid on the ground, just taking one for the team).
The management are squeezing very hard and making the rosters pretty horrible. Hence why a lot of people have left and leaving. hence the hiring.
In fact quite a few pretty experienced FO's have been turning down commands to go elsewhere (mostly Emirates)
As mentioned in a previous post, Singapore is expensive, if you have kids it is not really feasible. Captains that are having/had kids are also on the move as it is just unsustainable with current conditions and the increasing trend of horrible roster patterns is making a lot of people pissed off.
The staff travel is pretty good though!