What is the time to command?
The record is about 9 months for a very experienced Airbus operator. If you are good with china and the dark night single pilot thing I would allow 18 months minimum, 30 if you need two goes.
Which fleet do new joiners start on? (I've got medium and large Boeing & Airbus experience).
It's 50/50 at the company's discretion. Try for the 320 if they offer.
When can you change fleet - is it an annual request/fleet notice/told what to do based on 'operational requirement'? 😬
You are frozen for 2 years then you may bid for positions on the other fleet. You'll need about 12 years for the 330 command.
Roster Patterns- are there many tours - 3-3, 3-2-3, 3-4-3 rotations etc.
How do these compare with the number of daytrips?
When you're doing multiple sectors per day do you keep the same aircraft?
Is there much sitting around between flights in HKG on tour?
It varies a lot by fleet and a little by your bid preferences but I'd say you'll get 3 or 4 multi day trips per month with an aircraft change almost guaranteed for every HKG transit. Most patterns are 3-0-2-1, 3-2-3 or 1-2-3. You'll then get another 6-10 day trips. There isn't much sitting around anymore unless there are delays with your next aircraft.
Is roster version 1.0 fiction, does it change much (China Wx delays aside)?
I'm up to version 7 for July and we're only two weeks in.. in summer it's not really worth the paper it's printed on except your days off won't change unless you run late into one.
How many weekends are spent working?
Majority of them but you can request weekends off. After a few years you might expect one or two per month and a sat or a sun here and there
How many earlies per month?
In training, always. Otherwise as an FO you can request them with a good strike rate. As a 320 skipper.. no chance. Most earlies start between 06:50-08:30.
How many days off per month?
Min 8 max 12 averages out to about 9 days in blocks of 2 or 3. You can request a block of 4 in advance and it's subject to availability & a block of 5 twice per year. You'll be rostered to the max either side though!
How many nightstops per month?
at least 4 usually 6 on the 320 unless you bid for more.
How is Leave allocated?
How easy is it to get?
Do you have to take blocks of days?
Annually by seniority with a points system to even out a few things.
If you bid for peak periods as an FO you'll do okay, as a new skipper, no chance!
Yes. One week blocks or you can wait til it's all over and take single days.
Is part time working offered? Will it be?
not really anymore, not likely, they're short of crew.
Come, get a rating and a command then go where you want to be IMO. Family life here is a mere existence on a FO wage and a little easier on a skipper wage but after schooling and accommodation you won't be making any large investments.
The company has a long way to go with recognising the detrimental effect of ever changing rosters and they showed how much we are valued this year - after offering some staff a 4% pay rise and paying out exec bonuses we were offered ZERO 0%.
The crews you'll work with are great, we are a big Check little training airline.
I hope this helps.