Alliance in the west??

[Checkerboard]

I have heard that NJS have lost the Leinster contract and that it was won by Alliance. Apparently they are going to be using F100's??

Anyone know the details of this?? How many to be based in Perth, who will do the maintenance etc etc??

[dodgybrothers]

'bout as welcome as syphullus i would think

[Updraft]

Press releases on Perth Airport and Alliance websites confirm it. Initially 2 F100s later becoming three.

[Moniker]

'bout as welcome as syphullus i would think
eek :uhoh:

that's a little unkind, isn't?

that would have to be a good thing wouldn't? If QQ expand their bases, which means more in their fleet, means more opportunities for jet work. Doesn't it?

[topend3]

a little surprised that NJS would not have been succesful in tendering for this work with their 146 blue-tail fleet, was capacity the issue here as with their impressive reputation for mining charter they must have been up there...

skywest won't be happy as why didn't they get the work???

[Mr.Buzzy]

Gee those poor "East" F100 drivers will have to relearn the machine to make sure they fly it "properly"
I sure hope the roster will permit commuting!

bbbbbbbbbbbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzbbbbbbbbbbbbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zz

[Hawk777]

Didn't this contract ask for some turbo-prop runs? Will Alliance solely run F100's or have they sub-contracted some of the work to some of the turbo-prop operators. ie Network, Skippers or Maroomba?

How will Alliance go for parking space? There's barely enough room for Virgin and Skywest let alone 3 Alliance F100's. I guess there'll be alot of towing happening.

[whogivesa????]

I hear Alliance is going against the trend of making pilots pay for their endorsements and are bonding (2 years) new pilots instead. Apparently all new pilots are on full pay from day one of the ground school:ok:

Isn’t it funny, the two smallest jet operators in the country (Alliance and Skywest) bond new pilots yet the three big operators, Jetstar, Virgin Blue and NJS still require new pilots to pay for their training:confused:

[skyshow]

You were wondering why NJS didn't get the gig?
I hear its beacause LER and WME company wants their own, designated check in desks as well as a lounge to eat and wait before their flights. The miners are a little spoilt. Qantas want NJS's QantasLink to be an all B717 fleet by November 1 (last QantasLink service to LER and WME on October 31). These are done on the 2 remaining BAe146-300s which will go in November.
So QantasLink was out of the question, as the B717s were too big, and LER and WME people were unhappy Qantas didn't ever offer designated check in facilities as asked several times etc... Can't they just wait in line and check in like everybody else?!?
The miners loved the Qantas Lounge and loved the Qantas frequent flying points.
NJS 'blue tail' couldn't offer either (lounges nor points) instead offering only a 'shed' for check in and a vending machine!
Alliance are offering the ex Ansett Golden Wing lounge (operated by Alliance staff) as well as 3 or 4 check in desks as well as Virgin Blue Velocity Frequent Flyers.
Exactly how cheaper this operation is over NJS or Skywest I don't know! Not sure why they will need 3 F100s for? The LER and WME flights were 1 each every morning and 1 each every afternoon - only 2 F100s should be needed.

[MinimaNoContact]

Isn’t it funny, the two smallest jet operators in the country (Alliance and Skywest) bond new pilots yet the three big operators, Jetstar, Virgin Blue and NJS still require new pilots to pay for their training

The 146 training fee was taken away, and the guys paid back their money in full. 717 still requires 15k.

Alliance may not have their pilots pay for training, but have a look at what salaries they are on... I believe the Alliance skippers are making little more than NJS F/Os.

I give Alliance 6 months before BHPB lose patience with the risk they have taken...

[topend3]

I give Alliance 6 months before BHPB lose patience with the risk they have taken...

normally when people say that on this forum they end up being proved wrong...i think they will last the full 5 year contract...this is great news for XR in a way as they will have a spare F100 to hire every time one of theirs breaks down...which is often.

[Monopole]

From the WAC website
“Winning the (BHP) contract has enabled Queensland based Alliance Airlines to expand their operations into the rapidly growing Western Australian charter market

Could be the start of something big, with BHP already using jets into West Angeles and other surrounding sites, rumoured to seal their strips with the intent to upgrade to jet services.

[dodgybrothers]

those other WA charter routes are different contracts. Remember WME and LST were WMC until BHP took over about a year ago.

