Emerging KA Crewing Crisis And Contact Compliance?

[And Then]

At a time when the DPA is preparing the membership for Contract Compliance due emerging attacks on the COS, can anybody believe today's correspondence from management ? A crewing crisis so deep we may need to reduce flying or hope Direct Entry Captains join and can pass a fickle command course.

The place is being held together by good will and G day workers. A cataclysm without logic ? Time for Plan B.

[Icarus2001]

There is healthy demand for A320 Captains worldwide.

Why would they choose KA?

That is what they will be asking themselves.

[Willing to Fly]

I have a friend that just went there. He seems happy after leaving a north american feeder. Is it really that bad? He has me thinking about going there for a good pay and quick upgrade

[bacou]

The threat of DEC coming at KA would not be a motive for contract compliance if they were hired on short term contract to bridge the gap between permanent contract KA pilots being ready for the left seat and our need of expension.

But, all that expension is done in order to attack CX pilot contracts and when they are finished with them our turn will be coming.
We are now helping management stop expat housing at CX by training their pilots and when that housing is finished at CX we won't keep ours for long.

DPA and AOA must fight what's coming together and what's coming is a good motive for contract compliance.

[bacou]

Willing to fly, you would be joining us on a standard contract that would give you same money as a DEC contract 1 Month ON/OFF in China, if you have no interest in time OFF and love to study FCOMs for eventually failing your command, KA is for you!

[TheGreenDragon]

The DPA would ultimately have to sanction any DEC, or more than likely a rapid promotion agreement. Like when the dragonair freighter skippers went to CX. Joined as FOs but sat in the LHS throughout.

The A320 line trainers would presumably be happy to carry out any new DEC 's training.
The KA trainig department said diddley squat about the numerous CX crew upgraders they've handled. Nothing we can do , its legal they bleated. BS guys, n you know it !

If there actually was a training culture at KA, then many of the guys who have missed out on command would be happy to put their names forward. Considerable numbers were A320//737 skippers before they joined KA. However , alot have no interest in subjecting themselves to the humiliation of another failure at the hands of a the egotistical A320 lynch mob.

I would imagine that any DEC would be directly supervised by management checkers.

With Monarch Airlines on the brink and Air Berlin not far behind, theres no shortage of desperadoes. D scale anyone?

[Dan Winterland]

It would probably be better for the company to ask why FO's don't want to attempt the KA command course and address that issue. Unless this is an excuse to bring CX pilots over to take commands.

[Woody_Lightyear]

The issue is simple. Line pilots, especially FOs, are slack and lazy. Managements are always doing the right stuff, and are trying to HELP! :D

And high passing rate? The maths is simple. Either a big nominator or a small denominator.

[Willing to Fly]

Willing to fly, you would be joining us on a standard contract that would give you same money as a DEC contract 1 Month ON/OFF in China, if you have no interest in time OFF and love to study FCOMs for eventually failing your command, KA is for you!

I like time off as much as the next guy. Where I am now, I'm working 18/19 days a month for a fraction of the money.

I don't think China is an option for me without narrowbody PIC. So until then I'm looking for a decent place to park myself and live further than spitting distance from the poverty line.

What's with "eventually failing your command course?"

Also, what's this about current FO's not willing to attempt the command course?

[a370]

There is a general malaise among FO's about enrolling in the command training course offered by KA. The failure rate of the PCE (pre command evaluation) is high. Command courses usually have 1 or 2 candidates on them, as most withdraw their bids after the PCE experience. The company say pass rates are high, but its based on a small base of pilots actually starting their command training.

To add salt to the wounds, a failure at any time requires sin bin time of around 1-2 years depending on availiability of the ticks in boxes :ugh:

[Lowkoon]

Big picture stuff... Who believes it is just a coincidence that they want to have the unions allow DEC on the eve of potentially the biggest industrial showdown in the groups history? If the pilot body allows DEC, who is prepared to wager that the "new contracts" wont follow very soon after, and we have just stupidly given them the green light to replace us immediately with DECs if we don't sign? You seriously think this is just about a handful of FOs who don't want to subject themselves to a command course???? We have no new routes pending, the 321s START coming in 3 years, is no one else just the least bit suspicious of this "sudden" urgency? Blind Freddy could see the real reason for the need for DECs. It is to replace the B scalers who don't agree to the new lower deal on the way.

