Air Baltic [Archive] - PPRuNe Forums

NightSun

24th Aug 2010, 07:08

The take home for the 737 captains is about 5-5.5k euros.
The turboprop captains (F50 and Q400) are on the same pay scale as the jets. The catch is in the flight pay. Overtime is paid after 65 hours, but on the props you won't make any as there are lots of nightstops with not much flying, and long breaks in the day, so expect to make quite a bit less than the 737 crews.
Unfortunately this is the present reality, our jobs have all been exported from Scandinavia/UK to a low tax/low regulated environment thanks to the open EU, albeit that the passengers are not from the Baltic but are transits through Riga from the affluent EU states.

B767PL

24th Aug 2010, 21:50

Does anybody know if they would accept ICAO license (FAA CPL/ME/IR in this case) ?

I have hours on the Dash-8, and am in the process of taking the JAA ATPL theory.

Firestorm

7th Oct 2010, 10:53

I had an e from Air Baltic with an interview date of 18th of October. Has anyone else had the same? Does anyone know what the score is for the interview day? And odes anyone know what sort of contract they are offering?

gilbertmchris

9th Oct 2010, 09:08

Hi, anyone who is inside already, please can you answer the following:

What routes does the Q400 fly?
Are there many night stops?
For the above take home pay, is that paid in Euros? what is the Tax?
Is there a Q400 simulator coming for the Riga training centre?

Cheers

FO 737

13th Oct 2010, 19:54

Firestorm,

I will also attend the assessment on the 18th.

But I get a little worried when I read the news in here.
Seems A.B are to lay off their contractors and wants the A.B hired pilots to approve 75%.

Do you have more info?

/FO 737

Firestorm

13th Oct 2010, 21:15

They have told me nothing FO 737. I will be staying at the Islande Hotel, so see you there on Sunday or at the assessment centre on Monday.

Avyator

14th Oct 2010, 14:55

Both of you going for B737 interview?

captplaystation

14th Oct 2010, 15:19

I struggle to see why they would this week interview anyone for a 737 (or indeed any other fleet) job when they have just advised that all contract pilots to finish end of Oct (AFAIK +/- 15 737 Capt 7 F50 Capt) & have tomorrow the second planned meeting to discuss with local pilots whether they want 75%time with reduced salary, OR just reduced salary :hmm: I believe they have furloughed the last trained Q400 guys (unpaid I guess) for 4mths , and seem generally to be propogating gloom & doom for the Winter season.

Perhaps you should ask some pertinent questions at the selection & let us know what the "official" plan is, because we sure can't figure it out.

Firestorm

14th Oct 2010, 15:25

Capt Playstation: perhaps we are coming to help boost the passenger figures? I have no idea what their plan is, but I had heard that the contracts were about to expire. But as Air baltic are paying for the flights, and I only have to pay for the hotel, and I've never been Latvia before, I'm in! They have given me no information about the Ts and Cs or the salary so we'll see. If I find anything out I'll let you know.

Avyator: yes, FO 737.

captplaystation

14th Oct 2010, 15:48

An official memo was released a few days ago detailing the much reduced hours planned for all fleets across the Winter. In fact the temporary contracts were open ended, originally foreseen to end around now, and very recently advised as being likely to continue till mid Jan, until the retraction of Oct1st.
The current "plans" (if you can call them that) appear to be as much related to politics as business.
Enjoy the freebie to RIX & the "lovely sights" on offer ;) shame the weather is going through a dire spell, might get better in the next couple of days with some luck.

Wouldn't plan on doing much 737 flying till April though, the present incumbents have already been asked to do less & accept less € so the logic of further immediate recruitment would be way over my head :ooh:

Firestorm

14th Oct 2010, 15:51

I think that airline management strategy and the finer points of sub atomic particle physics will remain forever a mystery to me too Captplaystation!

captplaystation

14th Oct 2010, 16:01

Ain't that the truth. :D

Good luck on Monday anyhow :ok:

Let us know the "party political" line. :oh:

Avyator

14th Oct 2010, 19:30

Perhaps you should ask some pertinent questions at the selection & let us know what the "official" plan is, because we sure can't figure it out.

I don't think those who conduct the interviews even know. They never answered me when I asked them about this. They looked at each other remaining quiet. It was actually comic. :rolleyes:
I'm excited to hear what these guys will get out of them.

CPH 22L - SID - Maneuvers (steep turns) - VOR - Windshear (GA) - ILS (engine fire). Maybe something different for you this time. Good luck!

FO 737

15th Oct 2010, 19:26

Thanks Avyator and Captplaystation.

