EasyJet "for the love of flying" DEC

[bex88]

Hi can anyone offer a bit more insight to the actual T&C?

UK Captains
Permanent contract plus benefits
On Target Earnings*: £116,303
*(including basic salary, sector pay, bonus opportunity)

rostering, basic pay, pension, LOLI, Health care?

Thanks

[RexBanner]

You sure you remember how to set your own reverse thrust? ;-)

[bex88]

😂 the what.

[FlipFlapFlop]

Interesting question from a BA pilot. I am in the hold pool for now but will probably stay orange what ever happens.

[FACoff]

Interesting indeed. I'm not a captain but the T&C's are there for all to see.

Rostering - 5 lates, 4 off, 5 earlies, 3 off. 28 days reserve (flexi roster) once every 5 months roughly. Various options for preferential bidding coming April next year, so we're told (all lates/earlies, no nightstops/transitions, etc).
Basic - £98,500 approx. Reduced to 90% for first 6 months.
Sector pay - £30 approx for nominal sector (x .8 short, 1.2 med, 1.5 long, 2.5 extra long). Expect probably about £1,200pm.
Pension - minimum 2% from you, 7% from company.
LOL - 1.3x basic salary unless you up it yourself.
Bonus - 2yr anniversary = 5% basic, 5yr = 10%, 10yr+ = 15%. Christmas bonus if PBT met and/or management feel like it.
Healthcare - none. Company said they'd look into it which ultimately means it's not happening any time soon.

Worth noting that basic/sector pay will increase by RPI+2% in October if the latest pay deal goes through.

Have to say I've never heard of anyone leaving BA to come to EZY. I have however heard of several (long serving) captains, swathes of FOs and even the occasional trainer all leaving to sit in the right hand seat at BA. If you can do 5 long days on the trot with your roster changing in-between then you'll cope, otherwise I'd factor in going 75% at some stage.

I too am in the pool for BA and have umm'd and aah'd for several months now, but am pretty sure I'll make the move if the opportunity arises. Do remember, seniority means nothing in EZY - in x many years, you'll still be doing the same 5 brutal earlies. It'll only get better for you at BA.

On the plus side for EZY of course - home every night (nearly), great people, great training, lots of bases.

[SpGo]

Interesting indeed. I'm not a captain but the T&C's are there for all to see.
Have to say I've never heard of anyone leaving BA to come to EZY. .

We had/have many, even former Concorde pilots, retiring at 55 with final salary at BA and then fly for us.

[Jumbo2]

Interesting question from a BA pilot. I am in the hold pool for now but will probably stay orange what ever happens.

With the risk of a bit of thread creep; Over the last few years we had quiet a few new joiners joining Shorthaul or directly onto Longhaul. Most had 1000's of hours and it was just luck of the draw on which fleet you would join.

The direct entry LH joiners are at the bottom of their fleet seniority list an will work mostly blind lines and therefor weekends, because they are less then 5 years in the company (unlike most their LH fleet colleagues) they do more reserve periods as well. They will stay at the bottom for a long period (4-5 years) as people who are more senior move onto their fleet above them. They do have the benefit of joining LH and having a relatively easier roster with more days off.

The FPP and direct entry SH joiners on the other hand are screaming up the fleet seniority list by almost 30% a year and are therefor getting relatively quickly senior on their fleet. With the seniority comes that their bidding power increases and they do get the lines of work they bid for, two years in and you could for example easily get 2 weekends off. The downside of SH is the busy rosters, multi sector days in and out of LHR and generally fewer days off each month then the LH fleets.

Then we had commands go very junior last year. A lot couldn't resist the left seat. But by doing so they joined at the bottom of the fleet seniority list and most likely will stay at the bottom for a very long time (10 years) (unless they decide to move seat again). By being at the bottom of the P1 fleet seniority list you will work only blind lines with lots of weekends and Time Assignable, also since the lines are less efficient your flight and duty pay aren't as high resulting in the pay increase from the RHS to the LHS being not that big.

Overall the beauty is you can adjust your work and career to suit your needs. It's all about choices and every option has got some good bits and some bad bits and you have to choose what best suits you. You just can't have it all (unless you are number 1 on the seniority list).

[VJW]

A 'bit' of thread creap? Jumbo is this a joke? I'm also in the hold pool for BA but if i want to read about them in that much detail, I'll go to the other thread!

