Vueling pilot recruitment

[aa73]

Hello all:
I am an MD80 F/O for AA and am interested in opportunities with Vueling in BCN. Having grown up in Europe with three years in BCN, and my family living there, I would love to come back.
I understand that I would have to first convert to JAA licenses, followed by authorization to work in the EU, and finally, get an A320 type. From what I've read, I must complete the A320 type at a Vueling-approved training facility.
Can any Vueling pilots shed some light on:
How much is the A320 type in USD?
How is the interview process - pretty laid back or fire-drill type a la Cathay?
Do they hire pilots with prior US experience, especially with a major airline?
Do I have to get my A320 type before I apply, or after I get the conditional offer?
What are the chances of getting based in BCN?
Is it considered a pretty stable job with good financial prospects?

I am 34yrs old, 7000hrs total with 4500 on the MD80, prior B727 FE and in my 8th year at AA. Previous BAe4100 FO at ACA and flight instructor before that. I speak English, Spanish, French and Italian.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated, this would be a difficult decision for me and my family (currently living in Dallas, TX.) Thanks for any input. Cheers, 73

[stansdead]

Wrong forum for this query. Try terms and Endearments.

However, to leave AA for VLG. You must be mad.:eek:

[aa73]

OK... I reposted this in the Terms and Endearment section.

I guess I should have added, "Would this be a smart career move?" :rolleyes:

73

[redout]

You should post this in the Spanish forum. There is quite a big thread there about Vueling that does not make for positive reading.

[Kraut]

AA 73

It would not be a smart career move! I have a friend at AA, know some guys which flew for VUELING. Easy to compare!
Take vacation and your staff travel and VISIT BCN

I would just say: FORGET THIS CONSIDERATION!!!!!

If you want to go to Spain, consider CLICKAIR or EASY.
Having said this, forget even this, to give up AA!!:eek:

[aa73]

Thank you Gentlemen for your input. I think I've read into your posts enough to conclude that it would not be a good career move. I guess I get nostalgic about living in Europe as several of you do (lucky bastards!) since I grew up there and really miss it. I'll just relegate myself to visiting my folks who live in BCN once a year and save the move for another life.

Thanks again guys.

Cheers, 73

[Mach trim]

Vueling has got yes, low pay

good maintenance and brand new airplanes ( this part is better than Clickair )


Things are improving but they do have a long way to go.


5/3,5/4 Roster.with many long days.

A tiny pension plan that is a joke, very minimal loss of l. ins. plan.

Less pay than promised in interview.

They change our roster too much.

It is not all bad as Vueling.
I never take minimum fuel 500 kg extra wx good,1000 kg Extra bad wx.
If I take 1200 kg of extra fuel ( from flight plan ) no one bothers me if I do not write a report.

I do like living in Barcelona. therefore havent even applied to Easyjet in Madrid, or any airline in England including BA. call me mad.

Some days I start 600 am finish at 1400 and go to the beach the rest of the day.

But to each his own....

[RoyHudd]

Don't wait for the next life, 73. Which is not to say go to Veuling.

Europe is great, excl U.K, naturally...which boasts crime, pongy women, high taxes, poor weather, appalling food. (Yes, I miss mainland EU too, but job/family keep me in Blighty)

[ICING AOA]

If you want to go to Spain, consider CLICKAIR or EASY.



What ??? easy has a crappy contract in spain !!!
Clickair pays very low !!


Try Iberia or Air Europa !

[EAM]

As already mentioned, Vueling is not a company to join, highscore I belive was 16 Cpt to leave in one month.
But I think you biggest problem is to get a working permit in the EU and to get a JAR License, working permit nearly impossible, license, I think you have to redo a few things.

[jetpilotataltitude]

Are you for real? Tax in Germany, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Spain and Italy all far higher than UK!

As for pongy women, you need to change where you are looking!

Lets leave all this sillyness to the tabloids and report facts which as an ex-emplyee of Vueling I have done.

This month saw a significant amount of pilots leave again. It is surely only a matter of time before this airline collapses? Look at its stock market position, it is the biggest loser this year on the Spanish DAX!

It's not just about salary, its about how you percieve the job and how you are percieved by the employer; and in the case of Vuleing its non too good!:=

There are excellent opportunities being offered all around the world for Airbus rated pilots. If Vueling were to collapse I doubt any pilot worth his or her salt would be too challenged getting a new job with better pay and conditions.

[superced]

Easyjet has a crappy contract in Spain Its a bit exageration!!!!::ooh::bored:

http://www.easyjet.com/EN/Jobs/Pilot/pilotrecruitment_oursalariesandbenefits_spain.html

[Sephore]

A lot of jobs for pilots with HOURS on type not for pilots with only a TR with 0 hours.

[Mach trim]

Jet pilot attitude,

Not that I know very much about it as I am no expert but since you say that you are reporting the facts. Please enlighten me.

The low stock pilot market price of Vueling now reflects it's real market value.
If it is going to collapse why is holding steady at 12.50 Euros ?

If the stock price drops further ,It's lower stock price makes it more of a takeover target by another airline.

As I do agree that Vueling's management do not respect their pilots at all, there has been a change since we have a new deputy COO. They are being forced to change their attitude with all the pilots leaving and a new pilot committee is in place.

It has been huge error on the part of management to treat pilots poorly in the current market conditions.

A takeover might improve the lot for pilots or not.

As you mentioned facts:

The maintenance is good at Vueling and the airplanes are new.


