TAG Asia salary

[pilot dude]

Does anybody know something about the Salary, QOL etc for TAG Asia?

[Son of a Beech]

Lastest I heard (about a year ago or so). Captain conditions; pay 12 x 100K HKD/year, housing allowance 12 x 42K HKD/year, travel allowances (don't know, likely around 15-20K HKD/per family member), marginal pension contribution (MPF). Company travel is in premium economy. They are not up to par with the other operators in Hong Kong. I'd only consider them if I didn't have a good job already, if not typed, or if desperate to move up from smaller gear. They seem to use a 2 year training bond (for none type rated candidates).

Just curious, What is the tax like and what do you get for 42K for housing?

[CaptainProp]

Those numbers are at least 20-25% lower than what I've heard. Not first hand information though.

Tax 15%. 42K gets you nothing.

CP

[FrankR]

I was just there last week... Qualified captains, with 6,000TT and a few years of heavy international time on type earn around $20k a month, and pay 13% tax to HK, and you pay as much as you fancy for a flat... out of the way with the locals is 3k USD a mo, a posh place is 6-7-8k a mo. (all rates are usd)

[pilot dude]

But TAG also has bases in Singapore, Beijing, Phom Penh, and Shanghai.

Is the pay the same in all places, and which place is the best to bring a family with some teenagers?

[FrankR]

my god,,,, have you ever been to ANY of these places??? have you ANY offers?

[envoy]

Pilotdude:

An alarm bell. If you are coming with kids - at school age - then you need to make sure that you have schooling as part of your package. It's a big expense, and not getting any cheaper. It's becoming a bit of a V1 in deciding to go 'home' or to stay for pilots with families here.

When TAG Asia first started, schooling was standard but these days it is entirely dependent on the generosity of the aircraft owner. If offered, it will probably be capped to an amount per child per year, maximum two children.

What numbers to keep in mind? Schooling in HK will set you back a pretty penny, which I can relate from experience. In addition to Capital Contribution Fund payments, debentures etc (up front, once off payments in the order of USD5-30K) you can expect tuition, bus fees etc around USD1-1.5K per month. These numbers are per child. Note that the company (TAG, or otherwise) will not assist with these payments - you have to cover them yourself. No mean feat when you have just moved country, relocated possessions, rented a place etc...

Government schooling is available, but it might not meet your international expectations. Tuition will be in a mix of English, Mandarin and Cantonese, and starting a new language in the teen years may be a challenge.

Housing. If you are only interested in downtown HK island or the DB ghetto (just jokes!) then the housing allowance will not get you far. An apartment in Kowloon is more affordable, and the more adventurous types go for remote Sai Kung or South Lantau. Much more affordable, and a great outdoor lifestyle.

QOL. Your leave and time off will be at the mercy of your aircraft owner, and airline style rosters are rare. A generous owner will pay for a properly sized crew (4 pilots) which will allow straightforward management of training, leave and duty - in effect, a roster of sorts. With three pilots it is a little more complicated, and with just two pilots you are completely subject to the flight schedule - if there is one! I know of aircraft that fly once or twice a month, with trips set weeks or months in advance. But there are also owners who fly week to week for business, constantly on the road. Other owners lend their aircraft to friends at short notice. If control of your time is important to you, then make sure you have a clear picture of the schedule and crew size for the aircraft on offer.

Base. You are assigned to an aircraft tail and owner, not a pool. The base comes with the tail, so any options to base outside of HK are dependent on a position being available on an aircraft there. If arriving as a family, Beijing, Shanghai and Singapore are similar to HK in most aspects, but much more expensive for schooling. I can elaborate if need be!

I hope that the above does not sound too negative. I've been here a very long time now and love it, but you need to have a clear picture of the challenges that come with affording to live here.

Good luck!

[pilot dude]

Thanks for the useful info Envoy, this is top notch!!!


I need to do a lot more research before I can make a decision.

[lucille]

School fees can and will break you. You must research this issue with great care and thoroughness.

And that's assuming you can even get places at school for your kids. A near impossibility for mere mortals i.e. those who aren't bankers or lawyers.

For value-for-money housing for a family, consider the Sai Kung area or South Lantau and buy a car (used cars are quite reasonably priced). With a car, these areas are not at all remote.

Other than housing and school fees, cost of living is really not that much more than Europe.