Qantas Hiring.

[DUXNUTZ]

Any idea on when the red rat will hire again???

[drop bear ten]

Not in our lifetime. If they did you would not get a command in your lifetime...............

[FEELDG]

Never. Apply to Jetstar. Moving along....

[av8trflying]

I thought it was a white rat?

[Mr. Hat]

Used to be the most sought after job in Australia. The overwhelming majority of people I know would go there in a pink fit these days.

Dare say the minimal progression is the biggest factor.

[ANCDU]

"Used to be the most sought after job in Australia. The overwhelming majority of people I know would go there in a pink fit these days.

Dare say the minimal progression is the biggest factor"

Dont know about that Mr Hat, the rat still has the best conditions in Australia for airline flying, true the progression is slow, but if you want it you can still progress to FO from SO in under 3 years, command is of course a lot longer. I find most people seem to be after a possie with Qantas or Virgin, then if that doesn't work out Tiger and Jetstar.

If you want progression go to one of the LCC's (although dont get in too late or you will be stuck behind young captains indefinately), if you want a career with varied types, varied flying and conditions that are conductive with actually having a life try the rat and virgin.

Seems to be a bit of movement coming up in Qantas, promotions planned, more domestic aircraft, more international flying....maybe its time to update the application. Who knows these days!!!!:hmm:

[engine out]

I heard from the usuall lowly sources not before the end of the year with some possibility of interviews early next year.

[Tempo]

Used to be the most sought after job in Australia. The overwhelming majority of people I know would go there in a pink fit these days.

Dare say the minimal progression is the biggest factor.

Yes must get into that LHS as quick as possible....bugger pay and conditions....must get into that LHS. Once there and the novelty of having 4 bars wears off .......now what???? Eventually you have to accept that pay and conditions/lifestyle is why people work...eventually you have to stop chasing the flying. Give me the RHS of the 380 living in Australia over flying in the LHS of a 320/737 for the next 30 years anyday.

In answer to the question....rumor has it next year recruitment is starting again.

[aroniyang]

what about the cadet program? will that be put on hold as well?

[brown_hornet]

Unless QF are looking at hiring more people to be pro surfers, kite boarders or whatever the hell it is that takes your fancy, and fly only when you are running out of recency then I wouldn't count on recruitment firing up any time soon.:ouch:

[Mr. Hat]

Yep couldn't give a damn about the LHS. It comes when it comes. I'm not in any hurry never have been and don't need the money.

I do like being in a control seat its good fun. Have a great job wouldn't swap it with any other.

Can't see why QF would hire when J* can do it cheaper.

Have mates that have been in the back seat for years - they must be due for the upgrade of seats soon.

[QF411]

So does it look like hiring may begin this year for the white rat?

[VH-XXX]

The overwhelming majority of people I know would go there in a pink fit these days.


Well that won't get them far up the corporate ladder!

[629bus]

I'm still sitting on a LOI from mid 2008!!!! I think there is about 50 of us? Needless to say, i don't think i will be leaving my right hand seat job in a 777 just yet!! :cool:

[Metro man]

Joining QF is a good investment if you're young and don't mind a long wait to progress. Good pay and conditions together with a nice lifestyle. If you can still be under forty after a fifteen year wait for the left seat then go for it.

Once you hit late thirties some careful thinking is needed on how important career progression vs lifestyle is to you. In the same time it takes to go from S/O to F/O at QF, you could go from new joiner to skipper at a low cost. The top of the pay scale is lower, however you reach it much quicker but other conditions aren't as good.

Lifestyle is a personal taste, visiting exotic places vs home most nights. Jetlagged vs waking up at normal hours feeling fine.

You may only get one shot at QF during your entire career, the low cost option will probably be available several times.

Decide what's more important for YOU.:ok:

[Nadzab]

Qf may not be hiring at the moment but it's still the best flying gig in the country.

They'll start recruitment soon enough. Patience and be ready.

[OhForSure]

When people talk of progressing from S/O to F/O at QF, are they talking about staying on the LH EBA? What is the progression time to SH EBA (ie 737)? I understand many S/O's don't wish to upgrade to the 737 and wait for the 767/330. Any truth to this? What's the go?

[Keg]

Multiple sources (some of them reputable, some of them not) suggesting that the recruiting may start again towards the end of this year. Those who have done the interviewing in the past are being sounded out as to their availability/ willingness to be involved for mid to late this year. Of course, it could be to just update the hold file for intake to start next year.

You can pick up a F/O 737 Perth base within a few years of being in. Many are bypassing that. 737 SYD takes a while longer. There are certainly some who prefer the LH award but given there's been no movement on the 767 for 18 months and most A330 F/O slots in that time have gone to conversions rather than upgrades it's a bit hard to say that many are holding out for the A330.

Lifestyle is a personal taste, visiting exotic places vs home most nights. Jetlagged vs waking up at normal hours feeling fine.

Normal hours on shorthaul routes? I've not many many who 'feel fine' with multiple 0500-0700 sign ons! :ok:

[Metro man]

You will feel tired after a few four sector days involving early sign ons/late sign offs. However, after a good nights sleep and a lie in on your day off you will be pretty much back to normal.