[Enzo999]

I am at BA and I can defiantly see the advantages of going to Easy, but as has been mentioned I am put off by the lack of pilots moving in that direction. All the pilots I speak to that moved from Easy say they would not go back so I guess they are worth listening to, is it really that harder work and is there anyone here that would go back?

I am trying to work out if I am suffering from greener grass syndrome or if I am being swayed by the lure of a quicker command. Also I might be looking at Easy with rose tinted glasses because of my disalusion with some aspects of BA.

Would be interesting to get some balanced arguments on this.

[Tricia Takanawa]

Enzo,

Very similar position to yourself. I am seriously considering applying to EZY. I regret having joined a 20 year wait for long haul command, and I can't see SH dropping so low again, as we have so many really junior SH captains now who will be in the seat for 18 years. And there is no retirement bubble approaching like so many hope. Most capts seem to be in their 40's & 50's.

Coupled in with very little roster satisfaction, and perpetual RSV months, I think my mind has been made up. I just wonder if I'm orange material?

Apparently quite a few have been leaving BA recently too. Im sure there is some way of checking on the master rosters to back up the rumours. It'd be great to hear from some that have moved on to find out if they have any regrets.

[Dupre]

Quick questions...

1. What is LOL? see it all over pprune but never heard of it elsewhere!

2. Referring to
"Bonus - 2yr anniversary = 5% basic, 5yr = 10%, 10yr+ = 15%"
Is this 5% basic in years 2,3,4 then 10% in years 6,7,8,9 then 15% in years 10,11,12.....?
Or is it 5% in year 2, 10% in year 5, 15% in year 10.

Also is the 5% based on your annual basic salary i.e. 5% is a bonus of £4925?

Lastly is this bonus guaranteed and written in the contract? Or is it discretionary/performance based?

Thanks!

[Jumbo2]

Quick questions...

1. What is LOL? see it all over pprune but never heard of it elsewhere!


Loss of License
Basically an insurance if one was to loose his/her license the insurance would pay out.

[Paolo]

Dupre..

LOL is loss of Licence.

Bonus is paid every year. Not performance based but we can earn extra in perf based bonus as well....sometimes 3k. You are right the first time.... Payment of bonus is 5% in yrs 2,3,4 10% in yrs 5,6,7,8,9..15% beyond that. Mine is 2004 date of join, so now firmly in the 15% so really its £115k base salary for me.

Guaranteed bonus.

[macdo]

I should think the thought of 5 lates recover 5 earlies recover repeat to the end of time, would be enough to put most off. The comment about 75% in post #5 is the coup de grace!

[Flyit Pointit Sortit]

I'm LHS at easy having been here 14 years.

The simple way I look at it, I am at a regional base, live close to the airport, earning the same as the rest of the Captains in the UK. I can go mountain biking on standbys, have a easy 20 minute commute to the crew room, have no major ground handling hassles and good roster stability.

It is a different job altogether working in the London area. If my situation was to change, even I might be tempted by BA and going Long Haul.

So, can easy offer you a base where you want too be? That is worth sacrificing any amount of salary increase or further career opportunities to me.

[speed freek]

Yes but what is the waiting list like for your base? To anyone contemplating joining, be under no illusion you'll do your time in a base not to your liking while waiting for literally someone to retire so you can get into that base.

And that's assuming the base or other bases haven't been closed in the mean time and all transfer lists bypassed.

Bit like command at BA :ok:

I'm an ex-long serving easy pilot and am much much happier sitting in the RHS of my LH jet enjoying total roster stability and a good level of control. I could never go back to 5 of anything, let alone earlies.

And they may not have Alex Cruz, but they do have their own version. "Costs need to be reduced to remain competitive" being an oft quoted phrase.

[flyingelf]

Easy question: is it worth investing around 4-5 years to get the base you'are looking for? Would you retire in Easy, do you think is possible to plan a move with such long term plan...?!
Thanks FE

[BusBoy]

1-No
2-No
3-Depends which base, some have a wait list much longer than 4-5y

[Northern Monkey]

Having been EZY at LGW for several years and now LH BA at LHR, there is no doubt in my mind that LH BA is the easier job. More days off and feels like far less work generally.

At EZY, the constant roster changes at LGW were a nightmare. Your 5 days could easily be ripped up on day 1 as crewing had some kind of self induced meltdown and decided to send you off to an airport hotel in TLS for the week. Used your short notice changes? Tough luck pack your bags! I actually once had a crewing officer at easyJet argue with me that the night stop I'd just been changed to wasn't a short notice change because the timings on days 1 & 2 were within 2 hours of my original day trips. Um, thats not exactly the point! How anyone manages childcare is a mystery to me. I simply cannot remember the last time my roster changed after publication at BA (except to have a trip taken off me for training). It may actually never have happened.