What I want to know is how alliance plan on doing it. A little over 1000 hours a year for 2 early morning flights and 2 afternoon flights so at bare min need 5 crews at what 200 hours a year per crew! hardly economical unless they plan to....oh no, what 16 hour split duty days, geez that should be good.

This mob pay 90k for skippers and god only knows what for FOs they probably pay for the privilige. How is this good for the industry, it will only further erode pay and conditions. And as minima says, few break downs (ie no back up aircraft) bit less leg room, more seats = less room, crap tucker and then miners get the sh!ts and finally....outski.

[Mr.Buzzy]

Anyone know the latest on the USAir machines parked in Brissy?

bbbbbbbbbbbbbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzbbbbbbbbbbbbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zz

[ComeByChance]

The figures you guys are quoting regarding the Alliance pay are way of the mark. For any new FO you are still ahead of any NJS, Virgin Blue and Jetstar pilot as you have not spent one cent your own money to get the job.

Regarding reliability, I think you will find the F100 a lot more reliable than the old 146. Alliance has been operating only 2 for the last few years and they have been able to serve all their mining contracts, plus the adoc charter work with very few break downs.

FKA the second of the US Airways aircraft should join the fleet this week.

[Gunnadothat]

skyshow wrote:
The miners loved the Qantas Lounge and loved the Qantas frequent flying points.
NJS 'blue tail' couldn't offer either (lounges nor points) instead offering only a 'shed' for check in and a vending machine!
Untrue, skyshow - I flew Blue Tail up and back to a minesite today and can guarantee that I'll get QF FF points on both legs. It all depends on whether the company is willing to spend a little bit (or a lot) to get the points credited.
Go intothe NJS terminal on any given morning at 6am and the chances are that you wont find a seat to be had. At the peak time, I guess that the terminal has reached capacity. The 30 minutes on the ground waiting in line to depart off 06 this morning certainly seemed as if the morning bomb-burst was bigger than normal.....:ugh:
As for spoilt miners, I'm sure that you wouldn't mind spending two weeks in the middle of nowhere working 12 hour days and in some cases pretty grubby working conditions...:} makes the lounge look like reasonably good value to keep good mining staff at a time when the workforce is fairly fluid.:ok:
cheers
Gunnadothat

[apacau]

Alliance are offering the ex Ansett Golden Wing lounge (operated by Alliance staff) as well as 3 or 4 check in desks as well as Virgin Blue Velocity Frequent Flyers.


Are you saying that Alliance have joined the Velocity FF program? How does this work and how does this benefit Virgin? Or is there something we don't know about?

[Moniker]

Apacau

The long time rumour is that Alliance will be to DJ what NJS is to QF.

Maybe this is the beginning of the unveiling, or maybe DJ are getting the nod with the staff booking people from the mine?

have to love aviation, don't you :)

[apacau]

The long time rumour is that Alliance will be to DJ what NJS is to QF.

My thoughts exactly...

No doubt time will tell... But how this might fit in with the rumoured options DJ have out on Junglejets, though, heaven only knows!

[OpsNormal]

I give Alliance 6 months before BHPB lose patience with the risk they have taken...

What you may not realise is that Alliance have been servicing BHP-B over East here for quite some time (Phosphate Hill etc), along with Zinifex/Century, Ernest Henry etc without much in the way of negative feedback. I would say it is BHP-B's way of saying to Alliance (no, I do not work with or for them) that they are quite happy with reliability and service to date.

Having first hand knowledge of the usual contents of BHP-B provision of service contracts, BHP-B will usually have a "spare" operator up their sleeve, usually named in the contract. Go check your contract if your Ops People will let you see it.

I guess it is outwardly more a price driven market than a reflection on the local product when another operator from quite some distance away is requested to tender for (and wins) the work the locals do, it is (almost) that simple. The answer is to offer the highest possible standard you can.