[morningcoffee]

You get 13th month always
You get staff travel seniority on CX to the detriment of CX crew
You're soon to get seniority to bid for bases on CX aircraft
All of which you've achieved without the DPA consulting with the AOA

Let's see where this all goes

[Staggers]

The 13 month was negotiated “away” by the AOA and included in salary.

[Krone]

I hear from ears in the UK that KA are circling around the imminent carcass of Monarch UK. Perhaps a deal for wet leases ?
Who knows. But there will be a few hundred A320 skippers floating around after the sunday midnight CAA ATOL withdrawal.

No more crewing crisis @ KA!

[Lowkoon]

Then they can be fast tracked FOs and take a slot in seniority. No need for DECs, whats the hurry? First 321 is mid 2020, plenty of time for the Monarch guys to be lobotomised and realise you cant live in HK on the money. DECs will only be used against us industrially, or as a band aid approach to fixing the problem that is the 2 big gorillas in the room,
1, "WHY IS IT LESS THAN 12 MONTHS TO COMMAND WHEN WE HAD NO NEW ROUTES, (in fact dropping destinations) AND NO NEW AIRCRAFT COMING FOR 3 YEARS?
2. WHY IS THE LEAVING LIST LONGER THAN THE JOINING LIST?"

Neither of these reasons are reasons for us to bend over and accept DECs, they are a Trojan Horse industrially that will be used against us when they come after housing. Purely and simply.

[Flex88]

KA is suffering from a 100% MANAGEMENT induced crewing crisis..
Some management jackass with a spreadsheet years back decided on a crewing plan that would save huge bucks. Now, that manager is probably gone with his monster "great idea" year end bonus and guess what's happened.. His short term save big bucks get huge bonus plan has collapsed.. What a surprise...

And in perfect Swire MO, take a wild guess who is getting the blame ? It's those nasty pilots again ! Sadly this is as predictable as the sun coming up in the East..

[Lowkoon]

Staggers, lost 2 ports in Japan, so that nulifies KUL expansion crew wise surely. 5 330s, yes, but we have seen 1? growth of what, 2%? Hardly constitutes DEC in my humble opinion.

[Woody_Lightyear]

You get 13th month always
You get staff travel seniority on CX to the detriment of CX crew
You're soon to get seniority to bid for bases on CX aircraft
All of which you've achieved without the DPA consulting with the AOA

Let's see where this all goes


I will be very glad to see such comment if I am the management. Even before the management takes the sword out. The two groups just can't wait to KO each other.

Can we identify the real one to tackle, please? Unless you're the one who is trying to take benefits from alienating!

[Staggers]

Staggers, lost 2 ports in Japan, so that nulifies KUL expansion crew wise surely. 5 330s, yes, but we have seen 1? growth of what, 2%? Hardly constitutes DEC in my humble opinion.

5 flts a day to KUL, daily PEN plus the extra a320. People are flat out-i spoke to a ka guy who did 97 hours last month.

[Lowkoon]

Let me guess, he's a trainer who suspiciously has one of those candidates who struggle with the cruise component of the flight and has to switch his roster to all the HKTs... Plenty of them. Plenty more guys that haven't seen a second of overtime in years than there are overworked souls at 95+.

Fast track commands yes, but out of seniority? No. New joiners can have one, as long as no one else on the list with minimum qualifications above them wants it. Why should that suddenly change because we are getting few clapped out airframes from big brother? Its not like it was a surprise, we have known they were coming for the best part of six months at least.

[bacou]

Staggers

Why are the A330 crews on big overtime when A320 pilots are well under the overtime threshold?
When was last time Command courses were available on the A330 and when is going to be the next one, none advertised until December ?
Is the overtime created by poor management or part of increase Synergy between KA and CX big plan?

