Nevrekar
28th Apr 2008, 03:31
Folks:
I am getting a lot of emails regarding Spicejet and I am happy to help those who might be interested in coming here as an NG Capt. Here are some details
regarding working conditions etc here. These are for a line pilot. Pay is extra for checkpilot and examiner.
NG current qualified will get preferential hiring. Prefer 500 hrs PIC in type.
Next would be PICS on other B737 variants (200/300/400/500).
Non-NG qualified PIC's may be considered based on need. We have a few former B747-400/727/757/767 Skippers with no previous NG time. Some flew a B737 years ago.
Non-NG guys get 100 hrs of IOE (known as LFUS). 40 hrs in the right seat and 60 hrs in the left seat.
Pay is for 80 hrs of flying. (Block time).
Pay is chocks off/chocks on. Not cabin door closure.
No ACARS.
Overtime is after 80 hrs.
Overtime is paid in the following month (arrears).
No currency protection clause for dropping dollar.
No trip rig/duty rig.
No pay for trips not flown due to mx or ops cx.
Credit for Dead head.
No credit for Sim training or ground school.
No union or legal protection.
No medical dental coverage in your home country.
Coverage available in India through Mediclaim at no cost to you.
Cost of medical care and meds in India is very reasonable.
Loss of license insurance is 100,000 USD at no cost to you.
You are responsible (cost) for renewing your medical.
When you take your weeks off you do not get paid.
Travel pay is dependent on type of contract.
Annual bonus is paid. Equal to about 50 hrs of flying.
Pay can be direct deposited anywhere.
Pay is always ON TIME--Usually early--28th,29th of the month.
Indian taxes (33%) paid by Spicejet. Your contract pay is NET.
IRS will give you credit for foreign tax paid, limiting your tax liability.
Foreign tax exclusion means you have to be overseas for 330 days/365 days.
Sim check and line checks every six months.
Sims in Bombay, Hong Kong, Dubai, Brussels and also DFW.
No per diem.
No retirement.
No profit sharing.
No schooling allowance for kids.
No jumpseat on other airline.
No interline agreements (ID 90 etc)
Instead of perdiem you get an an entitlement when you overnight.
A typical entitlement might be free breakfast, and around $30-40 for meals per day. Also 4-5 pieces of laundry covered. This does not apply to your base hotel but just on your overnights. At your base you probably get free breakfast and discounts on everything else.
Transport to from airport and office for work provided.
Hotels are 4-5* hotels.
Expect to fly 100 hrs a month
Indian rules: 8 hrs/day; 35/7; 125/30 days; 1000/12 months.
Rest is generous compared to FAA. Minimum rest is 10 hrs or twice the flight time whichever is more. Plus 2 hrs for transport. Any duty from 0000-0500 gets you extra rest. Can't fly 0000-0500 for more than 2 consecutive nights.
Expect schedule changes daily, weekly.
Expect to fly 6 days a week.
8 days off a month-sometimes you have to call them on it. They might not give you the days. Use it or lose it. You cannot carry over days to next month.
Sick days are 8 days a year plus 6 days for upper respiratory illness.
Rostering guys are not bad--They have to work with what they have. And right now things are tight. In fact it is always tight.
Learn to say NO!!! Just don't make it a habit!
Expats are outnumbering Indian Capts.
Indian Capts here at Spicejet are a good lot.
Jack Ekl and Jatti Dhillon are "good folks." and they actually answer their phone day/night.
Fly to age 65.
Fly based on your ICAO license. No conversion required. Fly under FATA.
Aka Foreign AirCrew Temporary Authorization. FATA is renewable at DGCA Discretion.
International Flying planned soon!! Yippee.
Cargo operations also planned.
Fleet is B737-800 and B-737-900ER.
New airplanes keep coming.
Maintenance is good. No pressure to fly broken airplanes. Capts decision is final.
Spicejet needs around 50 B737NG Capts for the future.
Indian F/O's are being upgraded but the pace is still fast and Capts are needed.
Good prospects for a few years in my humble opinion.
Family can come here if desired. Few of us have them here. Makes life easier.
Apartments can be rented in lieu of hotel stay for family guys.
India is not for everyone. It is a different experience if you have never lived in a Third World Environment. In the midst of economic growth there is still poverty, and an environment that can be less than appealing.
Read up on India, online or buy a book. It's worth the investment.
Travel here on an ID90 etc if you can and see for yourself.
Come here with a good attitude, patience and some flexibility.
Please, Please DO NOT come here and start bad mouthing the country, people, culture, airline etc. Spicejet needs Capts but will not hesitate to show you the door for reasons mentioned.. It has happened here more than once recently.Frankly, from what I hear Spicejet was more than tolerant. They(The Capts) would never have done what they did back home and gotten away with it. As a Captain here you are treated with the utmost respect by staff. You will be pleasantly surprised.
Try not to abuse the power you have here with the underlings.
My top three favorite drinks:
1. Jack & Coke
2. Capt Morgans Spiced Rum & Coke
3. Corona or Tecate with lime
Cheers!
Hope this helps
P.S. I am a contract Captain at Spicejet. I have been here for 1 year.
I am not part of any contract agency or involved with hiring at the company.
I hold no office or have any special influence.
The information provided is based on my personal experience here and may differ significantly from others who have been here. Some folks did not have a good experience in India and perhaps not at Spicejet. There are no perfect airlines nor perfect contracts or people for that matter. I apologize for any inaccuracies, omissions or misinformation in advance. My intent is to be truthful and unbiased. Please make an informed decision to come here based on all your research.