That said, I can definitely see the attraction of 75% left seat command at a regional base with easy. Trouble is, as a DEC you're gonna have to put up with quite a lot of the above before you get there. if you do go, for gods sake get away from Gatwick ASAP.

[RexBanner]

We had/have many, even former Concorde pilots, retiring at 55 with final salary at BA and then fly for us.

Different kettle of fish entirely. Unless you think it likely that they would have left Concorde and BA to come and fly the minibus out of Gatwick out of choice if the CRA was 65 at the time.

[bex88]

Thanks for the info guys. BA is a great company and I would recommend them for most people, it's not for everyone and not everyone has the same deal and that's what causes my issue. I won't bore with the details but Rex Banner knows the issue and it does not affect anyone who is looking to join as DEP. Rostering is the problem but it sounds like EZY would have different issues. More money etc but Gatwick would be tough long term. If it were a short wait for a regional base I think I would be there in a heart beat if they would have me.

[dirk85]

I assume everybody here is interested only in being based in the uk.

Because the good orange contracts are definitely in mainland europe, not on the island.

[Enzo999]

I for one am only interested in being based "on the island" but I am sure plenty of other people will be interested in discussing details of other bases.

[Twiglet1]

EasyJet sets up new airline in Austria to protect flights post Brexit | Reuters (http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-easyjet-idUKKBN19Z0QG?il=0)

[noflynomore]

Rostering - 5 lates, 4 off, 5 earlies, 3 off. 28 days reserve (flexi roster) once every 5 months roughly.

Have they done away with transitions then?

Transitions are when they turn some of your earlies into lates and vv which makes an utter nonsense of the above stable, logical sounding pattern. They are seriously disruptive to one's lifestyle and rest pattterns and when I left not long ago were at some bases more the norm than the exception.
Origin? Over a period of years BALPA had negotiated the roster pattern quoted as random rostering and day by day roster chages were killing us and eventually gained it at considerable cost in concessions elsewhere. * The company found they hated the "loss of flexibility". Soon thereafter "transitions" appeared where lates were found in early week and vv, and were often applied as changes after roster publication too. The excuse given was that the agreement was merely a preferred framework or some such weaselling bullshine and nowhere had the company signed to say they couldn't put earlies into late week etc etc. BALPA were blindsided by this - who would have guessed such trickery would result from the long awaited and agreed stable roster pattern? Not BALPA, that's for sure but they were hardly to balme for not anticipating such a callous deception.

You are dealing with the hardest-nosed bean-counters in the business and they will extract anything they can from you if necessary, always backed up by a surprised and indignant sounding, "But it's perfectly legal" to justify it's safety and thus unquestionable acceptability.

There's lots that's good about Easy but honest adherence to union/company agreements and recognising the need for a sustainable lifestyle has not been a widely recognizable feature. People mean very little, you are easily replaceable. Its much worse for cc.

* At the same agreement they introduced "flexi month". To aid roster stability the requirement for 20% standby cover was built in to the pattern with a month of solid standby, just days off rostered in ones and twos - ie pretty useless for recovery but on a month of SBY with a proportion of not being called was probably acceptable. The SBY month lasted no time at all and almost immediately morphed into a month of nigh-on solid random rostering. ie exactly what the agreement had been set up to avoid. Again, the answer was that nothing in the agreement had said they couldn't break their word and do that!
Flexi rostering is a euphemism for a month of debilitating random rostering with few SBY - and in my experience they always turned into duties. It isn't fun.

[Chris the Robot]

I work a 4/3 average alternating between earlies and lates, we always get at least two days between an early and a late, sometimes four, unless we choose to do overtime. Even so, the first early is an absolute killer for most due to the difficulties of getting to sleep when going to bed earlier.

How on earth is combining earlies and lates in the same week with no rest days even remotely safe? ASLEF at my place would never allow it, why do BALPA?

[Twiglet1]

Strangely the old CAP371 UK FTL allowed and forced this by default. BALPA won't like you
for pointing this out Chris....

[Chris the Robot]

In which case, I suppose the blame lies largely with the regulator, would be tricky (as far as I'm aware) for BALPA to do much about it since they'd have to be in dispute with all UK-based airlines at the same time it was introduced.

