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Airlink Pilot strike balot

African Aviation Regional issues that affect the numerous pilots who work in this area of the world.

Airlink Pilot strike balot

Old 10th Sep 2011, 14:31
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Airlink Pilot strike balot

We hear that the boys and girls at SA Airlink are a bit miff!
RF, you can't treat the company pilots like trash AND not pay properly! It's either one or the other if you are so poorly. But I suppose your attitude is "I" can.....
Guys and girls, take faith, there is life outside of Link and there is another pilot shortage coming. Remember 3 years ago when candidates for interviews at Link didn't even bother to pitch for an interview? Watch this space RF. Your little game of chess with the company's pilots is going to bite your sorry ass this time! LOL
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Old 10th Sep 2011, 15:57
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Obsession......

One has to get at least a little jibe back at RF for past transgressions....LOL
You have contact with JVJ? Sis! Disgusting! Pox on you!!
Tell it : "See you next time".
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Old 12th Sep 2011, 15:01
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oooh bring on the popcorn and XL Coke! This could get nasty

On a serious note...on every single post about the airlines of South Africa, it always involves disgruntled employees moaning about management or some sort of in-fighting, low pay protests, the need to buy ones own iPads (oh shame) and so on. (And no I am not implying that these are not warranted 'moans')

As a young pilot with a good job who wants to one day soon join the ranks of the likes of SA Express or Airlink I ask: is it actually that bad and unbearable? Please I ask this at you gents with the utmost sincerity because to hell with it if airline flying makes pilots that unhappy!?

This involves nearly every single airline in South Africa from what ive heard personally and what ive seen on blogs like PPRuNe! So it isnt just one isolated case and isnt very professional IMHO!

What is going on?
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Old 12th Sep 2011, 18:21
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Aaah, the good 'ole "It isn't professional to complain" theory....never before seen on pprune either of course.
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Old 12th Sep 2011, 20:15
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Here it is in a nutshell: Pilots will probably never all be happy all of the time. You will always hear complaints.

There are some companies that are way better than others,in terms of how they treat their staff, how they pay, how they are run etc, and those are the companies you'll hear the fewest complaints about.But then there are companies that treat their staff like kids, pay peanuts,don't maintain their aircraft, keep their crews in the dark most of the time...

I'm not saying that Link is like this at all, I've never worked there and for all accounts I've always heard good things about them from those I know who work there, I'm just saying that it is the attitude of companies toward their crew that determines how happy the crew are to work there.
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Old 13th Sep 2011, 07:21
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thank you gchangflyer, a very straight answer to a simple question. Its amazing Shrike200 out of all that you choose to isolate one arbitrary sentence... well done...

I am personally all for moaning...I was stating that the little 'cat fights' between previous colleagues is unprofessional, but its good entertainment none the less! I suppose I wont know what its like until I get into the right hand seat of an airliner.
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Old 13th Sep 2011, 09:13
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Not encouraging just enjoying. I see that maturity is definately not commensurate with age....

I suppose I could have better worded my opinion and question so I could get more positive feedback and left out comments 'poked at fun'. So Il abscond from this thread and respect my elders considering im 21 years old and still a child. I apologise suitcaseman...
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Old 17th Sep 2011, 05:37
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Shiny Link, is NOT....

Suitcaseman, you're very defensive of a company that you claim to have "previously" worked for. Maybe a little too far back to compare with today?
You say they "fix" things in-house? NOTHING gets fixed here for the pilots "in-house"! There is PLENTY of dirty washing here, it just piles up to the sky!
Now I DO currently work for them, flying. They really are only a stepping stone and a quick-step too I hasten to add, if you know what's good for your general wellbeing!
RF hates the pilots! I never believed it, but sorry, it's damned true! He has another friend who with him in Emerald Towers too, who's job it is to chop and change flights at a moments notice. Believe me, he does!!! You don't get a roster, you get a sporadic guide about what you might be doing in the next two weeks!
No, Link won't pay you a livable wage! Remember, you are not here to stay, just stepping on. So why pay a competative wage??
If you're like me and a bachelor without any connections, the lack of lifestyle is no huge deal, but, if you're married, and heaven forbid you have children, you're in for sh@#t! You WILL be getting divorced before you manage to extricate yourself from Link. You will become distanced from your wife and your children will bark at you, nevermind the dog!
So think very very carefully about joining this outfit before you sign on the dotted line! Make sure you DON'T need a life and your parents will allow you to live with them whilst you build your hours, because that is all you get here!
And oh yes, one last thing, remember at all times, YOU as the pilots are responsible for the losses of the air-business(not an airline), the pilots all steal the company profits. You will be made aware of this, never worry....
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Old 17th Sep 2011, 22:46
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I think what Worldcynic says is true of many operators. There are many companies out there that think pilots are just a drain on their profit-making. I'd like to know where the companies who think like this would be if they got their office staff to fly their planes.