Moniker. VB are saying some funny things behind the scenes in local areas at the moment. Something to do with a smaller feeder network, quite possibly a codeshare set-up. (That is all I am saying).:oh:

[alidad]

OK then- WHAT IS THE SALARY PACKAGE for a F100 captain and F/O with alliance?
lease include super, sick leave provisions etc

[skyshow]

Gunnadothat…

Its just an hour of flight to work… rock up, get on, fly, get off, go to work. With their own check-in desks it should be easy (less wait). Some people drive longer to work!
makes the lounge look like reasonably good value to keep good mining staff at a time when the workforce is fairly fluid. I’d rather stay in my own lounge and eat a last meal at home until I needed to go to the airport. The food will perhaps be the same in the lounge too after a while, or at least on a fortnightly rotation. :yuk:

[RENURPP]

The figures you guys are quoting regarding the Alliance pay are way of the mark. For any new FO you are still ahead of any NJS, Virgin Blue and Jetstar pilot as you have not spent one cent your own money to get the job.


WRONG, no new NJS pilots pays for their endorsement.
The difference in pay and conditions is considerable, and certainly not in al;liances favour.

Maybe now they are making some ????? the liquidators of flight west can return some of the stolen money from employees.

[chimbu warrior]

With this extra work coming their way, it seems odd that Alliance would be selling 2 of their F100's.

Take a look here http://www.aeromil.com.au/pages/home.html

[Gunnadothat]

Skyshow said:
Its just an hour of flight to work… rock up, get on, fly, get off, go to work. With their own check-in desks it should be easy (less wait). Some people drive longer to work!

And your point is?....:ugh: Why should it make any difference how long the flight is - that only matters when you're in the air! If we used your example for staff travel, that's like saying A330 crew flying legs to Asia should not get travel to the US. And what do you expect people to do other than "rock up, get on, fly, get off" - Anything else and I'm sure that the FAs would understandably be less than happy. Certainly if you have ever been on Argyle or Murrin flights, the whole orderly disembarking process is 1000% better :D than the herd stampeding whilst getting off a Sydney flight.:eek:

The whole idea in providing lounge access is differentiate the company to others attempting to woo good employees, and one of those items is to provide that their "dead" time isn't spent in a terminal without facilities. The same thing now applies to mining camps in the middle of nowhere - although I'm sure you won't be going there by the sounds of it....:}

Another speculative reason might be a little more pragmatic - by having the lounge, all the pax might normally be in the one spot - not scattered all over the terminal or outside having a smoke...:}

I’d rather stay in my own lounge and eat a last meal at home until I needed to go to the airport. The food will perhaps be the same in the lounge too after a while, or at least on a fortnightly rotation. :yuk:

You have that option and I have that option being Perth based - it wouldn't bother me about the lounge or queuing at 6 in the morning <yawn> , and I'm sure you would agree. But tell that to people who commute 4 hours from country areas to do their time on site, or those commuting from Interstate or even overseas (yes, it happens).

If it comes down to is the customer (in this case, the mining company) as willing to stipulate the conditions of the contract and pay for the privilege, and the aviation company as willing to provide the facilities to obtain the business, then why the comments? :=

I've worked in both aviation(hence the interest in the forums) and mining companies, and I cannot quite understand your comments such as "The miners are a little spoilt." "Can't they just wait in line and check in like everybody else?!?" "The miners loved the Qantas Lounge and loved the Qantas frequent flying points." unless there is an element of jealousy involved??? After all, what is the difference between Joe Miner and Bill Chairman? - both are having their tickets and lounge memberships paid for......:E

Sorry everyone else - couldn't let this one go by.......
GDT

[skyshow]

Hmmm
I've never been jealous in all my life! ;)

Check PM gunnadothat.

[IAW]

With this extra work coming their way, it seems odd that Alliance would be selling 2 of their F100's.
Take a look here http://www.aeromil.com.au/pages/home.htmlIts my understanding that Alliance/aeromil/et al don't own those F100s. I believe they lease them from a finance company.
Anyone know the latest on the USAir machines parked in Brissy?
bbbbbbbbbbbbbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzbbbbbbbbbbbbzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzVH-FKD will undergo its 144 month check after FWH and FWI have their 4000hr checks. VH-FKG will be after that. Rumour has it three additional ex-US Air F100s are in the pipeline.

[Gunnadothat]

Skyshow said:
Its just an hour of flight to work…

<snip>

having their tickets and lounge memberships paid for......:E
Sorry everyone else - couldn't let this one go by.......
GDT


postscript: got the PM from Skyshow and he's actually a nice bloke! ;) ;) ;)