Haven't got the time to read the entire document but I must admit I'm surprised that the regulator allows it. Mind you, they allow loads of other things which I think a lot of pilots would say they shouldn't (P2F etc.).

[BusAirDriver]

Generally the rumour for UK bases is that you should get 75% contracts within 12 - 18 months.

You will not find all you like in one company, you need to make compromises of what is most important for your personal lifestyle.

If you like to be home most nights, and you can work 75% or 50%, than it's not a bad job. There are a lot worse jobs out there.

[Count of Monte Bisto]

A most interesting discussion. I think there are some wise words here from ex-easyJet guys, although I have to say their experience is not mine. I have flown for easyJet for 13 years (just gone part-time). If you are a young lad/lass, then really BA is the only game in town. It is a great company - despite Alex Cruz. EasyJet have been very good to me overall, but there is a huge amount of roster disruption in the summer (effectively July and August, but occasionally outside those two months as well). That said, we fly lots of new aircraft, have much more fun SOPs (you get to fly your own approaches!), and there is a great atmosphere between the pilots and cabin crew. The big selling point for easyJet is the known days off years in advance, and very few night stops. Despite some of the warnings on here, I have personally never had a single difficult discussion with a crewing officer in 13 years and never once been sent away unexpectedly. Under the new deal just agreed with BALPA today a UK captain's basic will be around £103k plus around £15k in allowances. The BA pension is much better (easyJet put in 7%). I have personally known of two pilots who left BA (not at 55 and retiring) to join easyJet. One was delighted he had done it and the other said that in the end he regretted it. I am accused of being too pro-easyJet, but I think I am just a realist. Next to a national carrier, I think we are about as good as it gets. BA is, however, a great national carrier and you should not underestimate how good a company it is. In the final analysis, I think there are six reasons to come to easyJet from BA but many reasons not to. The reasons to come are:

1. Very few night stops, so you get home most nights.
2. 5/3/5/4 roster pattern that means you can predict your days off.
3. Good basic salary for captains.
4. Quick command relative to the likely wait now at BA.
5. The implementation next year of the 'preferential bidding system' like the one currently in easyJet's Italian bases. This allows you to choose lates or earlier as you wish.
6. Great share schemes that have netted a lot of money for the people who have bought into them.

Offsetting that, the reasons not to come here are:

1. Much more unstable rosters compared to BA.
2. Lack of opportunity to move out of short haul.
3. Long waits for commands at the regional bases due to oversubscribed transfer lists.
4. Cumulative fatigue over many years (maybe everyone has that!) for people not going part-time. .
5. Poorer pension than BA.
6. Terrible crew food!
7. No seniority list which means you never really escape the terrible duties - they just keep coming round!

Others may disagree, but that is how I see it. It would be a huge decision to leave BA and not one to take likely. That said, if you really want to do it, then we are about as good as it gets in the low cost business.

[VJW]

Nice post.

I'm in the BA hold pool but not sure any of us will ever get a call. I'd come to Easy as a DEC if I didn't have to pay for the type rating?! How is it Easy charge for this still yet Ryanair don't. Granted in Ryanair you're bonded for 5 years and have £5k less salary per year for those 5 years to pay for it, but at least you don't have to shell out the money yourself upfront.

Wish Easy would consider something similar.

[FlyboyUK]

Great balanced view from The Count. I joined easy as DEC not that long ago, having worked for a few other airlines. Yes it's not perfect (but no airline is!) and can honestly say that it's a lot better than quite a lot of whats on offer out there these days. For me it has turned out to be a really good decision and I am enjoying my time here. Whilst there is a fair bit of roster instability at the moment, especially being at the biggest base, I knew what I was getting myself into. Operationally it's a really nice working environment, I'm allowed to be a Captain again and everything isn't micro-managed in the same way as some other places. On top of that being directly employed, with a pension, LOL & share scheme is way better than being forced to be self-employed or work through an agency.

From the TR point of view, whilst not ideal, it does seem to be the way of the world and it comes down to a personal decision. However as a DEC you can claim it against tax in the UK and therefore ends up costing a lot less that the RYR option quoted above even if you do have to pay up front. Also I believe that some people may not have had to pay the TR in the past if they agreed to go to some of the less popular bases.

[FlyingTinCans]

There seems to be some good balanced advice on this thread which is refreshing for this forum!

Can someone shed some light on the terms of self funding the TR for a UK DEC?

Very little information seems to be out there on the internet.

How much do easy Charge?
Are you paid a salary during the TR?
How much uk tax relief do you get on the TR cost?
Where do you do the TR? I guess you have to stump up the cost for the accommodation as well.

