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arvida
18th Dec 2017, 19:37
hola folks,

what are the working conditions at LATAM?
Can you commute or you are stuck in Chile like COPA in Panama?

Any info appreciated,
thanx

EagleA25
5th Jan 2018, 08:39
hola folks,

what are the working conditions at LATAM?
Can you commute or you are stuck in Chile like COPA in Panama?

Any info appreciated,
thanx

What Branch are you looking to work for?

arvida
5th Jan 2018, 16:31
I'm looking for LATAM in Chile

NikB
6th Jan 2018, 01:15
You could commute, but you'd have to live pretty close by (MVD, EZE, LIM). Schedule at the moment is usually 8/4, rarely 10/4, and some 5/2. The 4 days off in a row per month are law, so you can expect that every month. During high season you can expect 8 days off total per month. Low season is a bit better with up to 12 days a month. Right now the best contract is offered by SKY Airline. They have MyIDTravel benefits, better pay than any other operator
provided you work 90hr/month, and 7 days off in a row per month guaranteed. In Latam change to the 787 happens at about 6-7 years, unless you luck out and are assigned directly to it, which is not very common. Time to left seat right now is approximately 10-11 years, compared to 3-4 years (provided you have no experience) in SKY and JetSmart.
hope it helps :)

pilotjono
7th Aug 2019, 15:11
What is the situation like now, 1 1/2 years later? Are SKY and Jetsmart still the best operators to fly for in Chile?

SuperSmart666
10th Aug 2019, 17:44
What is the situation like now, 1 1/2 years later? Are SKY and Jetsmart still the best operators to fly for in Chile?
I’d Forget about JetSmart if I were you; they promise a lot and don’t comply, be it upgrades, fast-track, pay or benefits.
The company rejected 100% of the pilot union request even though management was at first willing to negotiate. Even items required by law...
JetSmart is essentially just a group of liars trying to fill quotas.. I’d try Sky or LATAM. JetSmart you will only get stuck sucking up to your boss...

pilotjono
11th Aug 2019, 17:00
Okay, thank you!
Do you yourself fly for an airline in South America or how did you hear about this situation with JetSmart?

SuperSmart666
12th Aug 2019, 19:42
Okay, thank you!
Do you yourself fly for an airline in South America or how did you hear about this situation with JetSmart?
Until recently I used to; and the info stems from personal experience, friends and colleagues who are still working there. But I have never been associated with JetSmart...

Here is what I got:
This company is well known by the local pilot associations and unions for its intention to prostitute the pilot work environment and market: JetSmart will do everything cheaper and have it at the cost of their employees, literally...
Additionally, in order to attract pilots, many promises are made in the past and later on are not kept, be it fast upgrades, minimum flight hours per month or days off.
In general, managers in operations are internally considered untrustworthy and a few even straight out liars, but since they were only filling their quotas to put warm bodies in planes, internally it is considered ethical...
Last week company management rejected all requested union agreement points, even the items required by law, just to show they can, demonstrating their anti-union attitude. New hires are told NOT to join the union as they are on probation and beyond that time as “their career in the company would most likely suffer”...
It is also a known fact that most pilots in JetSmart are Expats and therefore bonded to the company, to say the condition to live in this country depends on the grace of the managers... If you are lucky like me and single, you might have choices, but some of the colleagues uprooted their family to come here and are now stuck...
living expenses are high in Santiago, and even higher in the new base they intent to open in Antofagasta.
Now new Expat recruits will be required to accept ANF as base, which is not a great place to live. High crime rates, Colombian mafias, drugs and prostitution are the norm in this high income mining town.
There are no bonuses, no overtime pay; if you are not connected you won’t have a chance for days off or even upgrading...If you are a noob (no Jet time), you are trying to get your SIC type on the A320, or looking for a fast upgrade to Captain, I’d say you could try your luck; but even the fast track FO’s are by now getting annoyed: Avianca Peru is going to release 30-40 Pilots and JetSmart is already scrambling to sell them US$8000 in pocket per month (bunch of lies, too!)... so their upgrades will be postponed indefinitely...
Now, if you are desperate and out of work, sure; but if you can go somewhere else, I’d recommend not looking at this place! You’ll be happier and actually have a career in other companies like Sky... which is where most of the pilots in JetSmart want to go anyways..
Hope this helps; I left this place a while ago and made it into a professional airline...

pilotjono
14th Aug 2019, 16:53
Wow, thank you very much for your lengthy response! Out of interest, where are you from? And how much Spanish is spoken on an average day? Only on the ground with ground staff, or do you also speak Spanish with your captain/FO and ATC?

sequ
18th Aug 2019, 05:38
Hi Jono,

English only while using checklists/flows/QRH etc. Spanish is the language with ATC in South America except in Brazil, in which case it is english. If you were to join on the Airbus family you would be limited to this operating area. All normal and operational conversations with other crew members, ground staff, airport staff and such would be in spanish.

Saludos and good luck,

SEQU

pilotjono
21st Aug 2019, 17:24
Hola Sequ,
thank you for your reply. Do you yourself work for Latam or any other South American based airline?
In your opinion, what are the chances of non-native speakers (of Spanish) being hired by Latam (or generally in South and Central America)?
Kind Regards,
Jono

SuperSmart666
21st Aug 2019, 20:37
Hola Sequ,
thank you for your reply. Do you yourself work for Latam or any other South American based airline?
In your opinion, what are the chances of non-native speakers (of Spanish) being hired by Latam (or generally in South and Central America)?
Kind Regards,
Jono
Juno;
Chances are slim to none... you need to speak, read and write Spanish in order to operate in most S American companies.
In LATAM its definitely a deal breaker...
I’d try SE Asia...

pilotjono
22nd Aug 2019, 20:34
I do speak Spanish, I’m just not a native speaker. Same situation still? Is there a way of proving my Spanish abilities or am I even required to take a test?

SuperSmart666
25th Aug 2019, 23:26
I do speak Spanish, I’m just not a native speaker. Same situation still? Is there a way of proving my Spanish abilities or am I even required to take a test?
You will need to apply and interview!
Go give it a shot, anywhere you can!
Good luck!