[Flex88]

Did you miss earlier post
100% management created (i.e. self inflicted) crewing mess....
It's a CX/KA specialty.. Short term gain = longer term total :mad: up.
The Swire school of management unaccountability.:ugh:

Did everybody honestly complete their "Employee Engagement Survey"

[330dryver]

yes. Completely disagreed on all points.

[bringbackthe80s]

There is healthy demand for A320 Captains worldwide.

Why would they choose KA?

That is what they will be asking themselves.

Western flight ops, western style flight crew, HK base, ID travel, possibility of long haul, an airline with decades of history.

Without being sarcastic and having noted the many negative points, these are the reasons I would say could appeal compared to other DEC 320 jobs.

[theCOMEDIAN]

Possibility of Long Haul?

[Lowkoon]

Maybe he means Beijing and Shanghai are two crew longhaul because it can take 16.5 hours to get back? :confused:

[Dan Winterland]

''I hear from ears in the UK that KA are circling around the imminent carcass of Monarch UK.''

Well, they had better be quick. The worldwide pilot shortage has meant that there is already a feeding frenzy for the 400 or so Monarch guys. Virgin, easyJet, Aer Lingus, Flybe, SAS, Titan, Wow, Jet2 and Parc have already set up fast track recruitment for them. Even the RAF have invited the ex-military pilots to get in touch. Whoever get the valuable Monarch slots at MAN and LGW are going to need extra crew. I don't see any of them coming to HKG.

[Lowkoon]

Good info Dan, lets hope they all get something close to where they want to be ASAP, with minimum disruption to their lives and their families. With choices like that, they at least have an option other than an airline that has declared open warfare on its pilots terms and conditions in a country that has extremely limited workers protections. It is certainly adding to our stress on the lead up to Christmas.

Helpers are at the moment in court so that they don't have to live with their bosses. Maybe we could spin this, we are prepared to lose some housing benefit if we can all move in with the boss? Then we could help the managers max out their impressive housing limits?

[Trafalgar]

Speaking of Christmas. How many of us will be stressed and unfit thinking about our families, and the threat they have been put under by our self-serving management? Just a thought.

[bringbackthe80s]

Possibility of Long Haul?

What about the 330s ?

[Lowkoon]

A quick glance at the route structure should answer that one for you BringBackThe80s.

[bringbackthe80s]

Correct. Sorry my bad

[theCOMEDIAN]

What about the 330s ?

The furthest you fly in a 330 is Kathmandu. If that's long haul then the guys on the 777 and 747 must be astronauts

[Langata]

Welcome to the Cathay Club ladies and gents in KA. You had it good but now you are firmly in the grip of good old inept CX management - you've seen what's happened to big brother over the years, now get ready for the same! The race to the bottom is in top gear right now and you are the next speed bump to flatten.

[raven11]

They have no new or fresh ideas; embarrassed for having committed the biggest fuel blunder in aviation history...they are eager to try and redeem themselves....they just keep going back to draw fresh water from the pilot concession well...

The bucket now is only bringing up stones and mud, but they just can't stop dipping the bucket. They grow thirsty, and panic sets in. What now? Must have water...bonus depends on more concessions...more concessions...must find more concessions! Must transform the Company, make it more sustainable, time to win, project altitude and all that.

Hold on....we haven't dipped our bucket into that KA well!

Toss the bucket in!

[Woody_Lightyear]

What if the water being extracted by "them" through a secret way bit by bit already?

Now we were told the well is dried while "they" have all their buckets overfill somewhere.

[kahaha]

No chance. All KA Crew currently on a pay freeze. Until 2018. But in reality, its going to be 2020 before there's any real scraps thrown our way.

Housing, KA's HPS/ Rental is the same but different. DPA Housing recently signed off by the former slurpee DFO. 4 more years, so CXDragon OK jack. And still index linked

[Trafalgar]

What is the current amount of housing allowance (highest) at KA ?