[FlyboyUK]

FlyingTinCans feel free to DM me

[VJW]

I wouldn't mind the answers to those 4 questions too - although I think the answer to the 4th is CAE Stockholm?! :)

[a350pilots]

Guy and girls, just keep in mind the contract terms and conditions were just being discussed for the UK AOC.
Similar good contracts are been given in Italy and France.
On the other hand, read carefully your contract for PMI, BCN, AMS, LIS and OPO. Some people had been quite disappointing, especially when it comes to transferring out.

[Sodastream]

How much do easy Charge?

Type rating is done at CAE, but is arranged through a norwegian outfit called Luftfarhtskolen. The cost is charged in Euros costing 25,200.


Are you paid a salary during the TR?

Yes, from the first day of the TR. According to the contract you get 90% pay for the first 6 months.


How much uk tax relief do you get on the TR cost?

None.


Where do you do the TR? I guess you have to stump up the cost for the accommodation as well.

Stockholm is generally used for DEC and DEP. The UK sims are pretty much maxed out just doing renewals. Accommodation and flights are provided by Easyjet.

[monkey.tennis]

A couple of corrections. The contract now says you will be paid 100% salary from day 1 rather than 90% for 6 months.

Some have successfully claimed the type rating as an employment expense (rightly so I would say!)

[FlipFlapFlop]

Great post Count. I am also in the BA pool but have decided to stay at easy. To me the seniority list wait for a shot at command is the killer.

[Tricia Takanawa]

Please could someone fill me in with the approx monthly pay for LTN/LGW FO.

And, if I make the move it's based on attaining a shot at cmd at about the 2 year mark. Is this realistic?

Any other info on the package is much appreciated. PPJN is pretty vague. Many thanks.

[Enzo999]

Also I understand there is no seniority list but how are commands actually prioritised? I mean if you have several hundred people command ready but only 10 slots what method is in place for deciding who gets it and who doesn't? Plus with Brexit, expansion slowing down, and a lower attrition rate is there any talk of command times extending beyond the 2 or 3 often quoted?

[UberPilot]

There is effectively seniority based on date of command application. You enter the 'process' at 2000 factored hours and that secures your position on the command list. You then apply during the annual command 'application window' if you are interested and specify bases that you will accept. Obviously if you will only accept EDI or MXP then you will wait until you are top of that base transfer list, so you may well wait 5 + years... If you will accept LGW or any base, you will get something as soon as you meet the hours requirements in all probability.

[Gnat1809]

Depends on experience. Depending on your hours you'll either join as SO, FO or SFO.
SO basic £41,000 no sector pay
FO basic £49,000 plus sector pay @ £18.74 per nominal sector
SFO basic £59,000. All subject to a roughly 5.5% pay rise in October.

Again command depends on previous experience. Once you have been in the company 6 months you can start the ball rolling for command, process takes roughly 18-24 months.

[Enzo999]

Do SFOs get sector pay at the same rate as FOs and if so any idea what this will total in an average year? Thanks.

[Gnat1809]

Yes it's the same rate. And just on sector pay I net around 1400 a month in the summer and 800 in the winter. But with trip trade you can get this up or down as you wish.

[Fire and brimstone]

I find this thread hilarious.

You guys are comparing BA with EZY.

I've spent 20 years flying for BMI and EZY and have never met a BA FO who has come from BA to either of the other company's.

I must have flown with 100's if not 1,000's of FO's who have gone the other way.

There is no comparison.

I HAVE met Captains who have come from BA to EZY (on the fingers of one hand) - every single one retired at 55 from BA and can't quit and live the good life on 2/3 BA Captain pension.

I only post to put some balance to - as I say - a ridiculous debate.

In case anyone is wondering - I am convinced beyond doubt all operators mentioned are wonderful employers, look after their staff and are worthy sources of employment for any pilot.

;)

P.S. Very funny thread.

[Snapper5]

Fire and Brimstone

I completely agree !!

[Enzo999]

Explain to me why it's so ridiculous? What is it about BA that makes it the obvious choice? I agree very few people leave BA and many have come the other way and your right there must be a reason for that but I am wondering if those reasons are valid. I am not slagging BA off but I believe this debate has some real merit to it. First of all I must qualify this by saying I have no interest in long haul but there are some very genuine reasons for looking at Easy over BA.

