Easyjet DEP recruitment

[Count of Monte Bisto]

In_The_Deen - that is not really an accurate statement of affairs, although I wish it was. This is smoke and mirrors at its finest! The figures you refer to add on 'loyalty bonus' for captains, which as you know is nothing to do with a 'bonus' but is a replacement for incremental pay that other airlines pay and has been in existence since the very beginning of easyJet.

For those not familiar with what is being discussed here, easyJet do not pay incremental pay and you get more money on promotion, except if you are a new joiner as an FO - in which case your salary goes up as you reach the first few 'gates' (Second Officer - First Officer - Senior First Officer). As the NEC (New Entrant Contract) was negotiated some years ago, part of the deal was that First Officers no longer received a 'loyalty bonus' but instead advanced up in salary terms by reaching certain gates. Captains, however, maintained their incremental pay which was incorrectly known as a 'loyalty bonus'. This loyalty bonus gives 5% on basic to Captains after 2 years, 10% after 5 years and 15% after 10 years - paid each year on the anniversary of joining the Company. The 'performance bonus' being incorrectly associated with the incorrectly-named 'loyalty bonus' is a more recent gift to the employees over and above the other deals, whereby if the company is successful each year you get a percentage of basic onto your salary (or in your pension fund if you prefer). For First Officers it was pro-rata 9.2% and the Captains got 4.6%.

The salary package is quite complex. To summarise for those interested in such matters, a UK-based captain working for easyJet will be paid as follows (after the payment of this year's 2% pay rise):

1. £98,855 Basic.
2. £31.26 per 'sector' flown (I work on 430 a year) - roughly £13,440.
3. 5%, 10% or 15% on basic paid each year after 2, 5 and 10 years' service respectively - known as a 'loyalty bonus'.
4. Up to a 5% on basic bonus depending on company performance - this year it was 4.6%.
5. 7% of basic paid by easyJet into your pension pot.
6. In addition you can put up to £150 per month into one share scheme which is 'buy one get one free' and a further £350 into another share scheme per month which comes out after 3 years and has historically generated thousands in tax free profits.
7. Furthermore, for each of the last few years pilots have received two weeks' salary in shares limited to £3,000 (which for Captains is always the limiting value).
8. Finally, given that most pilots are shareholders, there have been a number of dividends and special dividends, although there is not one this year. For each of the last two years I got around £2,000 net.
9. If you are a Trainer you get 12.5% for a Line Trainer, 15% for TRI, 17.5% for TRE (all pensionable and added to basic for your 'loyalty bonus'). There are around 170 or more Training Captains at easyJet so the opportunities are there if you want to go for it.

The key thing about all of the above is that it is available to every single First Officer at easyJet on promotion to Captain. Many CTC cadets are captains after 5 years, so they may start on £1000 a month, but they certainly do not stay that way for long. No doubt we all consider ourselves worth more, but outside of a national carrier I am struggling to think where you will get that deal. You may not think it is great, but it is hardly a financial catastrophe. It is vital you come here knowing what it is you are signing up to - that is it to the best of my knowledge. I hope that helps.