Avianca Hiring Process

[themagicman00]

As of May 29th, the merge between two companies became Avianca. As such, we need to start getting some information in the hiring process. Please share your experiences with all of us, news, information, gouge, rumors, pilot stuff, planes. The idea is to get as much information post-merge. For example, there is a rumor going around Avianca-Peru that will start recruiting for Co-pilots next month. We all know that all the planes and infrastructure in Costa Rica from the old company are closing and firing staff to accomodate new ideas and efficiency in routings.
Avianca Colombia is hiring local co-pilots....please all of you guys that got hired recently, share your experiences.
Thank you all.

[AVApilot]

MagicMan,

Avianca should continue hiring through 2013 so if you have the right to live and work in Colombia send your resume, don't expect a big fat paycheck though, working conditions right now are a little on the stressful side as we're conducting negotiations with the company regarding the new collective bargaining agreement.

If hired on the ATR, you will stay on it until you have an open spot to upgrade to the left seat of the ATR, their guess is that this will take about 6-8 years and then continue up the ladder as a captain on the A32S and then the A330/787

If hired on the A32S, you will then fly it, transtion onto the right seat of a A330/787 and then upgrade on the left seat on the A32S and then A330/787

****ty isn't it? Well that's what the company tricked us into signing therefore allegedly saving them over 35m USD in pilot training over the next ten years, soon after we asked for a payraise but the company said that it wasn't possible 'cause if our wages were to be raised it would risk the airline going under (BS of course).

I'll leave it at that for now, I guess you have questions of your own so keep them coming.

[themagicman00]

AVA Pilot,
Thanks for the great information. Do you have info on the rotations, monthly hours, salaries for FOs and CAPTs.n
Any information on the post merger era, expansion plans, hubs, planes?

[AVApilot]

MagicMan,

Rotations in AVA will always have you passing thru Bogota, a usual rotation for the people flying the F50 right now could be something like wake up early to fly BOG-MZL-BOG-EJA-BOG, it could also have one more flight at the end so add BOG-EYP-BOG for a really long day, in the F50 you have no layovers and no int'l flights of course, the F50's are based in BOG and CLO. Guys in the turboprop fleet are flying around 75hrs/month, if you fly in the afternoon is pretty much the same thing, its either 4 or 6 legs.

Flying the A32S is not much different, 6 leg days are the norm and all leaving and returning to BOG which is a nightmare, this month I was assigned 78hrs but with an extra flight here and there I'm going to end up flying like 85, normally in the A32S you get about 9 layovers per month divided into both domestic like CTG, PEI, CUC, CLO, MDE and int'l like CCS, MIA, PTY, NYC, SAO, GIG, LPB.
Total allowances for the month for a F/O is around 450USD.

Salaries for F/O's are around 2500USD for the first two years, after two years you sign an open contract and get a raise of about 10%.

[wontonsoup]

Hi, long time lurker here, decided to join. I have a few questions regarding Avianca and working in Colombia.

1. I heard in Colombia, you only need commercial single to get most copilot jobs. is this true?

2. I was born in the US, but my father is colombian, how dose one get the right to work in Colombia then?

3. I have 280tt Multi Instrument going for commercial single and CFI single engine. What kind of hours do I need to get a chance with Avianca?

[Gusz]

1.I beleive you need a commercial multi
2.get a colombian passport
3.they hire people with less hrs.
The most important thing is to know the right people, and have An aviaca pilot walk your resume....
Good luck...

[wingflyer]

Does anyone know how Andean Community agreements work for pilots of member states interested in working opportunities in neighboring countries?

[fierrobol]

Somebody knows if they are looking for ATR captains? And if yes how can I apply and more or less how much they pay?.
Brgds.

[MDT06]

Fierrobol,

From what I know they are not looking for ATR captains.

Wonton,

Get a colombian passport. Also get the military ID. If you don't have the military stuff, they won't hire you.

With a colombian passport and the military stuff taken care of, you have the right to work here.

Single engine is ok, multi is better. Hours, 280 is ok. I only had 253 when hired.

Have an exit plan in case you don't like it. It takes a good effort to adjust to the colombian way of doing things.

MDT06

[fierrobol]

Thank you for your answer.
Ist sad becouse I´m not a Colombian, and I have some Experience as Captain ATR72-600 of course my mothr lenguage is Spanish.
have a nice day.