Is it easy to leave a company ?

[Cleared For Taxiing]

Hi :)

Is it easy for pilots to leave a company ( for example Qatar Airways ) ? I read in different posts that it is a hyper strict company , and i know the hard rules , does it mean that also leaving the company cannot be that easy ? ( talking about pilots , not cabin crew ) Is it true that you must stay at least 5 years with the company after you'd joined it ?

And do Cockpit Crew have the same " exaggerated " rules as flight attendants ?

Thank you so much

[Duchess_Driver]

It depends....

Different companies, different rules/attitudes and I can't speak specifically about the 'Sand Pit' but....

If you're bonded for 'type rating/line training' costs then this can make it more difficult to extract yourself from a contract, but not impossible. In some companies you pay the type rating training costs as they are incurred and they pay you back over a period. This usually happens to non-type rated FO's starting at the bottom.

[AerocatS2A]

Some companies may bond you for a certain amount of time, but that just means you have to pay back a portion of your training costs if you leave before the bond period expires. The hardest part of leaving a company is finding somewhere else to go to.

What "exaggerated" rules are you talking about?

[Peter47]

I understand that Qatar is a slightly odd example as you require an exit visa to leave the country (although I understand that this is under review by the state) and your employer has to co-operate. (See the Middle East forum.) There have been cases of staff resigning by e-mail whilst abroad (but make sure that you don't return to the country).

In the Western world there is absolutely nothing to stop you leaving your company (its may be different for a military pilot) but don't expect a glowing reference if you don't serve your notice period.

Some companies try and enforce non compete clauses for managers (I don't know about pilots) but UK courts tend not to be too strict in enforcing them viewing them as restricting competition.

Pilots careers are based on seniority (the longer you have served the better the pay, choice of types, schedules, etc) which is generally not transferrable between airlines and this may well be a consideration for a pilot who has been with a legacy carrier for a long time (not much of an issue if you fly for certain US commuter carriers).