[goathead]

Traf
Dont ask ahahaha
He works for HKE

[Lowkoon]

Pretty low to attack our cos while we are on a freeze... I guess it is only frozen from going up, with an unlimited downside. This level of ethics and engagement was certainly reflected in my engagement survey.

[BlunderBus]

Easy... direct entry capt means only one pilot to train. No need to find and train someone to replace the upgraded f/o.
And you can bet .. just as in ASL years ago that management pilots will ‘train’ and pass them ... new contract conditions too of course.

[And Then]

I feel tensions are building on the line far quicker than anticipated. The operation is such a mess from so many factors, anyone who cares will be stretchered out of the flight deck on a defibrillator. The email from a CX manager, many had only heard about on pprune, was an indication of how far removed and misunderstood the KA operation is.

KA Flt Op's managers sense the urgency. Sweet emails lauding the professionalism of well handled events would be received with considerable cyniscm. Yes, the new people communication skills are very obvious. But they are a veritable kiss and fu@& principle. Op's management offer professional encouragement whilst the real goal is contract concessions from up the command chain.

Besides, the half-life of KA managers is about 9 months. Nobody seriously believes any ( bar a favourite ) any will be around in the long term.

Hard working G day workers and trainers keeping the A320 operation afloat, now face the prospect of hinted DECs on the 330. Learning their effforts are of no consequence to career aspirations. Project Altitude synergies wouldn't harness weeping career hopes of pilots. With A321s on the way in numbers and a potential flood of departures, A330 DECs whether off the street or via integration offer the greratest on paper savings. The fallacy of course being, the intangible measure of morale or more so, what mangagers love to term as keeping the show on the road.

Be safe.

[Apple Tree Yard]

Add to the mess the evident decision for CX pilots to have less pay and benefits than their KA brethren (not to discredit their conditions, just the absurdity of it). I can safely say to CX management that you have no idea how much of a sh*t storm you are about to be engulfed in. The latest letter to the trainers is plain evidence of our management 'losing the plot'. How will you do as an airline when you don't have a training department by the end of the year?

[brucealmighty]

Hard working G day workers and trainers keeping the A320 operation afloat, now face the prospect of hinted DECs on the 330. Learning their effforts are of no consequence to career aspirations. Project Altitude synergies wouldn't harness weeping career hopes of pilots. With A321s on the way in numbers and a potential flood of departures, A330 DECs whether off the street or via integration offer the greratest on paper savings.



KA currently hiring DEFO onto the A330 ahead of A320 FO's waiting for CCQ.
DPA turn blind eye. They will work hard to block this one and protect captains

[raven11]

Agreed AppleTree...CX management love to roll out the "but your pay and conditions are well above other local carriers." While ignoring the obvious fact that the KA IS ALSO A LOCAL CARRIER AND SHOULD THEREFORE SERVE AS A VALID COMPARISON OF MARKET RATES AND TERMS.


My advice to KA pilots:
Do you seriously believe that your terms and conditions will remain at present levels once CX achieves their goal to hack away the terms and conditions from CX pilots?

[Trafalgar]

Although we've had our petty differences, it is imperative we all band together now. We are under attack today, you will be tomorrow. Time to shut the whole operation down. It is flu season after all.

[TheGreenDragon]

How will you do as an airline when you don't have a training department by the end of the year?

You are missing the point. They have a second training department in Cathay Dragon. KA trainers will be called upon to cover the shortfall. Wether good or bad, the precident is set. Many guys want to join the KA training dept. Many KA trainers would like to train in CX.

The answer, make KA trainers into CX managers. They can be then directly employed out of seniority, onto CX A330s.

Far fetched? Time will tell.:p

[tripleslavin]

KA have hired DEFO into the A330 for years nothing new there.

[cpahka]

KA have hired DEFO into the A330 for years nothing new there.

rumors said DEC in KA very soon...thanks with Green's care!