A bunch of pilots leaving will not close the airline by itself as they are going to hire 15-20 more contract pilots.

Pilots are flying volontarily on their days off ( cash bonus ) this helps them
keep the planes flying. Pilots have volontarily flown 100 days off this year.

This I do not agree with. Of course there 900 hour duty problems soon.

Yes, there are a number of bitter ex-vueling ( and contract ) pilots such as
out there.

They do need to show a profit or better numbers by next year and something may happen at Vueling by the end of the year.

Vueling has well over 50 Million Euros in the bank cash.
Yeah it may not last long but....

For the moment it pays the bills and puts food on the table, so do please only mention facts when it comes to talking about my current ability to eat.

By the way I am enjoying my time on the beach and pay two euros for a beer
in a chringuito

[ICING AOA]

Easyjet has a crappy contract in Spain Its a bit exageration!!!!::ooh::bored:

http://www.easyjet.com/EN/Jobs/Pilot...its_spain.html (http://www.easyjet.com/EN/Jobs/Pilot/pilotrecruitment_oursalariesandbenefits_spain.html)


When you will be doing all those maximum duty hours in a year you will understand what low cost attitude is :)... further to that you will find out that you'd better make some saving up to your 65th birthday because your pension scheme is just **** :ugh:

easyJet Madrid is "less worst" that vueling though, you're right mate :ok:


Clickair seems to be very successful with lots of new routes coming up. I wonder how Vueling will now be able to cope with Iberia low cost ? It wont be easy now for easyJet to open a base at BCN..:=

El tiburon es Clickair :eek:

[superced]

ok I know that Icing Iam fying for a low cost airlines on A320 in Asia for one year and half...

you are bit tricky with easyJet package in Madrid plan pension is a big issue agree with you for that

[dartagnan]

crack badaboum!!!!

http://marches.lefigaro.fr/stocks/valeurs.html?ID_NOTATION=16161758

[fortuna76]

What´s the point mate, on the same website it says that Iberia has dropped double that and is the biggest loser of the day....

Market is always unkind for airlines, you should know that!

[ICING AOA]

ok I know that Icing Iam fying for a low cost airlines on A320 in Asia for one year and half...

good, so you are well prepared to carry on this way every single day until you reach 65 :E

After that, I am sure you will enjoy a relaxing low cost retirement untill your last breath :ok:

[jetpilotataltitude]

Why buy something when if you wait it will all come to you free?

Simply; Easyjet, Clickair and Ryanair need only reduce their fares a little bit more, and the competion for bums on seats will be won by the real players in the market.

Yes the new COO is far better and more proactive, rather than the reactive style of management seen at Vueling until recently. But too little too late!!!

I have it on very good authority that the Spanish DGAC are investigatiing several areas of Vueling and their operation. Giving up a day off and or working when you need a day off is neither professional and or a solution. Being tired and in charge of 71.5 tonnes of aircraft is not an ideal situation for Airline, Passengers and of course crew.

The stock market will eventually see through the promisses and farsical plans that Vueling have, and as for contract pilots, there are not too many of them around now and most agencies have had their fingers burnt dealing with the old Vueling management.

There are fixed costs invloved in running an airline, selling tickets for €10 does not put too much fuel in the tanks or pay the leasing costs etc.

Vueling is a virtual airline, it owns nothing and its shares which were at €44 now languish at €12.30 down over 6% yesterday. There is no real reason why the stock should increase and as for the €50 million, I dont imagine much of that is left!!!!!

In the last 25 years there have been many such airlines as Vueling, none of which are around today!

If you're looking for job on an Airbus, look no further than the classifieds in Flight and or any of the web pages of agancies in UK and Ireland.:D

[The Flying Cokeman]

QUOTE Mach Trim; "The low stock pilot market price of Vueling now reflects it's real market value. If it is going to collapse why is holding steady at 12.50 Euros ?

They do need to show a profit or better numbers by next year and something may happen at Vueling by the end of the year.

Vueling has well over 50 Million Euros in the bank cash.
Yeah it may not last long but...."



It sounds like Vueling need to do something drastic soon as they keep loosing money big time.
Vueling has just this month reported a net loss of EUR 33.7 million for the first six months of 2007, a significant decline on the EUR 6.5 million deficit it had for the same period on 2006.
It's a fact that RYR, EZY and Click keep increasing more and more flights to and from Spain and they all seem to do well and no doubt that Vueling has been hit hard by the increasing competition in the Spanish low-cost market.
If the last 6 months of 2007 go the same direction it sounds to me like Vueling's EUR 50 million are soon gone :sad:

[Mach trim]

"I have it on very good authority that the Spanish DGAC are investigatiing several areas of Vueling and their operation."

The DGAC investigating that's pretty funny.

OK we will see

Since when have they lifted a finger to protect the law through enforcement ?

It would be great if they did something but you know why they havent done anything and other comanies such as Swiftair.

You know how it works.



By the way you know the 16b is way too lax. They only have to give you what 8 days a month off.

I also disagree with flying days off but if you are 5/4 and reduce the 4 to three. It is legal.

[TabascoFlyboy]

... you shouldn't save it for the next life. Why don't you try to work for NetJets Europe ? BCN is one of their gateways and with your flying experience, you could probably make captain in no time.

[NG_Kaptain]

Etihad is actively recruiting Vueling pilots right now. Word here is they are in bad shape and can be a good source of rated pilots.