XL Airways France---A330s

[Donkey Duke]

Does anyone know anything about this airline? Who owns them? Are the pilots paid well? What are the rosters like? Much thanks. Cheers.

[Diabolo]

French forum :)

[concordino]

If you can manage in French, here is the link to their site.
http://www.xlairways.fr/fr/quiestXL/QuiEstXL.htm

It's a french holiday making airline, are part of the XL airways group which started in the UK with the old Excel Airways.

My info is not up to date, the Icelandics (Avion group) may still have a majority share and maybe linked with the Air Atlanta Icelandic group.

T&Cs for French Operators other than Air France ,are usualy below average to average at best. They mushroom and disappear in short cycles unless foreign interests are part of them just like Corsair (part of TUI).

To fly in France, one surely needs a JAR-FCL license. France is somewhat stricter than other JAA nations to convert your non French license and speaking French will be essential in most cases.

It helps a lot to have an internal recommendation. :)

[Martin_skywalker]

They have a strict seniority system, out of the question to get straight on the 330. As a foreigner almost impossible to get in and only for a 6 months contract on the 320 fleet and being fluent in French.

[australiancalou]

As far as I know XL France is owned by Islandic government via Straumur.
The Airline is making benefits and is essentially flying to Cancun - Male - Freeport - Phuket - Punta cana - New-York this summer with it's 2 A330.
The salaries from one of my friends inside are like 140 000 $ per year before tax for Captains and more for TREs.
It's quit impossible to join since you don't speak French and do not have a French validation of a JAA ATPL. Recruitments are on A320 but could be on the A330 as well as FO in the next future.
Working conditions seems to be good and morale as well.
Maintenance of the 330's is done by Air France.

It seems that the Airline is looking for a new investor that could be a major or a well established Tour Operator.

Hope that will help.

Dday mate

[A-3TWENTY]

Yes... French pilots like to fly everywhere , but they don`t apreciate other pilots in France.

:yuk:

[Vrille]

Everybody is entitled to have a validation of their JAA licence in France. All it takes is a bit of paperwork to fill out. If you want to work in France you have to speak the local linguo, which happens to be French. Full stop. A3-something, If you're a pilot there's no wonder our T&C's are being degraded so much with comments like these and no wonder either airline managers think pilots are no better than bus drivers....:rolleyes:

[nuageblanc]

Yes... French pilots like to fly everywhere , but they don`t apreciate other pilots in France.

http://static.pprune.org/images/smilies/pukey.gif


At AIRFRANCE we have lots of nationalities in the flightdeck: Italians, Belgiums, Swiss, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Africans... The only thing you need is to have a EU passport, be fluent in french, have your licence validated by the french DGAC, and of course be successfull in the hard selection process.

I suppose in Air Portugal people need to speak portuguese, don't they ?

Guillaume, AF :cool:

[Donkey Duke]

Do the City Ireland pilots (Cityjet) flying in France have to speak French? How about the Easyjet pilots?

[rubymurray]

Non monsieur!

[gumpy972]

I agree that french could be teased on being proud of being French ,why not...
But I do work four an english outfit,they do request everyone to speak english,fair enough to me.
I can assure you that if you speak French ,have an EU passeport ,and a JAA licence, you will be in the same position as every other applicant in a french airline.
Once again it is only fair ,the german do the same ,and if I want to join Air Berlin I will learn German...

English is the aviation language ,this provides us with many opportunities ,in some countries with enough locals ,for the market the only thing that they ask is to share their language...
In Rome live like the romans ,don't you think?

[australiancalou]

Cityjet and Easyjet are Irish and English outfits.
Their pilots or crew flying from France or Spain or Wherever have to speak English as per OPS regulation stating that Pilots have to speak the same language in the cockpit and as per Airline requirements upon joining.
I do agree it would be easier for everybody if the World's language would be the same for every Human being.
But..............this is far from being the case and do not expect this will change in the next future....
We provide here some usefull informations trying to answer a question you asked with no need to comment on why these f...... Frenchmen ask their fellow pilots to speak French before joining.
Make sure they won't change the rules for you.
I am also sure that even if regulation makes a mandatory on the use of English language in the Cockpit you would still have to speak the National langage to join.

Dday Pal

[dartagnan]

you have to speak their national language because in their office, they speak their language and are not willing to learn english.Why should they?

the french, german, italian, spanish,...are very bad in english, and every year, the level is worse and worse in foreign language cuz kids at school are lazier.

french kids can not even write correctly in french due to SMS, short messages, e-mails,....

the good thing for us who master english, ...a level 4 icao at least if you want work in this profession, or stay away from the cockpit.

it means this job will keep away lot of dreamers.