Maybe they are recruiting for summer 2011?
I will also come back with any info I can find out.

Firestorm: I will come om monday morning, see you there!

jsangelbt

17th Oct 2010, 15:33

yes, BT will recruit in 2011. That's the plan anyway. And people will continue to leave due to the following:

BT is unable to pay all salaries this winter, cuts of 25% on paper, effectively 35% for most pilots.

The company offers:

Option 1: 75% of the basic salary and a reduction of guaranteed pay down from 60 hours to 45 hours.

Option 2: 7 days additionally off per month in a block, a 75% salary with a bigger reduction of those 45 hours pay.

This is purely voluntarily according to the company and only for 4 months (though the addendum that is to be signed does not mention a time limit, it is indefinite)

However if not sufficient volunteers can be found, people will be fired strictly according to seniority (which would be mostly newly Dash rated pilots).

makes sense? probably not.

777timebandit

18th Oct 2010, 16:39

BT cant pay salary? why recruit so much this year and take on contractors?
Anyone who know the company comments on what happens now or what was said at the second meeting?

captplaystation

18th Oct 2010, 20:40

Something a little "deeper/fishier/more political " than can be divulged at a simple aircraft drivers meeting I think.

Contractors ? well who the hell else can you get, qualified and current to drive these things, at the prices airB pay on a permanent contract, & at short notice? so not much choice for them there. Recruitment ? well they were doing some of that just today, but how many of them won't have found pastures greener by next Spring, before they are given the "call" ? And, what about the newly recruited CabinCrew & Q400 drivers , no doubt rejoicing in their 4 mths of unpaid leave ? ? :hmm:

Q400's Phaw! ! Bollox I say, crew trained, no airframe to fly, who is paying for the bleeders, (I mean the airframes) always tech, call out the "Boeing reserve crew", well Yeah, but you just laid them off, and dumped the relevant airframes in IST, Jeez, p1ssup/brewery ? well I hope not, I actually rather liked it here, and I would like to see it continue, but with a little less "Flickness" or do I blame the wrong side of the "partnership" ?
Potential to be a really good place to work, but for the moment seems to lack some "direction" IMHO. Bloody cold though, it snowed Fri & Sat night :ooh:

FO 737

26th Oct 2010, 19:43

Hi,

today I got an email saying I was successful on the assessment last week.
They also wrote they will archive my profil and submit in a standby-pool, in order to contact me then a new vacancy will arise.

I ask the very nice HR-lady about this winter and next summer, and she said that BT are doing these assessments for the summerseason in a calm way.
This summer it was very hectic for them with a lot of assessments.

New courses in jan-feb.

/FO 737

Jabulani

26th Oct 2010, 20:00

Hi FO737,

did you apply for the 737. I have got an offer letter for the Dash as DEC but have received no informations since weeks. No answers to mails. Did you talk to Daiga?

Jabulani

captplaystation

27th Oct 2010, 19:46

I think you don't have an answer because they don't know what to tell you . . . . . . really! The Q400's are late, there are rumours about the Govt (recently politically realigned) not honouring their promises re finance for the new airframes ? ? certainly they have not arrived. Q400 colleagues are doing virtually no flying, even if Base Training of newbees was taking place only 1 week ago.

In short, there is some plan in the background (or perhaps the problem is No plan? or a plan that has been foiled ? ) and the HR Dept / Flt ops etc are as baffled as anyone else.
Something is brewing, and no-one knows if they will like how it tastes. I seriously wouldn't plan on an employment offer before May, but that could of course change as quickly as the wind.

Firestorm

27th Oct 2010, 20:39

Well done FO737, and Jabulani! I haven't heard anything yet.

flyhigh85

29th Oct 2010, 16:55

I am a bit confused here. I got a email replay that they accepted my papers but that I am in a holding pool for the B737 positions since they was not hiring on that fleet at the moment. So does that mean that I am swimming to get an assessment? I thought they would first bring me for an assessment and then if I pass put me in a holding pool for the summer season or whatever..

777timebandit

30th Oct 2010, 08:23

I would suggest no one knows whats going on at Baltic. Pilots this week told not enough accept pay cut and as result some pilot redundant over 4 month winter. Q400 pilots told no paycut, and new aircraft be here soon. so pilots on different pay, not going to work well.
Hold pool will mean nothing at Air Baltic. Just like all other airlines they look after only company. just something to tell you.
Company trouble with staff, with aircraft, airport problems with no bill paid and a slow winter forcast.