[Farman Biplane]

Maybe KA will be taking all the cos99 CX Captains that are forced out at 55y.o?
By the sounds of the impending ARAPA reduction, these 55y.o’s might even get a pay rise out of it!

[bringbackthe80s]

So you really think DEC are happening?

[Dead Serious]

CX senior FOs' being asked if they would accept a KA command for 3 years !

[TSIO540]

So you really think DEC are happening?
They have mentioned it in memos but it's a massive ask getting through the command check with the tiny bit of training provided unless you have significant Airbus and china experience... and that should mean you can better money elsewhere.

[bringbackthe80s]

Thank you. I was just asking because it's not advertised on their website

[Lowkoon]

They honestly think that captains with three months of validity on their commands would risk a KA command course, and if they miss out take a RHS and 12 months to cool off before having another crack? Who is kidding themselves now???! Surely they would just march across the road and take the $300,000 sign on bonus next door or go to china...

This of course has nothing to do with "suddenly needing captains". The 321s are years away, and current 320 captains arent even in Ot let alone under staffed. This is purely a trojan horse to get direct commanders into KA if the negotiations go sour when they try and pinch the housing off the B scalers. A trojan horse for scabs if it all goes bad. Lucky we have ex 89ers in the training department that will see it for what it is.

The simple reality is, they cant attract AND retain experienced pilots with the withered carrot they are dangling. We have lost more than we have hired this year, and how many more are waiting for a start date? Are they so in touch that they choose a time where they are losing guys at a record rate to take on the pilot body? Breathtaking in its stupidity.

[LongTimeInCX]

Lowkoon, you mentioned:
Are they so in touch that they choose a time where they are losing guys at a record rate to take on the pilot body? Breathtaking in its stupidity.
They see the current (soon to be no longer able to be taken advantage of) fuel hedging loss as justification for 'the sky is falling'. They feel if they don't act now, against both sets of 'group' pilots, they'll lose that chance. It was never about sacking 600 relatively low paid workers in the paper shuffling department, that was simply justification for their real goal - ARAPA.
So stupidity? Yes in many ways they are.
For years they have chased cents whilst missing dollars, and never missed an opportunity to demean and degrade the pilots in the eyes of all the other staff.
From taking away the expat travel desk in the early 90's, to giving everyone a mug with their name on except pilots, to comparing hard landing costs with billions of dollars of fuel hedging losses.

If this was a genuine crisis, our swire mangers (sic) would be greeting workers with a bow at the front of HelloKittyCity, apologizing for their incompetent management skills and the billions of dollars of losses, and leading from the front with, limiting themselves to the same ARAPA type levels as existing staff who are on it, (and to remain so until ARAPA staff get an increase), double digit percentage pay cuts themselves, and zero bonuses, from either swire or cx.

Until they lead from the front, then there is NO REAL CRISIS.

This is just a money grab, to reduce costs now under a convenient, possibly even engineered loss, type of excuse in order to maximise profits AND huge bonuses, only equaled by the champagne popping laughing backslapping that will occur if this ARAPA attack is allowed to continue without an equal reaction back.

This is the line in the sand, they've crossed it. Time to push back.

I hear there's a lot of flu, bad backs, migraines and diarrhea around very shortly, and it's likely to be very contagious
Is this to be led by the AOA and our president? Of course not, he's out stealing another spine from a jellyfish.
Rod - where are you?

So Lowkoon, you asked are they that stupid, yes sir, I think they are.

[OK4Wire]

Long time.

I agree with everything you have said, except I don't think their real goal is ARAPA. That is a classic mis-direction which appears to be working just fine.

I think the real aim is much bigger - to them and to the pilot body - and much more costly to all of us.

Imagine the savings to be had if all 3000 (4000?) pilots can now fly to 90 or 92 hours free of overtime? That would make the ARAPA cuts seem like a rounding error.

And what's more, this will come like a bolt out of the blue to those on HKPA because they think they've dodged a bullet up till now.

So yes, we are that stupid.

