SAA is notoriously......unprofessional (my choice of words, but thats what I think of it) when it comes to handling CV's. I'm sorry, but it's like sending a message into a black hole - nothing comes back out. There's no feedback, or way that I know of to track your application, nor is there an easy way to update your details. It seems that you must hunt for the non-available excel file, then send repeated volumes with certified copies of everything. I'm sure there are others who know the process better than I do, but that's the way it seems to be. There will never really be a shortage of applicants, so they feel no need to improve on this behaviour. Also, their choices seem random. Grade I, DE, brilliant guy, tertiary qualifications, excellent experience levels on a wide variety of types? Hmmm...no, we'll take the other guy with none of that thanks!

I can only go on what I've heard, since I've only applied twice - this is what I pick up from those who've made it their ambition to be part of SAA. Information directly from SAA is hard to come by. I think it should be said out loud - SAA, your recruitment process seems chaotic and lacks a degree of transparency that should be there, IMHO.

SAA is about to hire 25 pilots this year and 20 early next year. These are rough figures. Many of the new hires are highly experienced white males with a minimum of 5000 hours total time and command time at one of the other local and regional carriers in SA. The biggest stumbling block for many of them is the notice period they are required to give to their current airlines.

The majority will be direct entry FO's, specifically where they are already rated on similiar types to those operated by SAA.

There are cadets being hired but only those who are ready to move to SAA and who pass the selection process. The cadets generally go straight into the right seat on a domestic fleet primarily because of historic issues with sub-standard PDI's who occupied the P3 seat for a few years and then failed their P1 (FO) ratings. Now they can wash them immediately and fill the seat with more deserving candidates.

Life, unfortunately, is not fair. If one looks at the seniority list at SAA there are many PDI and female pilots whose age is way out of sync with the white male pilots of similiar seniority. Then there is the black Captain who took SAA to the CCMA and had his seniority backdated to when he had a CPL and 300 hours.

However, once you are in then I will be the first to admit that there is no better airline in the world to work for. If I was offered a direct entry Captain position with any airline in the world, I would turn it down, and I am still an FO at SAA with 13 years of service as a pilot.

All I can say is keep trying and keep sending in those CV's. If you are struggling to get your CV to SAA, PM me and I will give you my email address and will print out and personally hand deliver your CV to the right department.

jbayfan,
An amendment to your last, no cadets have been invited to these interviews..........literally all pale males, 5000 plus hours.....and probably a handful of PDI's with similar experience!!!