Bad winter ahead for Air Baltic.very bad.:=

cruiser737

1st Nov 2010, 18:14

Captplaystation - do you know more details on what' s going on there now??? I'm curious caus have been asked for assesment but really don' t feel like " getting into trouble" by loosing job any time soon....

captplaystation

1st Nov 2010, 22:27

I think any offer they would make you would be for the Springtime, so no need yet to resign from somewhere else.

Come springtime , if they make an offer you like and you are not happy where you are (or unemployed) come along. You will love it, at least till Winter comes again, and perhaps with it a pay-cut/unpaid leave ?

Nothing decided yet vis-a -vis 75% vs compulsory unpaid leave, and I will be gone before it is finalised, so you will have to ask someone else later.

Seriously, conspiracy theories apart, no-one seems able to explain/understand the sudden retrenchment, and most people have been here longer than me. So, if they don't understand what chance me?

FO 737

3rd Nov 2010, 20:58

Sorry for not answering for a while.

I haven't heard anything after the email saying I went to the holding pool.
Yes, the HR lady told me there are plans for new ground courses in jan-feb for 737.
But that can change quickly as we all know, so hold on to what you have for now.

Firestorm, have you heard anything?

Take care guys!

Firestorm

3rd Nov 2010, 21:18

Still nothing.

I think that they have got more urgent things to attend to before they worry too much about next seasons pilots!

captplaystation

3rd Nov 2010, 21:38

That is how I would see it too.
One of the rumours doing the rounds is that most of Herr Flick/airBaltics recent success was due a close working relationship with a very airBaltic sympathetic & powerful Latvian politician (who wasn't re-elected) and Russian money (with a reputedly fairly anti-Russian Govt recently arriving in power)

Perhaps exaggerated/not 100% accurate, but it would certainly explain the negative direction adopted so soon after the recent elections despite previous very optimistic forecasts for Winter season.
Having said that, if you read through the whole of the 33 page thread in "Nordic Forums" you can see that this On Off On Off scenario is nothing new here, so perhaps we all read too much into what for them (& indeed much of aviation) passes for normal.
Chaos is standard, anything else is a bonus :ok:

Firestorm

5th Nov 2010, 09:55

Going back for stage 2 of the interview. Happy with that. I suppose I'll have to wait and see if there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow though. But it's nice to think that someone thinks that I am worth it!

777timebandit

5th Nov 2010, 10:30

Dont waste your time and money on second stage only to wait in hold pool for nothing!
Baltic will not need anyone till summer season, if any.
unless poeple leave as result of paycuts.......

Jetset2012

5th Nov 2010, 10:46

I got told the same after 2nd selection day, in the holding pool nothing until summer 2011! :ugh::ugh:
I need a job have been applying for everything. I've got 430hrs on the 737 (which is useless!!):mad:

Jabulani

5th Nov 2010, 11:41

Did you apply for the 737? I applied for the DHC and still have no answer to any mail. Very strange. Last information I had was an offer letter and an information when the course should start. Unfortunately I was not able to start the course and now nothing happens.

Very strange I guess....

pilotsince99

7th Nov 2010, 20:59

Hi Jetset,

I am starting to worry when I look through your posts that you belong to that company you are almost advertising here on pretty much all of your posts. Second I have had a look on the website which got an email address registered in the UK and a phone number registered in Belgium. When I see these things alarm bells ring. Hope I am wrong!

captplaystation

7th Nov 2010, 21:39

Singing from the same hymn sheet as capt ali from meccti ?

Another ban methinks :=

aloa326

8th Nov 2010, 10:22

Found this new entry on Pilot Jobs network - Air Baltic jobs, payscales and entry requirements. (http://www.pilotjobsnetwork.com/jobs/Air_Baltic) - says all F/O courses cancelled for next year. If this is true, how come they are still advertising for Pilots on their site etc. Any comments anyone? Or maybe a misspelling of whoever wrote this, perhaps it should be ´´all F/O courses postponed until next year´´ - or do you have any comments guys here?

The website says the courses are postponed and not cancelled. It means no first officer course until 2011.

strange because in their website the recruitment is in process, like they are very short on pilots......very strange!

captplaystation

8th Nov 2010, 14:20

Think you can safely assume "until" rather than "for" unless their business has an unexpected really bad downturn.
Many Scandinavian F/O, a large percentage of whom wished to go to Norwegian, Emirates etc (I told them to read the Emirates threads first, they think it is all rosy :hmm: ) even before the threat of 75% salary came into the equation, should make some room for you guys .
Unless they are all useless (believe me they are not! ) and don't find other opportunities I think there will be a fair turnover of staff and plenty of demand for new blood around Springtime, but I doubt anything before. Lot of new guys recruited on Q400 (some rated, some not as I understand) all they need is for Father Christmas to give an early gift of some airframes.
If you read the 33 pages or so on the Nordic Forum thread you will see that historically there has not been much communication with candidates until the very last moment (can you be here like. . . yesterday ? )
This is not due to any inherent rudeness on the part of the person concerned, merely that being kept in the picture is not what she receives, and therefore neither can she do this for you.
"Hurry up & wait" / "Wait then hurry up" is how it is.

captplaystation

8th Nov 2010, 20:23

Last time I had access to company internet before it was cut off it was suggested that 110? 125? pilots had accepted the 75% deal, which I found quite astonishing.