[Krone]

The issue is safety. The old days you paid a premium to attract experienced crew .
Now Loco is no less safe just because its paying 50% less salary. CX look across at HKA and HKE and easyJet etc and say why are we still paying a premium when the jobs now inherently safe? Our SOs etc are making safe FOs and Capts, so we paying too much lah.

[Gnadenburg]

Reduced Rostering Scheme will buy off the senior vote. There's already whispers of an expanded scheme- though nothing in writing but don't let that make a KA pilot stop and think !

Are the CX pilots aware of this scheme? I always wondered why they were paranoid about KA pilots seeking their bases.

[FreemaninHK]

Senior KA crew being asked if they'd like a SYD base too..

WTF people.. who makes this :mad: up? I can't believe anyone would even repeat half the :mad: posted here. It does no one in our pilot group any good.

[Staggers]

What about my Chengdu basing:)

[Dragon Master]

Staggers there is a bit of a waiting list for a CTU basing, popular base, you might not even be senior enough to bid for the O day there. Lovely location

[stoked365]

For those looking for a CTU base with improved salary Longreach aviation have a roadshow on 24-26th. Many of your KA capt friends will be there

[ANTIPHOLUS]

Chengdu..FFS. Are they investing in breathing equipment ? Drager, sort of thing firemen use.
Longreach...the pilots' friend...especially when taking their 12%, or is it 15 these days. ?

[Dead Serious]

Hong Kong is fast becoming a "graveyard" for unemployed pilots from around the globe whose state airlines have gone bankrupt ( Alitalia ) or independents that have failed ( Air Berlin and Monarch ).
CAD will accept any license it seems although this is not reciprocated with by other agencies. The executive pilot experience levels are frightening.
As a result the old players( CX and KA ) are taking advantage and reducing packages to the lowest common denominator and will pay market rates.

Elsewhere, in the real world, airlines are cottoning on to a worldwide pilot shortage and upping their deals to attract new talent now.

Like the housing market in Hong Kong the pilot demand and supply model is badly broken and when the "crash" comes !

[Staggers]

I know I know but think of all the pandas😂

[ANTIPHOLUS]

Aah the pandas. Worth it then. Worth it. 500 pounds of permanently loafing bamboo recycling giant raccoons. Lazy :mad:

[Dan Winterland]

Hong Kong is fast becoming a "graveyard" for unemployed pilots from around the globe whose state airlines have gone bankrupt ( Alitalia ) or independents that have failed ( Air Berlin and Monarch ).

Doubt many will be coming here. Lufthansa are in the market for Alitalia and Air Berlins and will probably take on most, if not all their pilots. And when the 400 Monarch pilots were let loose on the job market, there was a feeding frenzy. Jet 2, Virgin, easyJet, Aer Lingus, Emirates, NetJets, Titan, Wow and Parc all set up fast track recruitment for them. Three of my Monarch mates have already accepted jobs with easyJet - one as a direct entry TIRE. Even the RAF invited the ex military guys to get in touch. The pilot shortage is very real.

CX/KA are no longer the employers of choice. Morale is very low in both companies and if even 10% of the guys who say they will leave if their Ts and Cs are cut do actually go to other employers, they will spark a major crewing crisis.

[Dan Winterland]

And don't forget Sichuan Airlines! https://youtu.be/gCvuLb4i4iQ

[Staggers]

and the Owl soufflé is heavenly not to mention many other delicacies.

[Flex88]

SCMP today HKA going to purchase zillions of 787's.
A big factor in the decision making process,,,,,,, Boeing probably already issues FCOM & doc's in Spanish & Portuguese.

Both countries collapsing mi Amigos - bring on the Paella ;)

[ANTIPHOLUS]

Yes don’t forget “baby baby squeak squeak “. Gravid mouse, squeezed until immature foetuses pop out. Eaten with chopsticks of course. Best washed down with a bottle of glycerin and arsenic laden beer.

[Freehills]

Like the europeans don't eat some odd stuff

Rotten fish
Rotten cheese
Live oysters

[ANTIPHOLUS]

And your point is. ? Excellent all of them. And I think our Americans readers might resemble that remark.