I used to work for a company that used to give increases and bonuses to its office/passenger relations staff, but not its pilots, because 'the pilots already recieve a salary on par with industry norms' (bulls£it). The commercial manager once said in a meeting about raises he would employ pilots for no salary at all if he could. Sadly there's not much out there in terms of decent jobs at the moment, so pilots don't have much choice but to stay...
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Old 18th Sep 2011, 08:21
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Pretty much describes every company I've flown for. Management and the calculator jockeys get increases and bonuses every year while crew get one maybe every fourth year. Guess being home every night doesn't come cheap...
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Old 19th Sep 2011, 17:11
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I think we may all need to face the fact that this industry is crappy everywhere. Really. There are very, very few aviation companies that are genuinely pleasant to work for. As mentioned, it's the nature of the industry.
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Old 19th Sep 2011, 19:39
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Airstink

I left Link over a year and half ago. Can honestly say it was the worst company I've ever worked for and I've had my fair share of exposure climbing up the ladder. In hindsight I should have just stayed at the contract company I was at and gone from there straight to the medium jet operator I'm at now, leaving out the whole Link experience altogether.

I know it's a business, but so are other airlines and in my experience none of them have even come close to being the dog show that Airlink is.

Based on my experiences and what I hear from buddies out there here's how I rate the SA operators to work for in terms of management, lifestyle, pay and how they treat their crew.

1. SAA
2. SAX
3. Comair/Mango
3. 1Time/Velvet/Solenta
4. Other Contract Operators/Fedair
5. Any other flying job
6. Airlink



Last edited by Flyer14; 20th Sep 2011 at 09:15.
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Old 20th Sep 2011, 05:56
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Taking into account benefits like medical aid, pension, loss of licence, dissability, travel perks etc together with career path, equipment, training, facilities, roster stability, treatment and salary, my version of your list will be:

Saa
Comair
Sax
Mango
1time
Velvet - still new and not much info avl.
Solenta
Link

Obviosly this list is based purely on my perception.
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Old 27th Sep 2011, 10:02
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Why is it that it is always "you pilots"? The problems, moans and groans are not only related to aviation, but to the general industry as well. Do you really think that the municipal workers, retail employees and the like go on strike for the fun of it? NO......obviously not. So whats the problem?
Do some research into the stats and you will find things like working hours, unsafe conditions, disregard for working agreements, unsatisfactory training and general employee manipulation by management.
Take all this and overlay it on the airline industry and you will find the same complaints! However, aviation being slightly different in the fact that one can't down tools at 37000 feet and protest comes with its own unique problems. Yes, some companies ARE better than others. How does one know this? Take a look at the employment time span that the majority of crew remain with a company and that SHOULD say something!
When a company has two major incidents in the same year separated by a mere 2 months, and then land on taxiways in Lusaka with passengers on board (and I am not refering to Thomson Airlines either) as well as blow tyres on landing in Phalaborwa and try to turn on the dirt, strand the J41 across the runway and close the airfield because of work in progress, one can only ask where the control of the company is being directed from.
All of this is swept under the carpet because the authority of some upstart is "non negotiable."
Playing with the lives of crew and passengers is not negotiable!!!
So you see, we really are not much different to the rest of the industry. Just fighting to keep alive, financially and physically. Whats the crime with that?
Ja, move on then. Yeah, sure. This is not the USA where jobs fall out of trees every day. Most of us have families too, and we have a basic right to have time with them and food on the table. When conditions of employment change, their attitude is usually shape up or ship out. No, we'll join the municipal workers and the like and fight for our rights that are taken away just because some boss and the likes of JvJ see this as an exploitation.
Just before you shoot me down. Maybe you've never been in this position because your career was handed to you on a plate, or daddy's money got you places in a hurry. Good luck to you then, but not all of us were that lucky. So take a look at those who are between a rock and a hard place before you shout the odds........"you pilots"
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Old 2nd Oct 2011, 07:39
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Sadly the pilots at Link have only themselves to blame. From a strong union and very happy pilots that were VERY well paid, 1st choice after SAA in the late '90's to being 'I'll go just because I am sick of contract' was a choice the pilots made in the mid 2000's.

What they forgot back then was that they were selling ALL the future guys and gals down the toilet too. But if the current generation of Link boys and girls want a better deal for themselves and ALL the pilots in the future, put away the lube, grow a pair and stand together.

There will be some unpleasantness, but its worth it in the end.
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Old 2nd Oct 2011, 11:44
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The entire industry got sold out when folks figured it was OK to try to short circuit the system by paying for ratings. Those with time in the air and experience took second place to those prepared to spend big bucks to buy ratings when it came to selection of crew, thereby effectively kissing off any chance of retaining experience levels by hiring the best candidate for the job. Erosion of terms and conditions has followed as companies have seen and taken the opportunity to slip further fast ones past crew who just don't know any better and will eagerly grab any chance to fly, regardless of the consequences.

Self inflicted, I'm afraid to say. We're our own worst enemies.
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Old 2nd Oct 2011, 19:26
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Stay AWAY! Stay on contract or buzzing around in the GF instructing rather. MUCH MUCH better life and almost certainly more money without exception! At least your current boss/owner will give you lube complimentary...... Join here at your own and loved one's detriment! Sh@#$%tttttt hole!!
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Old 3rd Oct 2011, 06:44
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Slightly off topic. Out of interest, what happened to the female pilot from the Durban crash? Is she back on line?
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Old 3rd Oct 2011, 07:59
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Wish the Link guys would stop coming on here and moaning!! Do something about it!! Link used to be such a great place to work. Made many great careers.
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Old 3rd Oct 2011, 16:04
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RF is no fool, he knows the current climate and wring out every drop of sweat he can from his crew.

I was chatting to a guy the other day who didn't pass the interview at Link due to failing the psyco's he seemed genuinely surprised when I told him that was probably the best thing that had happened to him all year!!!
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