I am getting a lot of emails regarding Spicejet and I am happy to help those who might be interested in coming here as an NG Capt. Here are some details
regarding working conditions etc here. These are for a line pilot. Pay is extra for checkpilot and examiner.
NG current qualified will get preferential hiring. Prefer 500 hrs PIC in type.
Next would be PICS on other B737 variants (200/300/400/500).
Non-NG qualified PIC's may be considered based on need. We have a few former B747-400/727/757/767 Skippers with no previous NG time. Some flew a B737 years ago.
Non-NG guys get 100 hrs of IOE (known as LFUS). 40 hrs in the right seat and 60 hrs in the left seat.
Pay is for 80 hrs of flying. (Block time).
Pay is chocks off/chocks on. Not cabin door closure.
No ACARS.
Overtime is after 80 hrs.
Overtime is paid in the following month (arrears).
No currency protection clause for dropping dollar.
No trip rig/duty rig.
No pay for trips not flown due to mx or ops cx.
Credit for Dead head.
No credit for Sim training or ground school.
No union or legal protection.
No medical dental coverage in your home country.
Coverage available in India through Mediclaim at no cost to you.
Cost of medical care and meds in India is very reasonable.
Loss of license insurance is 100,000 USD at no cost to you.
You are responsible (cost) for renewing your medical.
When you take your weeks off you do not get paid.
Travel pay is dependent on type of contract.
Annual bonus is paid. Equal to about 50 hrs of flying.
Pay can be direct deposited anywhere.
Pay is always ON TIME--Usually early--28th,29th of the month.
Indian taxes (33%) paid by Spicejet. Your contract pay is NET.
IRS will give you credit for foreign tax paid, limiting your tax liability.
Foreign tax exclusion means you have to be overseas for 330 days/365 days.
Sim check and line checks every six months.
Sims in Bombay, Hong Kong, Dubai, Brussels and also DFW.
No per diem.
No retirement.
No profit sharing.
No schooling allowance for kids.
No jumpseat on other airline.
No interline agreements (ID 90 etc)
Instead of perdiem you get an an entitlement when you overnight.
A typical entitlement might be free breakfast, and around $30-40 for meals per day. Also 4-5 pieces of laundry covered. This does not apply to your base hotel but just on your overnights. At your base you probably get free breakfast and discounts on everything else.
Transport to from airport and office for work provided.
Hotels are 4-5* hotels.
Expect to fly 100 hrs a month
Indian rules: 8 hrs/day; 35/7; 125/30 days; 1000/12 months.
Rest is generous compared to FAA. Minimum rest is 10 hrs or twice the flight time whichever is more. Plus 2 hrs for transport. Any duty from 0000-0500 gets you extra rest. Can't fly 0000-0500 for more than 2 consecutive nights.
Expect schedule changes daily, weekly.
Expect to fly 6 days a week.
8 days off a month-sometimes you have to call them on it. They might not give you the days. Use it or lose it. You cannot carry over days to next month.
Sick days are 8 days a year plus 6 days for upper respiratory illness.
Rostering guys are not bad--They have to work with what they have. And right now things are tight. In fact it is always tight.
Learn to say NO!!! Just don't make it a habit!
Expats are outnumbering Indian Capts.
Indian Capts here at Spicejet are a good lot.
Jack Ekl and Jatti Dhillon are "good folks." and they actually answer their phone day/night.
Fly to age 65.
Fly based on your ICAO license. No conversion required. Fly under FATA.
Aka Foreign AirCrew Temporary Authorization. FATA is renewable at DGCA Discretion.
International Flying planned soon!! Yippee.
Cargo operations also planned.
Fleet is B737-800 and B-737-900ER.
New airplanes keep coming.
Maintenance is good. No pressure to fly broken airplanes. Capts decision is final.
Spicejet needs around 50 B737NG Capts for the future.
Indian F/O's are being upgraded but the pace is still fast and Capts are needed.
Good prospects for a few years in my humble opinion.
Family can come here if desired. Few of us have them here. Makes life easier.
Apartments can be rented in lieu of hotel stay for family guys.
India is not for everyone. It is a different experience if you have never lived in a Third World Environment. In the midst of economic growth there is still poverty, and an environment that can be less than appealing.
Read up on India, online or buy a book. It's worth the investment.
Travel here on an ID90 etc if you can and see for yourself.
Come here with a good attitude, patience and some flexibility.
Please, Please DO NOT come here and start bad mouthing the country, people, culture, airline etc. Spicejet needs Capts but will not hesitate to show you the door for reasons mentioned.. It has happened here more than once recently.Frankly, from what I hear Spicejet was more than tolerant. They(The Capts) would never have done what they did back home and gotten away with it. As a Captain here you are treated with the utmost respect by staff. You will be pleasantly surprised.
Try not to abuse the power you have here with the underlings.
My top three favorite drinks:
1. Jack & Coke
2. Capt Morgans Spiced Rum & Coke
3. Corona or Tecate with lime
Cheers!
Hope this helps
P.S. I am a contract Captain at Spicejet. I have been here for 1 year.
I am not part of any contract agency or involved with hiring at the company.
I hold no office or have any special influence.
The information provided is based on my personal experience here and may differ significantly from others who have been here. Some folks did not have a good experience in India and perhaps not at Spicejet. There are no perfect airlines nor perfect contracts or people for that matter. I apologize for any inaccuracies, omissions or misinformation in advance. My intent is to be truthful and unbiased. Please make an informed decision to come here based on all your research.