[Toruk Macto]

http://sc.mp/XVoPmC

[Trafalgar]

More to the point, HKA will be trying to attract CX Boeing pilots, who can do a quick rating on the 787. The industry will be doing all they can to strip away CX's pilots, and you can be assured that within 24 months CX will be in the midst of an irreversible crewing crisis. At that point, no matter what they do, it will be futile. Their name is already anathema to most career minded pilots, and will be even more so as the months go by.

[Dan Winterland]

Will Cathay Pacific face a pilot exodus to mainland airlines as it cuts salaries and benefits? | South China Morning Post (http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/economy/article/2116444/will-cathay-pacific-see-pilot-exodus-mainland-airlines-it?utm_source=l.facebook.com&utm_medium=referral)

[raven11]

Quote: “Our resignation rate and early retirement rate … are both a very manageable and in the appropriate range as we continue with our plans to recruit, train, and retain the appropriate mix of skilled pilots to meet our growth plans...”

Wishful thinking...whistling past the graveyard...optimism bias...ostrich effect....

[bringbackthe80s]

Guys an honest question. How many pilots from KA have gone to a mainland carrier? Even if they pay much more money.

[TSIO540]

I know of three in the last two months..

[Karunch]

The reports back from the frontline should start to come in shortly then.... medical checks at briefing, food poisoning, base closures, the hotel in Zuhai & life in a PRC flightdeck. Three sacrificial pilots from 500 won't be noticed. Good luck to them.

[Trafalgar]

Thank you for managments perspective. Noted

[Dead Serious]

But your exit rate still exceeds intake rate. Result "misery"( Mr McCaubber, David Copperfield ).

[Icarus2001]

“We currently have more fully qualified pilots in the United States than there are positions available,” the ALPA told FOX Business in a statement. “However, we do need to make sure we have an adequate future supply of qualified pilots … We are fully committed to doing what it takes to keep the pilot pipeline strong and our skies safe. But as we work to address this long-term pilot availability issue, we should not allow special interests in Washington, D.C., to weaken pilot qualification requirements and make our skies less safe.”

So ALPA says NO shortage at present. Mmmmm

[Air Profit]

Anybody see anything strange in the main pilot union stating that there "isn't" a shortage? Well, if you know the history of ALPA, you will realise that the union is all about the union leadership. To admit there is a shortage would be to give ammunition to the suggestion that the US Govt and the airlines should be allowed to hire foreigners. That would actually weaken the power of the union. So, they state there "isn't a problem". Believe me, there is a BIG shortage developing in the US. Within 24 months the retirement rate will exceed the ability of the airlines to crew their aircraft. Why do you think the military just recalled a 1000 pilots back? There is NO way that the industry can cope with the developing shortage. No matter what ALPA, the US airlines of even more importantly, CX management have to say. We have the power. We need to use it. Take action this holiday season.

[Dragon Pacific]

In not many years to come this attack on B scale expats will be seen as an even bigger mistake than the fuel hedging. You can always pay more for fuel but you can't easily replace the skills and experience that will be lost if you insist on alienating your most senior pilots.

[ANTIPHOLUS]

Yeah Just like the attack(s) on the A scalers....and yet quite a few are still hère, on b scale...

[Bill Bixby]

The threat of DEC coming at KA would not be a motive for contract compliance if they were hired on short term contract to bridge the gap between permanent contract KA pilots being ready for the left seat and our need of expension.

But, all that expension is done in order to attack CX pilot contracts and when they are finished with them our turn will be coming.
We are now helping management stop expat housing at CX by training their pilots and when that housing is finished at CX we won't keep ours for long.

DPA and AOA must fight what's coming together and what's coming is a good motive for contract compliance.




You are correct in your summation there.
DPA AND AOA need to work together. SWIRE management hate nothing more than a unified work force. With that they are unable to play us off against each other.
AOA need to stop KA trainers helping CX out. Only then will they sit up and take notice. UNITY is a must.