1) EasyJet SFO salary is actually better than early year FO BA pay.
2) Work is shared evenly with no regards to seniority so you won't get shafted whilst others are laughing.
3) Command within a few years opposed to unlimited at BA.
4) The possibility of a 130k package within 2 years a figure that you might never reach under PP34.
5) Very few night stops.
6) constant 5 on 4 off roster.
7) No inequality in contracts and lifestyle.
8) opportunity for a regional base and not working from LHR.
9) You might get a weekend off.
10) you won't spend 25% of your year on reserve.

On the plus sides of BA.

1) Better pension (not much though espically if your on a captains salary after 2 years)
2) You get to say "I work for BA"
3) Option for LH

I appreciate a lot of the issues at BA are resolved with seniority but the question is are you prepared to wait 10 years to build up enough seniority to make your life decent. I also see that Easy has a lot of faults but I think it's incredibly arrogant to say this debate is stupid. BA is not the company it was T and Cs are no better than anyone else, moral is low, work live balance is terrible and recruitment has ground to a halt and with Brexit those at the bottom might be there for a long long time, I think maybe you are stuck in the past and can't see past the glory days Concorde has gone and BA are no different to Easy, this debate is real and deserves some respect.

[RexBanner]

Enzo to be fair on Brexit I think that's clearly going to impact easyJet far more than BA.

[Enzo999]

Possiblly and that's something to discuss as part of this thread, it might well be the case Easy are badly affected by Brexit and expansion and command possibilities dry up in which case BA becomes the obvious choice. But I think all these things are worth discussing not simply saying it's a stupid debate.

[Gnat1809]

Enzo, just for clarification the roster at EZY is 5453, not 54.

[monkey.tennis]

Yes it's the same rate. And just on sector pay I net around 1400 a month in the summer and 800 in the winter. But with trip trade you can get this up or down as you wish.

Just to clarify, is this LHS or RHS sector pay?

[Tricia Takanawa]

Thanks for all the info on here. Good to see the site being useful :ok:

Is it possible for someone to share a few typical rosters please? Obviously all de-identified.

Has anybody had any progress after application yet?

Cheers!

[Gnat1809]

Just to clarify, is this LHS or RHS sector pay?



That's RHS. FO sector pay is £18.74, captains is around £30. Scale it up and you'll have the LHS numbers. :)

[FlipFlapFlop]

F and B. Time to take off those rose tinted glasses. Whilst BA may well be the best gig in town, it is not that much better than easy.....and certainly 2 years to command as an experienced pilot as opposed to 10, if then, is a no brainer. In my case I stayed at easy with command now but remain in the BA pool.

[monkey.tennis]

That's RHS. FO sector pay is £18.74, captains is around £30. Scale it up and you'll have the LHS numbers. :)

Great. The contract says to expect about £7k a year as an FO but it sounds like it should be a lot more than that!


Also, is anyone able to explain what 'trip trade' is and how it works ? Thanks.

[VJW]

Applied as a DEC recently. Ticked 'No' to the - are you happy to pay £20-25k for the type rating and still got an invite to assessment.

Has this ticked box been overlooked?

[FoxChaRomeo]

Also, is anyone able to explain what 'trip trade' is and how it works ? Thanks.

Trip trades is the system that (theoretically) allows you to swap duties with other crew. Obviously, any swap needs to remain legal and unlike some carriers, you cannot swap days off - they are set at roster publication when on the 'random roster' or as per your 5/4/5/3 pattern.

So in my experience (FO on a random roster at a big base) it is of limited use, and the system software can be a little temperamental, but others may have different experiences.

[RAT 5]

If you compare €25,000 for a TR while on salary with flights & accommodation paid, it works out significantly better value than other airlines that charge slightly more, no salary and sort yourself out with flights & accommodation. The difference is huge. Not only that but you get a better deal afterwards. From what has been posted, concerning the newbie airlines 20 years old, why does everybody not beat a path to ez's door and forget the other pretenders?

[dirk85]

The problem is that about 70% of the new hires of this year and most likely of the close future have been cadets, who are on a different deal, at least in the UK (flexicrew) with the other 30% being DEP/DEC, type rated or not. For these guys there is quite a selection, with around 5% of the applicants passing the assessment as direct entry captain.

In mainland europe easyjet conditions tend to be even better, at least in some countries, but recruiting usually happens in those places where t&c are bad, eg spain, portugal and holland.

[PPRuNeUser0192]

After reading the before tax salaries for the London bases, could anyone tell how much the net salary is for a SFO at the LGW/LTN base? Thanks!

