They will always have crewing issues due to their tiny fleet, not unique to this carrier alone, it’s a risk they took taking the dash into NZ. If one pilot calls in or resigns it drags the whole operation down, they won’t overcrew it because the low cost model won’t allow it. Management just live and hope everyone is happy and will be there for the long haul.
You’ve got Emirates giving Saab pilots jobs onto the 777, why hang around on a prop for 10 years with your employer giving no concrete confirmation of narrow body opportunities in the future.
I agree with the principle.
But we're talking J*NZ props, and not an established carrier who's had fairly stable crewing suddenly experience a high turnover of crew due to the resurgence of jet operators hiring.
This is an operation that is less than two years old! It was started after the recruitment drives began.
The reality is, is that by offering garbage T&C's to a pilot population that now has more opportunities for upward progression, they will always struggle to get Captains, and still require substantial help from EAA/SSA Q300 Captains to keep the operation going.
They get FO's who are grateful to have got out of GA charter and instructing. That wears off pretty quickly when the day-to-day reality of the lifestyle they signed up for hits home. So they leave. In droves.