Casual Flying?

[k-lo]

How are all the MAMers finding casual flying?
I have been thinking about applying, but I'm worried about the inconsistencies of work. Do you earn enough to live on? Are there *any* guarenteed hours? Or do you need a second job?
And whats the best part about the job for you? :)

[Letsfly]

Hey,

I have been a casual for the past few months and have had heaps of flying. I have been averaging about 120 hours a month (5 days a week) but there is more work if you need it!

Every weekend we have been getting messages asking us to work if we are free. The pay has been pretty good as well from about $600 - $1000 per week after tax.

So far the flying is great with a really good mix. I have had a couple of overseas trips as well. At the moment I am not minding the casual thing as you pretty much choose what days you want off. Coming from hospitality before I never had weekends off so i have been able to catch up with friends etc which has been great.

After a while though I would want a permanent position so that you get a seniority number and a bit more of a gaurentee but for now casual is the only way to get in short haul.

Who knows what is going to happen at the end of next year when we get the A380's with the crew etc.

Good luck!

[GalleyHag]

Well we already know what's going to happen. The A380 will be operated by long haul crew only exactly like the 747 is only operated by long haul. This was agreed during the last long haul EBA and part of the divisional flying agreement.

[Letsfly]

They will need a lot more crew though so I don't know what they will do with employment and transfers from short to long haul etc.

[GalleyHag]

They may need "some" additional crew but not at the levels you would normally expect with a new aircraft the size of the A380 due to opening of the LHR base and increased size of Auckland. There is already a surplus in some categories within Long Haul so I wouldnt expect any major opportunities within the long haul division.

[TSSOV]

QF is getting one 380 a year.... so i guess the expansion will be anything but explosive

Anywhoo.. back on topic.... casual flying is fantasitc. The money is great... the job is even better... and one thing that the majority of fulltimers dont have... are garunteed days off. When you are non av.... its done... in the bag. Only very senior crew are able to do that (yet they still complain and whinge about their rosters). I cant complain one bit about the type of flying ive been given. Overnights galore! OOL, BNE, ADL, CNS, TSV, DRW, SIN, HKG, CBR, MEL, AKL, CHC and of course PER.

As for hours... for the last 4 months I have had a whole week off (on top of the normal rest days) every month, and I have reached on average about 125-130hrs/month.

Anywhoo.. good luck with everthing

[OZcabincrew]

Hi!!!

Casual is great, however permanent would be great, see what happens though, the days off thing is good.

I've been casual for over a year now and when we started were offered a roster for 9 months, so i have only been "casual" since Feb just gone and luckily the hours have been there, thankfully due to EP's (3 day trip from PER) and international training (6 day trip from PER), however due to QF and MAM offering temporary monthly transfers to PER for MEL and SYD casuals, quite a lot PER casuals are unfairly missing out on the hours they'd usually have! Let's see what happens next month!!!!!

Apart from that, as said, casual is great in that you can choose when you want to work. The pay is great if you're working aswell.

It really depends on how much you really want to fly? Casual is the only way into flying now, it is a bit of a risk, but so far it seems to be going ok for most crew.

Good luck

Oz

[funbus_flighty]

I'm a F/A for Air NZ pacific airline (shorthaul). I'm originally from Aus but based in Auckland now. The flying over here is fine and I'm having fun, but something inside me wants to return home and fly.

The above posts are very informative and I have applied to MAM (yet to hear back).

I'd love it if someone wouldn't mind MSGing me some more info on the kind of flying done by the MAM crew. How many sectors can you do per day? How are the permanent crew with you guys? Do you stick with the same crew on each duty, or get schlepped around all over the show?
No need to discuss money if that's not your thing (I think I have an idea) but if you're happy to then that's great.

Thanks in advance

Funbus

[Bizzi_Boi]

Bizzi nods in agreement that casual is good !!

I have been MAM now for some time and really can't complain about conditions or hours.

If your willing to be available and assist crewing when they need, you can do in excess of 140 hour on the east coast that includes the regional flying to Asia and a lot of Trans Tasman flying as well.

More classes have just gone through in SYD and yet hours are still up for grabs. In an average month I get up to 12 overnights and have my fair share of day trips and days off. At this stage I have NOT needed to supplement my income with a 2nd job. As the work and money has been rolling in.

Anyone considering a role with MAM, needs to consider how much they want to be available as the work is there to be taken.

Cheers,

Bizzi Boi