[Nimrodhasbeen]

The details of pay scales for the UK at easy can be found on PPJN.

[PPRuNeUser0192]

Thanks! But what I'm looking for are the Net figures, not the pre-tax figures like on PPJN.

[FlyingSaucepan]

Then go on a salary tax calculator site and work it out :ugh:
Hardly rocket science

[Gnat1809]

Without student loan SFO nets about £4100, with student loan it's about £3700. Including sector pay etc

[Toastal]

Hi folks, can anyone please give information on the waiting list for DEC to any of the Spanish bases, particularly Alicante and Malaga? Also, under a Spanish contract, what would a skipper clear each month after tax?

Many thanks in advance

[EGPFlyer]

You'll be waiting a while for ALC and AGP as they're not bases

[Toastal]

Ok thanks, what about Barcelona?

[Count of Monte Bisto]

The problem about requesting net salaries is that it is like asking, 'How long is a piece of string?' There are so many variables in there. Flying for easyJet at Gatwick, you can work on around 430-450 sectors a year. The Company pay 7% into your pension and you pay whatever you want - another variable. Also, there are two share schemes that you can put up to £150 in one and £350 in another - more variables. A further variable is that you will do more flights in the summer than the winter so it is hard to talk of a 'typical' net salary. Instead of incremental salary rises for years' service, the next variation is the 'loyalty bonus', which you get paid annually on the anniversary of joining. If you are a captain (also as an FO, but the details escape me), you get 5% each year after 2 years, 10% after 5 years and 15% after 10 years. You are therefore much better to look at the annual totals, think what you want to do in terms of pension, share purchases etc and then work it all out from there as an average over the year using one of the many apps that calculate tax.

[vikdream]

Ok thanks, what about Barcelona?

No places for BCN and SFOs there waiting for command.

No base expansion in the future (at the moment) so chances are close to 0 being DEC (very young workforce and 99% willing to stay)

[Stone Cold II]

Frank both 50 and 75% is available. Random roster with the ability to book GDO's. Everyone I know who is part time is very happy.

[frozenpilot]

Just wondering if anybody knows how long it can (roughly) take to get a base move to Manchester as a DEC?

I am a junior BA 320 skipper and like many of my colleagues looking very closely at Easy now........

[dirk85]

Thank you guys for the interesting thread.

I am getting interested in Orange and have a few questions.

1. Can you get part time with Easy straight away or do you have to wait for part time for a few years ?
2. Is only 75 % part time available or 50 % too ?
3. How does part time look like ? Still 5453 with less sectors per day (which would be BS) or more days off, e.g. something like 4544 for 75 % (5on/12off for 50 % would be awesome) ?

Thank you

Part time options depends on the country you are in.

In Italy you can get different options with 50 and 75%. 6 month off/6 months off, 15 days off/15 on, 7/7, and so on.
For some of the most popular options the waiting list is in the order of 13 years right now (most popular being 7/7 with one off in the 7 days of duty, which often become only 5 of duty).

[HamishMcBush]

In view of the corporate colour scheme, shouldn't this thread be re-subtitled "For the love of (3) Oranges" ?

[larryboy]

Hi Folks, just wondering is there any way around the question about currently flying passenger commercial ops, on the careers website. I flew pax for a few years and now flying the freight, and am looking at Easy Jet. Thanks.

[SpGo]

Just wondering if anybody knows how long it can (roughly) take to get a base move to Manchester as a DEC?

I am a junior BA 320 skipper and like many of my colleagues looking very closely at Easy now........

MAN is one of the most popular bases, very long wait. (5 years at least, probably a lot more if BA stops recruiting our SFOs)

[Count of Monte Bisto]

Frank W. Abagnale - I think from your location you work in the States and so it looks like you want a move to Europe. I think you will enjoy it, but like all moves you have to have your eyes wide open when moving to a different culture. I am a TRE on the Airbus with easyJet (Check Airman in American parlance). I am not a manager but have worked here for many years and I think I understand us enough to be able to answer some of your questions. These are not 'official' answers and the only correct ones are the ones you get in writing from easyJet when you get offered a contract. Anyway, in answer to your questions -


1.Would I fulfil the requirements to get hired as an SFO with Easy ?

I would say 'Yes' - but you would be made to pay for your type rating.

2.Is there a base where I can get part time straight away or do I have to work my way up ?

