Monarch, FCA, MYT, & TFly--which is best?

[Donkey Duke]

What are the advantages of each of these airlines, and why would someone go to them instead of going to Easy or Ryanair? Is the pay better or lifestyle better? Any current pilot out there flying for any of those care to comment on how you like or dislike your job and rosters? Thank you.


Cheers mates!

[Boeing 7E7]

If you are in BALPA they have a good spread sheet that allows you to compare salary scales, pension, flight pay, sector pay etc, etc. That should help you work it out for yourself.

When I have done it, it looks to me as though the FCA, MYT, TCX are all quite similar. Thomson fly, the largest charter airline and now scheduled low cost aswell, comes out significantly ahead still as it has done so for several years now, in terms of lifestyle, money, pension and now, time so command.

[Down Three Greens]

In the hope this doesn't turn it a charter bun fight....and provided in good faith.

MyTravel

Rosters pretty good and stable. Consistently out 4 weeks before.
Good 'Trip line' system where crew can opt to fly an uncrewed flight....and good day off payment scheme.
Leave system about to be launched greatly increasing the flexibility/reducing lead time of booking
Good and 'hard fought for' FTL agreement.
Varied work options available (Part time, 8/4..etc)
Choice of detachments over winter (Hajj, Canada, etc)
Varied flying for the mixed fleet pilot (Long haul/short haul). Small numbers of A330 only for summer.
Working with a bunch of guys/girls who have stuck through the hard times and generally enjoy the job.
Small 'positive' incremental changes over last three years...with a few more planned.
A really emphasis on increased/open communication between the line pilot and managment. (Development courses etc)
IMHO....one of the best jobs in the North West (No commuting to LGW)

Downside
Time to command very dependent on future fleet changes

DTG

[Donkey Duke]

Does MYT have A332s and 767s? Which planes are at which bases? Do the A320 pilots fly the INTL rosters as well, like to SFB? What are some of the other INTL routes MYT flies the widebodies, like the A332 and 767? Which plane is senior or pays more? Thanks a bunch.


Cheers mates!

[Eye off the ball]

Much like Down Three Greens, I'm not interested in any 'my dad's bigger than your dad' nonsense so, in the interests of giving anyone the info they may need to make personal decsisions; here's my tuppence worth on First Choice. Same format as Down Three Greens for comparisons sake.

1 Rosters pretty good and stable. Released on 10th of the month for the entire following month which gives you min 3 weeks and max 7 weeks notice.
2 Day off payment scheme exists but rarely required anymore. Good because we're manned properly, bad if you want to make extra cash.
3 Leave system pretty good I think. Very complex but is a bidding system linked to which 'value' of leave you've had over past few years (ie peak, off peak, shool hols etc) as well as seniority and a few other variables. Has worked fine for me so far and seems fair. Real perk is RDOs, requested days off. You get thirty odd of them I think and as long as you request them before the roster is written, you seem to get them.
4 Good and 'hard fought for' PSA (Pilot Scheduling Agreement.)
5 Varied work options available (Part time, 8/4..etc)
6 Choice of various Canada dets and extra leave, reduced working etc
7 Varied flying for the mixed fleet pilot (Long haul/short haul). Long Haul is expanding with more 767s and will continue to expand with 787 orders arriving in the next 3 years. Overall size expected to remain about the same.
8 Working with a bunch of guys/girls who have stuck through the hard times and generally enjoy the job - haven't flown with another Pilot or cabin crew member yet who hasn't been a bloody good guy/girl.
9 Some fairly major, and some would say sorely needed changes over last few years...with a few more planned. I'm assured by those who have been around longer than I that the atmosphere and t&cs have changed markedly since the iffy post 911 years
10 A really emphasis on increased/open communication between the line pilot and managment. It seems to be working too; as a fairly new guy, I've been kept informed regulary with newsletters etc, asked my opinion, been given handbooks, and various other cuddly but important (in my opinion) bits and bobs in the name of communication and openness.

Other bits:
11 Pension: I challenge you to find a money purchase scheme for new joiners that compares. Employee pays 3.5% Company pays 15% Class leading and, most would agree, pensions form a very important part of any package. Virgin is 6% and 15% I think, Monarch match up to 8 or 9% (correct any of this if I'm off) and BA pays about 12% of 75% of your salary which must work out about 9% surely???
12 Company results: Making stacks of cash and loved in the city BUT the charter market can be fickle and that could change pretty bloody quick but leadership seems strong and is well respected by the money men in the city that know. That can only be a good thing.
13 Training 1st class in my (limited) experience
14 Holiday perks pretty bl**dy good aswell but too complex to go into here.
15 Salary very good. £45500 starting which seems to be in the top few charters. It's listed at No 15 because most of the above is more important.
16 Good variety of bases
17 800 contracted hours but at the moment you'll be lucky to hit that figure
18 Not too much positioning and when you do you get a nice man in a big Merc that drives you. Or hire car, or own car if you'd prefer.

Downside
Time to command - Same story at First Choice. It has become very much a career airline rather than a stepping stone. This may be down to the big steps in t&cs but we're not losing many people. That and the bulge from the post 911 stoppage on commands mean about 8 YEARS. That's a long time for a charter outfit.

When you get a command, you may well have to move base for a few years unless you're lucky but hey, you'll have a command.



On balance. A good outfit to work for with a PSA that gives you a good quality of life and, for me, that's what it's about. I'd recommend it.
Disclaimer. I haven't been in the company long and I'm not doing long haul so others may have different opinions to offer.