Pollywaffler
19th Jun 2005, 15:25
Here’s my situation: mid-20’s, 2,000 hour FO, 1,800 hours in the 146, based in my home city but away on trips up to 10 nights a month. Generally very good people, money not bad but patchy rostering, constant changes, no stability and no pattern. And generally sick and tired of the 146, they are very very old, noisy, uncomfortable and are constantly suffering tech problems. I see no prospect for a new type either. Also bored with tiny range of destinations. Eligible for command in about 18 months but that will probably involve moving to the overseas base.
I am happy at the moment with the place but it’s not a career airline (unless they seriously sort the rostering), and now that the initial buzz of a job, any job, is gone, I need to decide where my future best lies, so the question is, what to do?? I reckon if I'm gonna go, the sooner the better, so as to build up seniority elsewhere and now seems to be the time, with jobs aplenty.
The basic problem is that there is no realistic prospect of a another job at home, the other local operators being those sporting a shamrock (so no recruiting for a long long time, and even then, bottom of a long seniority list) and a harp (touch and bargepole spring to mind).
So that leaves going overseas (which means the UK to us!). I have looked seriously at BA, Virgin and Thomsonfly and these are my thoughts:
BA: pros: career job, good money, good aircraft, loads of destinations, good lifestyle once up the list. Easy to commute home from LHR/LGW.
Cons: crap lifestyle til up the list, ridiculous command type (though I could live with this if all the other boxes were ticked).
Thomsonfly: Pros: seem a very happy bunch of campers, good money, relatively good pension, good aircraft, chance to move onto 75/76
Cons: not pushed about the bases, do they want money for type?
Virgin: pros: also seem a very happy bunch of campers, good money, command time seems quick enough, good aircraft
Cons: not enough hours yet. Not 100% sure about long-haul.
Anyone like to add any comments/observations?
To sum it all up, would you leave home, go overseas and risk the ire of your girlfriend for any of these jobs, or indeed any other job, considering the job I already have?
Thanks for any inputs.
I am happy at the moment with the place but it’s not a career airline (unless they seriously sort the rostering), and now that the initial buzz of a job, any job, is gone, I need to decide where my future best lies, so the question is, what to do?? I reckon if I'm gonna go, the sooner the better, so as to build up seniority elsewhere and now seems to be the time, with jobs aplenty.
The basic problem is that there is no realistic prospect of a another job at home, the other local operators being those sporting a shamrock (so no recruiting for a long long time, and even then, bottom of a long seniority list) and a harp (touch and bargepole spring to mind).
So that leaves going overseas (which means the UK to us!). I have looked seriously at BA, Virgin and Thomsonfly and these are my thoughts:
BA: pros: career job, good money, good aircraft, loads of destinations, good lifestyle once up the list. Easy to commute home from LHR/LGW.
Cons: crap lifestyle til up the list, ridiculous command type (though I could live with this if all the other boxes were ticked).
Thomsonfly: Pros: seem a very happy bunch of campers, good money, relatively good pension, good aircraft, chance to move onto 75/76
Cons: not pushed about the bases, do they want money for type?
Virgin: pros: also seem a very happy bunch of campers, good money, command time seems quick enough, good aircraft
Cons: not enough hours yet. Not 100% sure about long-haul.
Anyone like to add any comments/observations?
To sum it all up, would you leave home, go overseas and risk the ire of your girlfriend for any of these jobs, or indeed any other job, considering the job I already have?
Thanks for any inputs.