You would almost certainly not get part-time straight away, but 'working your way up' may not have the same meaning here as it would in the States. We do not have a seniority list, but there is kind of a one for getting a command - again it does not function in the same way as you are used to. Regarding getting part-time, that tends to vary from base to base. If you go to a small base like Barcelona, it would be much more difficult than, say, Gatwick where there are nearly 900 pilots. The key thing to note here is that part-time contracts do exist but you would be very unwise to plan your future on the assumption you will get one quickly - it is just not that guaranteed.

3.Is part time as an F/O even possible if you want an upgrade with Easy ?

Part-time as an F/O is completely independent of you wanting an upgrade. However, if you accept an offer of a command (our parlance for an 'upgrade'), you will have to give up your part-time contract for 6 months minimum. That is an operational requirement to ensure you become completely proficient in the left seat. After that you will join the line and when your turn comes (subject to base and 'the needs of the Company'!) you can go part-time again. The critical thing to take on board here is that easyJet is as good as its word in my experience - be that good or bad. We are not Ryanair where you believe you have joined on one contract only to discover a day after you join that the terms are completely different. You will get a written contract and that will be the deal - but that works both ways. If it says, for example, you have a base freeze for 3 years on a full-time contract, and 6 months later you go to your base captain and say, 'where do I apply for part-time?', he will bring out your contract and politely advise you that is not what you signed up for. So, on balance, I would be vary wary indeed of turning up here in the expectation of a quick part-time contract and a quick part-time command - there are just too many variables and I think you will inevitably be disappointed.

4. What is the time to command on European bases, which are available at the moment ?

It is very variable from virtually zero in Lisbon to 7 years at Milan. The truth is no one can tell you an exact figure and the historical values are not accurate predictors of the future - again this is a case of applying great caution. What I would say is that you should expect a full-time command when it appears. It would be much more likely that they offer you a command at Gatwick (paid in UK£) and it is up to you if you take it. You can always turn it down, and wait for a slot at the base of your choice. The other complication is that you can only be on one transfer list - so you can either wait for Paris or for Berlin but not both. In terms of bases available at the moment, they are mainly Lisbon and Porto, but I think there may also be slots in Palma. Interestingly, I did some training on a direct entry captain yesterday (very high quality guy) and he was going to Barcelona.

5. Apparently the only bases for F/Os are Porto/Lisboa and Palma on a seasonal contract. Any rumors for other bases on the continent in the near future ?

There are no absolutely certain rumours, and once again until a base is formally announced I would be very wary of assuming anything. When the 'word is on the street' that a new base is imminent, even among easyJet pilots there are a plethora of rumours - 99% of which turn out to be wrong!

One other thing not directly covered by your questions would be the issue of 'upgrades'. In traditional legacy carriers, unless there is a huge black mark on your file, you wait your turn in the queue ('line' in American terminology!) and when your number comes up you go on the course. That is not how it works at easyJet. We have a very low failure rate on our internal upgrades - this last year it has been less than 10 out of 175. The reason for that is that we have a very stringent selection process. When you have the necessary time in the company on a permanent contract (6 months I think), you apply, go on a list and get a first interview. You do some online courses and have to undergo a psychological examination (you get a red, amber or green light from that - the meaning being obvious!). Remember you do not have to be mad to get a red light - it can be that you did not demonstrate the command profile we want rather than be a nut job! You will do another interview at some points and get some evaluation flights. You then do a command assessment simulator that tests both your manual handling skills and ability to deal appropriately with emergency situations. That is followed by a 45 minute technical interview. Your file then goes before a 'Command Review Board' who discuss all candidates by name before they get a place on the Command Course. There are clearly a lot of pitfalls along the way so you should not take it as a given you will be successful - although in reality many people are. We are absolutely not a 'chopping' organisation and you get a lot of rope to hang yourself before the trapdoor opens. Nonetheless, the bottom line is we want our captains to be safe operators and easyJet will not hesitate to remove anyone from the process who gives them cause for concern. They frankly have no choice given the scale of their operation.

My summary would be - do not come here thinking a part-time contract is imminent. Also, be aware of the robust nature of the command process. It is far from impossible, but there are absolutely not any guarantees of the kind you may be looking for. My own experience, and others may choose to disagree, is that easyJet are a good employer and do what they say - be that good or bad. You do not have to be a superstar to succeed, but you do need to be flexible and understand how the contracts and basing policies work. Anyway, I hope that helps.

[bigdaviet]

Hi everyone and thanks for a great thread.

What is the latest info on Scottish bases?

I presume there will be no DEC recruitment so if you did join as DEC in, say Gatwick, how long would you have to wait realistically to be transferred?