Air New Zealand Link's to Merge with Mainline?

[Hold_Short]

Would anyone have any information on this rumour that the three Air New Zealand Link operators, Mt Cook, Air Nielsen and Eagle, may soon be merging with mainline Air New Zealand to be one operation? Would this include the A320 operations also?

Also, they looking at recruiting up to 250 pilots this year alone for all fleet types within Air New Zealand! Very promising indeed!

Anyone with any information?

[waren9]

Seniority lists somehow, maybe. Old rumour.

Rationalisation among the link carriers for some head office functions, for costs.

The pilots will never be on the same contract.

[Water Wings]

Christopher Luxon has been quite open about his long term view of "one Air New Zealand."

What form that ultimately takes we all have to wait and see but I think you can take from that comment that change in some form or another is coming.

[empacher48]

It is inevitable that the three link carriers will become one. As has been mentioned, there are a few issues to overcome.

It may take a few years for all the issues to be resolved but in the short term I can see the commercial parts of the three businesses will become one, under one GM. The different flight operations department will remain as fleet departments with each fleet seniority lists.

It will be a large effort to combine the seniority lists, with a lot of complex issues to resolve and negotiate, but I guess with the huge turnover of staff in the links over the next few years this may become less of an issue.

[framer]

It's true. I've got a mate who started on the Bandit and is now a B1900D Captain, he's been in for donkeys years and is pretty sure he will be able to take a 320 left seat this time next year. They're both electric airplanes so should be no big deal.

[logan]

Sh@#t Framer!! over 2 hours and no bites.

[KABOY]

It's true. I've got a mate who started on the Bandit and is now a B1900D Captain, he's been in for donkeys years and is pretty sure he will be able to take a 320 left seat this time next year. They're both electric airplanes so should be no big deal.

I laughed so hard, I think I just vomited.

[Ghost_Rider737]

Framer.....

Your mate is probably smoking New Zealands Finest :E

Does he live near the Shire too ??:}

[j3pipercub]

What about some of the Cook guys that flew the 748? DEC 777?

[ZKSUJ]

You say 250 spots across all fleets, say 120 of these are jet jobs. The vast majority of the 120 will be filled from the links, hence only 130 jobs for those already not in the company. The 120 going to jet will merely be a 'transfer'

That's my take on it anyway

[Water Wings]

The 120 going to jet will merely be a 'transfer'
Current goal is around 70% of the new jet spots to be filled by link pilots so still some gaps for external applicants.

[Offcut]

I can't see them ever combining seniority lists/contracts. They are busy at the moment creating another cabin crew group to undercut the long haul cc. Divide and conquer is the general strategy. Mainline pilots have a scope clause which limits their ability to start another jet pilot group but having four different pilot groups, on several different contracts is no accident. Even if they did want to do it, it would create a s--t storm of such a magnitude among the pilots that I doubt they would get it over the line.

[cavemanzk]

There has been some of talk around the Q300s being replaced by an extra order on 72-600s.

Surely it would be more effective for NZ by reducing fleet types to one large prop.

So would be looking at
11x ATR 72-500s
7x ATR 72-600 (Extras)
23 ATR 72-600 (to replace the Q300)
Gives them a total of 41 ATRs

[27/09]

There has been some of talk around the Q300s being replaced by an extra order on 72-600s.

Surely it would be more effective for NZ by reducing fleet types to one large prop.

So would be looking at
11x ATR 72-500s
7x ATR 72-600 (Extras)
23 ATR 72-600 (to replace the Q300)
Gives them a total of 41 ATRs

You forgot 18 ATR 42's :ok:

[Offcut]

I doubt it. The ATRs they have are causing so much trouble I'd be surprised if they bet the whole operation on them. Also, they are too big to replace the 1900. They are keen to find a new fleet for eagle but there isn't anything out there around the 20 seat mark. Even if they did go one type for all three operations, which I doubt, they would still keep the pilot groups separate. Sure, the maint, rostering, ops, etc might be centralised but there will still be three groups, on two contracts, so no one group is too strong. There is no advantage to the company to have one pilot group. If they could split the jet operation into several employment groups, I have no doubt that they would. They love playing one group off against the others. "You better do a good deal for the new type otherwise it will go to mt cook/air nelson, etc..." Heard that before?