Brisbane based crew on foreign airlines

[Poul]

Is there anyone out there working for one of the foreign airline that service Brisbane airport that are based in Australia? If so, I would really like to get in contact for the possibility to do the same.

[BlueEagle]

Cannot speak for Cathay Pacific but Singapore Airlines base B777 captains in BNE, that said, first get yourself a DE command slot with SIA and then get in the queue for BNE basing!

Don't know about RBA, Air Pacific(Fiji), etc.

[Kubota]

CX has BBN, MML and SSY bases on the 'Bus. This is what you need:

1. Right of residence.
2. Seniority (no S/O permanent bases, temp -4 months/yr- only)
3. There must be a vacancy
4. Aircraft must service port mim. 3 X weekly
5. Taxes and residency issues are yours to resolve.
6. Mim 2 years on a base.
7. SERIOUS pay differential between HKG and Oz (50% cut off gross)

[Commando]

Kubota

How long will it take to get an Aussie basing at Cathay (either pax or freight)? I assume the vacancies are all filled by internal candidates.

[Kubota]

Really can't say...

As all positions are presently filled (by incumbents) and many waiting for a chance, my best GUESS is 5 years. Just a guess. Probably more, perhaps less.

All new joiners start as S/O's, (despite the cock+bull stories of D/E hiring as Capt's and F/O's onto the pax fleet - total garbage) then promote after approximately 2 - 2 1/2 years. You remain inelligible for a base until after the "QL" check (J/FO to F/O) has been passed (about one year after commencement of conversion course from S/O to JF/O). As an aside, the (present) failure rate is about 80%. So you wait another 6 months to a year...

There's three to four years minimum. Quite a few B777 JF/O's and F/O's have quit and joined Virgin Blue and WestJet (taking a significant pay cut) from Hong Kong. I have been told by some of my F/O's that a factor (not the only factor) was the basings issue. Cathay reserves the option to promote you onto the type of their choice...there you sit for (say) three years on the 747-400 or Bus as an S/O waiting for your Oz base and wham, you're assigned a B777 course. Most would be over-the-moon happy, but the Hong Kong Factor* has become such an issue with the blokes that it becomes the last straw in a very large bundle. Bummer. Bye Bye.

* Hong Kong Factor is the accumulated B-S from an aggressive, avaricious, insensitive, belligerent and poorly informed management. When you join CX, you get two pails, one marked "$$$" and the other marked "SH*T". You leave when one fills up. For some, the one with the "SH*T" on has filled up rather quickly. Despite all that some say on this and other forums about it being the wave of the new millenium, there are other ways to run a company. CX's usual solution to unhappiness is to throw $$$ at it. They have yet to learn that a happy, motivated workforce can save money. Sorry about the soapbox bit, but it has to be said. "Bans" aside, your call. Think long and hard. To quote KD Lang (the lesboPETAsinger):
Anywhere but here.

[Commando]

Thanks Kubota. Shame really, from what I hear Cathay used to be THE place to be!

[Nomansland]

Finally, some straight up conversation.

What is the situation with a Vancouver base for first officers on the freighter fleet. If not, where in North America with CX?

[Kubota]

Nomansland:

I am not sure of the specifics about an F/O onto the CXF fleet. There is F/O hiring for N America for CXF as the retention rate has been low. At a guess, at least 80% of our American F/O's have left for other jobs (in the USA). The other 20% are waiting for hiring at the majors to re-start...

CXF starting pay for an F/O in the US is about $65K, CAD$75K if you live in the land of the "nothing for free".

You can live anywhere you want in N America on both the pax and freighter fleets (I have a B744 pax bud who commutes from Grand Cayman to JFK) but the "F" bases are JFK, ORD, LAX, YYZ and YVR. Your residency, taxes and commute are "for your own account".

Subload* tickets are available to help with commuting, but it's your nickel. Most commuters buy full-fare tickets as CX has a "zero-tolerance" policy and sh*t-can blokes who don't make schedules. This can be expensive, especially if your only choice is MapleFlot or you live in the boonies in the US and only one carrier stops in your town.