It seems that this resulted in an "amelioration" of the pain and only F/O's would now be put on the 75% deal across all fleets? who knows.

So, if 737 F/O's are only working 75% and of course 3 aircraft were returned to leesor at end of Oct, ¡t seems that 737 F/O's will have a restful winter , and certainly no new ones required just for moment, unless the exodus really becomes a flood.
Out of there now guys, so for more up to date info, better ask someone who is still in the place.

Mohit_C

14th Nov 2010, 06:30

Does anyone know if they're recruiting low timers? I applied quite a while back with less than 200TT but haven't heard from them since.

777timebandit

14th Nov 2010, 09:06

Unlikely there will be any recruitment as baltic are over crewed, whether low time or other. Delivery of remaining Dash aircraft still not yet, and no sign in the future despite company email saying the aircraft would be in Latvia in November. I am looking for other jobs now, as are many other 737 crew. Rumours of some left already. Just the start......

777timebandit

17th Nov 2010, 20:31

All change again. What fu*$ing joke! :ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh:

Eurocargo

17th Nov 2010, 20:40

777timebandit,
what do you mean?

Firestorm

18th Nov 2010, 09:05

Rumour has it (and this a Rumour network) that there is a crew shortage now because the Q400s have been delayed (rumour for why this is hasn't arrived here yet!). So apparently all the contractors have been extended for the foreseeable! Hurry up and wait to change!

This rumour comes from a mate who is on contract at Air Baltic.

captplaystation

18th Nov 2010, 09:26

Er no. . . with one exception all terminated at end of Oct, but the crew shortages could be correct, as I believe Q400 are arriving on eve of 24th Dec commanded by a guy in a big red coat, no doubt finished in a colour scheme reminiscent of Norwegian, and sporting antlers.

Firestorm

18th Nov 2010, 09:52

Maybe "foreseeable" means "maybe tomorrow" in Latvian!

Firestorm

18th Nov 2010, 12:58

Crews who have been taken off the old types and retrained onto the new types, thus no longer current and valid on the old type. I think. I'm sorry if I have caused a bit of confusion, but I am passing on news that was passed to me, and which I believe to be at least reasonably accurate. It is, as I said originally, rumour, ie news which has not been crosschecked and verified.

captplaystation

18th Nov 2010, 18:11

According to info posted yesterday on ppjn.com the new Q400s will come mid Jan, and all pilots now on full salary. Hopefully what was meant, was that the proposed , but not yet implemented, 75% salary is cancelled.
Have no independant corroboration of that however.

EA_cabincrew

18th Nov 2010, 20:19

new Q400s will come mid Jan, and all pilots now on full salary

what about the newly recruited pilots on paid/unpaid leave, any news on that?

captplaystation

19th Nov 2010, 17:05

An ex colleague confirmed to me that Boeing 737 pilots (sorry don't know about Q400 newly trained or otherwise) are staying on 100% salary as they are working a lot more than anticipated due to non-arrival of the 5 new Q400's till Feb, they have been told.
Waiting the call to go back ? ? :hmm: well I can always be optimistic :rolleyes:

captplaystation

22nd Nov 2010, 14:51

A rather more gloomy prognosis posted now on ppjn.com.

Of course it is an anonymous site too, and anyone can post it as they feel it. Perhaps someone still in airB can confirm if the negative tone of the last entry in ppjn is justified or exaggerated.

captplaystation

22nd Nov 2010, 15:43

He is relatively happy, as he just saw his 75% pay proposal cancelled, for how long I guess is the question. Nobody at the coal face seems able to fathom the big picture though.
There is of course a lot of resentment from many full time employees, as they didnt appreciate the way the possible pay cut was handled, and they can see how much may have been spent on wet leases all Summer due to the late Q400s. Perhaps not totally unjustifiably, there is a feeling that the paycut they thought they would suffer was due to bad planning, and now having to finance the new ships.
For sure one of the negative ones contributed the last info on ppjn, we will find out in the fullness of time how rosy, or otherwise, things are. Personally hope it turns out well, and all those involved in running and financing the company can pull in the same direction. It would be a shame to lose the momentum they managed to find during the darkest period of Latvias finances.

