German Charter Carriers - What's Happening With Them?

[LAVDUMPER]

I have a German friend who is considering applying to a number of German carriers including Condor, Air Berlin, Germania, LTU, Aero Lloyd and Hapag Lloyd.

Are these carriers still hiring? If so, which are the preferred carriers from a:

1. pay perspective
2. lifestyle perspective
3. aircraft/route variety perspective

I recently saw a Hapag Lloyd 737-800 with winglets - pretty cool sight! Any comments on conditions and what it is ACTUALLY like to fly for any of them?

Cheers

[GlueBall]

LTU appears to be on the edge of bankruptcy with employe wage concessions and reduced flight shedules.

[wonderbusdriver]

Have him check out:
www.pilots.de (http://www.pilots.de)

The german pprune-wannabe.
Not as many folks there as here, but he should get some answers.

[Stall4All]

Well, Applying with LTU is useless. They are on the brink of bankrupcy.

1.Germania (my former employer) is not hireing and will not be hireing in the near future, they have recently fired all F/O's with a restricted contract.

2.Condor if I am not mistaking takes only people from the Lufthansa School in Bremen or internally from LH.

3. Air Berlin (my present employer) is still taking people with different experience levels. Only with German ATPL. But i have heard they they are also starting to reduce the intake of new pilots.

4. Hamburg International is not hireing.

5. Lufthansa Cityline is still hireing but also alot less and classes have been shoved into the next year. Now taking mostly from Lufthansa School.

6. Lufthansa is not hireing.

7. Hapag Lloyd, as far as I know is also not hireing.


In short the German market isn't looking very good at this time.
What is recomendable is look in the General aviation sector. For example Excellent Air. They fly Bissjets.

Good look with you're friend.


Grtz Stall :D

[LAVDUMPER]

Stall4all,

Thank you very much for your reply. Very informative - I appreciate the updates and will pass them along.

By the way, how do you like Air Berlin? How does it compare with your previous job at Germania and with those of other charter operators? How do you like the wingletted 737-800s (beautiful with the winglets!)? Would you recommend Air Berlin to your friends?


Cheers

[Stall4All]

I have just recently joined AirBerlin, and I must say that i am very positively surprised. Alot of Germans have a negative view on AB but they are clearly not well informed. The pay is ok, but you have to work hard for it.
The pay about the same a Germania, the advantage of Germania is a profitshare. That can amount to 10.000 (have even heard 20.000) DM. But The impression i have of Ab is that it is all well arranged and has better future prospects. They recently gave a 2% payrise and a bonus, in these times very good news.

As for the 737-800 with winglets, well it had to grow on me but now i love the winglets;-)

Grtz D.

[Flapextender]

Hey Stall,
did you ever work in an Airline except Germania or Air Berlin?
Do you know about Unions and work and rest agreements between pilots and the company and not beeing restricted only by law? Did the Company let you decide if you are fit for flying?
Did you ever had the feeling you may say what you think without beeing scared to death you will lose your job?
Do you really know, how enjoyable the pilot job can be?
I didn´t know, when I was flying for Air Berlin.

[Stall4All2]

I must say that I love flying for AB, its hard work but thats ok. The pay is sufficient. I think the AB you are talking about is the old one. Things have changed alot over the last few years. For the better i guess.


Grtz Stall

[Strain Guage]

I worked for AB--never been so bloody tired in all my life. The crews were great though--a real sense of comradery and fun; keep in mind, this is definitely not the type of employer you want to work for long term (unless you enjoy feeling exploited).

Get your experience, accrue some quick flight time (1,000 hrs a year when I was there) and apply someplace halfway civilized (i.e. in Luxembourg).
:D