Compare that sort of flying with arriving home in the morning after a fourteen hour flight and an eight hour time zone change. Crawl into bed totally stuffed, sleep for ten to twelve hours and wake up late in the evening just as everyone else is going to bed. Watch TV or read for a few hours and try to get back to sleep. Get up at lunch time the next day feeling groggy and spend the afternoon feeling lethargic but unable to sleep. Go to bed at the normal time but have difficulty getting to sleep and wake up several times during the night.

Repeat two or three times per month.:E

[Keg]

Lol. Metro man, you obviously don't have kids. I don't think I could get a 10-12 hour sleep of an evening let alone after arriving home in the morning! A lie in on the day off? Time to give the missus a break!

I flew the 744 for two years a decade apart. I found it much easier to cope with jet lag the second time around and the reason was that the first time, I could doze off at 1400 in the arvo for a couple of hours, stay up to 0200 and 0300 (like I am now :eek: ) and then sleep until 1000-1200. Second time around, it didn't matter how tired I was or how late I was going to bed, I was up with the kids by 0800, had no opportunity to doze during the day and then went to bed just after they did that next night. I'd prefer that to multiple early starts. That's me though. I acknowledge that others are different. :ok:

Anyway, here's hoping the rumours are true and we start hiring again soon.

[brown_hornet]

I know quite a few dugong S/O's who say they are going to hang out for a 330 F/O spot, some apparently to avoid the airbus to boeing conversion...New join to 330 F/O would be in excess of 10 years atm, so the bus might be the new classic by then:E

[gretzky99]

Multiple sources (some of them reputable, some of them not) suggesting that the recruiting may start again towards the end of this year.

I don't know if I wanted to hear that. I had all but decided that it was time to move on and a QLink application would be on the way by the end of the week. This only brings up the old chestnut about the chances of moving from QLink to mainline again, which no one really knows anymore, (when was the last time it happened?).

I hardly think it wise to put you're life on hold on the basis of a pprune post (though I'm sure some do!),which is why I'll almost certainly be applying to QLink anyway, but it does makes you pause and think for a second.

[maverick22]

This only brings up the old chestnut about the chances of moving from QLink to mainline again, which no one really knows anymore, (when was the last time it happened?).

Ah that old chestnut... There is no mainline progression, and never has been. Anyone who has previously gone has gone through the application process like everyone else. Will there be mainline progression? Well I wouldn't hold your breath:hmm:

[hotnhigh]

Sorry to rain on the parade but I don't think there will be a snow balls chance in you know where for any recruitment this year.
As 380 flying returns to normal levels, the remaining fleets continue with an oversupply, capts and fo's on the 400 and 767s.
And so's on the 400 with numbers being moved to the 330 or 380.
It is just fortunate that the redundancy provisions in the award coupled with the assigment of annual and long service leave, has saved pilots from being made redundant at qantas.
The leave bank is reducing all the time and the threat of redundancies remain, particularly when the company argues it's lousy position wrt to the current EA negotiations.
I wish and hope this would change dramatically for those still interested in a career with qantas, but unfortunately, without a change in corporate direction the negative view remains. And that includes any recruitment and 10+ years for an A330 fo spot.

[gretzky99]

Thanks Maverick, I was thinking more along the lines of what view mainline would have on taking QLink pilots when they're still hiring solidly. Possibly a chance for FO's but not captains, as before? As I said above it's been so long it's anyones guess really.

[mrdeux]

A bit of maths that few seem to understand.

Assuming QF remains the same size (and that is anyone's guess), and you don't have more changes to retirement age, the average time spent in each seat (SO, FO, Capt) will be equal to the percentage of the QF pilot population in each rank.

So, from a quick perusal of the list, it looks like there are about 25% SO, 40% FO, and 35% Captains. So, join now, at 25, and retire at 65 (yuk), you'd be looking at 10 years as a SO, then 16 years an FO, and 14 as a Captain.

The fast promotions that have occurred in the past were associated with growth spurts. In the late 80s the fleet dramatically increased in size when the 767 was purchased. More recently some promotions have been associated with basings that were, for whatever reason, unpopular. So, if you want a quick promotion now, I'd suggest mass contracts on the four stripers.

[Tankengine]

Very few retirements last few years, apparently 80+ to hit 65 over next 2 years.:eek:

[Capt Fathom]

apparently 80+ to hit 65 over next 2 years

Isn't that when they have to go? (Unless the law has changed again!)

[Keg]

No. They can then bid back from the A380/ 744 to the 767 or 737 fleet. That said, whilst a number did it when the retirement age was 60 so they could keep flying for another 3-7 years, I can't see many 65 year olds electing to do the 767 type course to keep going another year or two. Many younglings are hoping that's correct anyway! :eek: :ok:

[Chronic Snoozer]

So let me get this maths straight - if I join at 45, 20 year career, 5yrs SO, 8 as F/O topped off by 7 as a Capt. Excellent! Join older and enjoy a rapid promotion. ;)