AC crew life

[cane003]

Hey,

I’m currently FO (A320) in a major european legacy with more than 5000 hours and I’m living in Canada (got my PR 2 years ago).

Now I am processing my EASA ATPL into the canadian one.

I have recently applied to Air Canada but, I must admit, I have only a general idea of the job..

So now you are guessing, I need a contact with a pilot at AC that will be king enough to give me all that precious and up to date information.

Many thanks for your help and happy flights to all!

[JV]

Not an air canada pilot but I have worked for their feeders on two occasion separated by years in between. So this information does get around, even within the non air canada group of personnel. Hope an air canada pilot will give you more information.

Airline pilot central website may provide useful if you have not gone there yet.

The first 4 years of salary start at 50000 and end at 80000. Then you go onto what is termed formula pay. I can't remember the F/O salaries right now, but Captain pay ranges from 155000 for an embraer to 300000 for a 777. An 320 Captain makes about 200000, maybe a bit more. My guess at F/O salaries, once off of the 4 year flat pay, would be about 140000 for an A320 and 200000 for a 777 F/O, but again, that is just a very crude guess. If you become captain before 4 years, the flat 50-80000 no longer applies.

Upgrades; since things are booming right now, I have heard of newhires getting Captain seats within 3 years. Everything is based on seniority, and seniority only.

I have never heard of any complaints about schedules, with the exception of the embraers. Apparently, life is hard on the embraer.

You get a pension, but the pension scheme is nowhere as good as it used to be. Having said that, my guess is that you will stillget at least 100000, and probably more, after least 20 years of service. Less service, less pension, more service, more pension, of course.

Because of present circumstances, your first job could be anywhere from 330/777/787 relief pilot, or anywhere from embraer F/O to 330 or 787 F/O. No direct entry captains for the moment.

I understand that personnel hiring is 80% from their feeder airlines, so 20% are hired from the non air canada feeder ''outside'' world.

I never hear any complaint from air canada pilots about their jobs.

Hope this helps.

[JV]

Sorry, forgot to mention something,

I think you may know this since you are living in Canada, but just in case, you need to take taxation into account.
You will pay maybe 25% to 30% of the starting salaries in taxes, increasing to about 50% at around 200000, then it remains stable.

[Flexable]

Income tax in Canada is very high...plus another 15% (GST+PST) on almost evrything you spend your aftertax $$ on.
Depending of you province of residence income tax vary.
Most newhired pilots are base in YYZ (85%) and few in YUL, other base YVR is more senior (could transfer after a few years) and YWG is small.
Housing in YVR $$$$, YYZ $$$ YUL $$
Rate of pilots retiring will increase in the coming years to about 100-150 per year.

2018 Personal tax calculator - EY - Canada - EY - Canada (http://www.ey.com/ca/en/services/tax/tax-calculators-2018-personal-tax) (note you can change you income and hit recalculate).
This website is best viewed using chrome or firefox browser.

[Flexable]

AC fix pay rate monthly FO or RP ($ CAD)
year 01= $4,415.99
02 = $4,828.50
03= $5,502.74
04= $6,161.99

You can get more infos on off the street (OTS) pilots hiring at ac on this forum
http://www.avcanada.ca/forums2/viewforum.php?f=31&sid=fc2c9eacde758b62c9a632622878ca45

Take it with a grain of salt...

[CanadaKid]

cane003

Think long & hard and hard about spending your life & career working or Air Canada.
Years of troublesome management and a high cost of living near most of the AC bases in Canada.
There will be little left over after the CRA & your mortgage or rental payments have taken their slice of your salary.
If you have the skills, get the highest pay you can and retire earlier than the rest.

Cheers, CK

[altiplano]

AC fix pay rate monthly FO or RP ($ CAD)
year 01= $4,415.99
02 = $4,828.50
03= $5,502.74
04= $6,161.99

You can get more infos on off the street (OTS) pilots hiring at ac on this forum
Air Canada - AVCANADA (http://www.avcanada.ca/forums2/viewforum.php?f=31&sid=fc2c9eacde758b62c9a632622878ca45)

Take it with a grain of salt...

Your statement isn't exactly correct... It's an hourly rate. Your quoted figures are the MINIMUM guarantees based on 75 hours. You are paid hourly though and blocks are averaging higher than 75... plus OT if you're interested, plus draft, plus profit share, and other things... you should do much better...

fwiw rouge pays 77.5 for its guarantee. same hourly rate and a lot of new hires are going there...

junior capt EMJ is about 1-1.5 years. junior capt 320, closer to 3 years...

PM me if you have specific questions.

[Flexable]

Altiplano is right...(Rouge 77.5 pay garantee, overtime and profit sharing) but do not get paid 13 month/yr like some European,
plus if you are lucky to get Ca position in the first 4 years you get better pay, min garantee on EMJ Ca year 2 is $10,372/mo. or 120K/yr.
Also all years of service at mainline count for Ca pay (ie you spend first 2 years Fo the year 3 you upgrade to Ca you get Ca yr 3 pay) Rouge is a bit different.
About spending you life & career working at AC...very few leave before retiring,
In hard time some will take LOA to fly elsewhere but the vast majority will come back to AC.

[altiplano]

Rouge is a bit different.

Not anymore when it comes to years of service pay... in the beginning it was years in status to get the pay so your first upgrade at Rouge would be into first year CA pay... in 2014 we negotiated 50% credit for years as an FO/RP, in 2017 we negotiated full years of service pay... ie. 5th year FO? start on year 5 Captain pay... same as Mainline...

Pension BTW, is 10.5% company contribution, 7.5% employee, into a TBP (CWIPP), not CRA capped... Payout benefit for life.