777timebandit

23rd Nov 2010, 07:25

PPJN not far from truth, and resentment is rising with all the changes, and cancelled changes. More IF Q400 come not WHEN! New fleet introduction has been stupidly done, and is taking AB to its limit. Must be doubled crewed on the Q400 at least from comments in crew room recently, many crew not happy.
The desert is pulling many applications......

captplaystation

25th Nov 2010, 09:18

Not strictly terms and endearments, but if the story of Norwegian expanding into Helsinki is true, airB are letting go to a great opportunity for expansion, which seems particularly silly given their already prolific presence in the Finnish market.

Firestorm

2nd Dec 2010, 08:04

Selection passed: taking up the hold until further notice. Happy with that :ok:

captplaystation

2nd Dec 2010, 15:36

Possibly in response to Norwegians recent ad for pilots.
Most RHS on this fleet are Scandwegian, and most harbour some desire to work for Rudi the Red Nose, so, anticipation of losing potentially a few bods between now and Spring I would imagine.
Or perhaps just anticipating the empty RHS 's on the 737's if the Q400's ever arrive and many RHS737 bec LHSQ400 ?
Having let 3 737's go at end of Oct, I doubt it is planned fleet expansion, although vested interest would make me very pleased to hear otherwise :ok:

Micc25

2nd Dec 2010, 16:06

airBaltic Completes Financing for Bombardier Q400 NextGen Aircraft

Published: 17:53 02.12.2010.
December 2, 2010

The following is a press release from airBaltic:

Riga. Yesterday the Latvian national airline airBaltic finalised financing for all of its Bombardier Q400 NextGen aircraft, and will receive the remaining 5 of the total 8 ordered aircraft in the coming weeks.

Bertolt Flick, President and CEO of airBaltic: “Completing financing for the Bombardier Q400 NextGen aircraft was a large transaction. These new, fuel-efficient, and state-of-the-art aircraft will allow airBaltic to maintain low unit costs. This is important in an environment, where fuel costs are growing and customers in our markets are becoming increasingly price-sensitive.”

The 8 Bombardier Q400 NextGen aircraft have been purchased by Nordic Aviation Capital AS (NAC) and will be leased to airBaltic. The value of the aircraft at list prices is 212 million USD.

Three of the aircraft purchased by NAC had been previously owned by airBaltic (value at list prices 79,5 million USD).

NAC is the largest provider of turboprop aircraft leasing in the world. The company provides aircraft to well-known carriers such as Lufthansa, American Airlines, US Airways, SAS, Flybe, TACA and other major regional carriers. Nordic Aviation Capital’s current fleet of over 130 aircraft includes, ATR 42, ATR 72, Bombardier Dash 8, Boeing 737, MD 83, CRJ 200, Fokker 50 and Saab 2000 aircraft.

LETA (http://www.leta.lv/eng/press_rel.php?id=81060028-CB28-41C7-B6CC-70A6D18A0757)

captplaystation

2nd Dec 2010, 20:49

How often & how much you fill it depends on how quick it is leaking (or perceived as being likely to leak)

Interesting, so not only did they want a finance/leasing company to buy the remaining 5 Q400's (as opposed to the Latvian Govt), they also wanted the 79.5$million in the pocket too.

Hmnn :hmm:

captplaystation

21st Dec 2010, 13:15

It was once suggested to me that much of Herr Flicks money was from Russian sources, and that the new govt was less "Russian friendly," hence the recent "turbulence".

If this is indeed the case, the shares shebang sounds a bit like just shuffling money around/trying to put it offshore.

How it will affect the future ? if I could answer that I wouldn't be wasting my time here :rolleyes:

CHECHE

31st Dec 2010, 13:59

Does anyone know about the Pilot Stand by pool, now that airBatlic is receiving new Q400's?

Best wishes for 2011 ;)

188contrails

3rd Jan 2011, 13:11

Does anybody have any feedback on the AirBaltic interview?
type of questions etc

captplaystation

3rd Jan 2011, 18:40

The 33 page thread in the Nordic Forum has some info on the selection procedure. :ok:

TheOne83

5th Jan 2011, 12:37

@188contrails, as captplaystation wrote, you will find in the nordic forum a thread called Air Baltic.. all you need to now is there about the interviews and more.. I my self posted good info about the selection/interview process. Just read through it.

http://www.pprune.org/nordic-forum/261392-air-baltic.html

Good luck! :)