*Subload tickets (or what is laughingly known as Staff Travel in CX) is the most expensive and restrictive I know of. It produces annual profits of around HKD8 Million and is an acknowledged "profit centre". Where other "oneworld" or "star" alliance crew pay a nominal admin fee for tickets on their own carriers ($10 covers almost any sector in UAL, AA, DL or NW) CX charges 10% of the non-discounted economy or business fare. Doesn't sound so bad? Check out their non-discounted prices. If you pay a little more than CX's staff travel rate and you can get a bucket-shop ticket, confirmed from most any travel outlet or the web. First class leisure travel for staff is restricted and unavailable for most. There are NO reciprocal jump-seat agreements with other carriers. That is no option.

Having said all that, being unemployed post-9/11 or a CMM or other refugee has to bite. Any job to feed the kids is better than none at all, but don't plan a long-term career here.

[VR-HFX]

Commando

You are right..it USED to be but that was a long time ago.

Kubota has got it in one about the two buckets. Even with a peg on the nose the $$ can't kill the smell from the other bucket. Indeed, it is the very fact that $$ are being used to mask the smell that makes you feel depressed.

You either pull the sensitivity circuit breaker and opt out of the C&T area or if your young enough get out.

Many would trade the $$ for a bit of sensitivity but I think the cancer has become too virilent.

Thanks for the meories though!

[cpdude]

Nomansland:

Good post from Kubota but I can be a little more accurate being with CXF.

Starting salary for a USA basing is only 61K/year USD. A Canadian base (which is YVR and YYZ) is only 78K/year CDN. With the current exchange of 1.505 the US base is 91.8K/year CDN equivalent and this is why they can't give Canadian bases away! I believe two new hires took Canadian bases and 2 or 3 ex ASL guys have Canadian bases and the rest of the Canucks commute.

There is no huge increase in Freighter salaries after 2 or 3 years like you may see at US airlines. Salaries increase at about 3KUSD or 5KCDN per year and that’s until you transfer to passenger or upgrade to the left seat.

As for Americans leaving, I can only think of 7 guys that have left us in the last 2 years. Others are interested and will probably go if the US majors start hiring. Canadians don't seem to have these options and therefore tend to stay.

Generally, CXF is a happy fleet with great guys and good flying. The common complaint is rostering. We work 16-18 days per month and you could spend an additional 0-6 days commuting depending on the luck of your roster. I believe only the B777 guys work harder but I could be wrong.

As for commuting, you could spend a lot of your salary on this when you start at Cathay. Tack on ID90 tickets, Hotels and food to get to work. It used to cost me about $80CDN for a ZED fare AC ticket to LAX but with all the extra fees these days the $19USD ticket totals out at about $120CDN. Times that by 6 and add Hotels/food and you can easily spend $1500CDN per month and lots more if it gets busy and you have to buy a full fare. I however have been very fortunate. I have only had to buy one full fare ticket in two years and after you upgrade to Relief Qualification the commuting decreases dramatically because they usually start you in Anchorage and so the commute is paid for.

Bottom-line, Americans should use it as a stepping-stone and leave for a US major when available. Canadians should consider it as a good option if AC is not possible.

Remember, it’s a foreign contract job whether they say it is or not treat it like one.

cpdude
:) :) :)

[downfourgreen]

"...after the "QL" check (J/FO to F/O) has been passed (about one year after commencement of conversion course from S/O to JF/O). As an aside, the (present) failure rate is about 80%. So you wait another 6 months to a year... "

Kubota,
Why failure rate is so high?
Rgds.

[Nomansland]

I thank you for your posts gents.

What are the details of taking an american basing? I know of Canuks who have been offered Anchorage a couple years ago(didn't take it), or guys based out of LA. I don't think they had green cards.
And I assume the hiring ban is in place for the freighter fleet? Any progress over the last couple months?

Cheers.
:cool:

[Nomansland]

And since I have your attention,

CXF says it will tack on 15.5% as a Provident Fund. I have seen posts here that state this is reduced to 8%. Does the truth lie somewhere in between?

Cheers.:cool:

[cpdude]

It is 15.5% for all CXF pilots. ASL was less.

[Airport Train]

It's not a provident Fund. It's cash, taxable, and for you to lose in the stock Market. The based chaps have never had a provident fund.

The old provident fund was Monthly salary x years of svc x factor.
The factor reaches close to 4 at the end of the road. Ahhh the good old days.

[BlunderBus]

the OBVIOUS reason so many do not get through the jfo to f/o upgrade is the simple fact that CX must pay f/o's an extra 10,000 hkg per month. as the jfo is doing exactly the same job as an f/o anyway...why allow them to pass? sound unreal?...i think it sounds typical!