buzz sponsorship - will it survive?

[Wodka]

Hi guys,

Does anyone know anything about the future of this scheme now that Ryanair have taken over buzz?

I'm currently assuming that the scheme will be canned but haven't heard anything official from Cabair or buzz

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

Personally I doubt whether Ryanair will run the sponsorship not honour any agreement to hire present members, but who knows.

WWW

[Mister Geezer]

Judging by the way I hear MoL has treated buzz staff in general I think a pilot sponsorship scheme will be chopped asap. Leaving bewildered people standing with no explanation or not even an apology!

[Artificial Horizon]

You haven't heard anything yet because Cabair itself hasn't been told anything by Ryanair, they are gaining their information just like us from t.v. and radio. Once they hear whether this sponsorship is continuing you will all be informed.

Spare a thought for the guys who are already in the system, some of whom have just finished or are about to finish the 2 year instucting period and are now faced with no job.

The job at the end is never guaranteed no matter what sponsorship you go on, it is however expected that if there are jobs available they will go to the sponsored pilots. In Buzz's case, the airline has been taken over so the big question is 'Will Ryanair do the decent thing and take on these guys anyway?'. It would mean o'leary would have to front up for a type rating which is probably unlikely.

[wobblyprop]

Come on. Was there ever a promise of a job at the end of it? NO!

Very expensive way of getting i license me thinks.

[Go-Around]

Let's hope that MoL discovers a scrap of decency and keeps those already in the scheme.
I'm not going to hold my breath though, spoke to a couple of people at Cabair already and they as much as we do.

[MAX]

Of course they will be kept on by Ryanair. Just as soon as they cough up for their type rating at an organisation of FR's choice and then make the grade. Definately, Maybe? Who knows? Maybe they wont have to pay the £50 application.:rolleyes:

MAX:cool:

[Maxiumus]

There is more chance of a bum passing up a Stonehouse than of OLeary retaining this scheme. Remeber: FR don't pay for training. Full stop.

Anyway, why would he drop rated guys and keep non-qualified people?

Also remember: oLeary doesn't like airline sponsored pilots.

[Barney Stubble]

Maxiumus I disagree,

FR don't pay for training - true...therefore the sponsored pilots will at least have to cough up for the type rating. tough.

Why drop rated guys - they are rated on wrong aircraft ie. BAE 146 so would cost the same to retrain on 737, plus they are the senior chaps on bigger pay etc so why not have cheaper junior guys?

MOL not liking sponsored pilots - don't see why it makes any difference to him as a businessman if he gets 10 or 20 sponsored guys that he hasn't had to pay for, and at least have proven aptitude for flying.

Barney

[Maxiumus]

Regarding O'Leary and sponsored guys, he had 30 something ex-EI cadets with proven ability willing and able to fly for him, but didn't touch most of them. He doesn't like people like that who have been tainted with other company's practices. Anyway, the view prevails within Ryanair that a sponsored cadet isn't as committed due to not having paid for the job.

[monkeyboy]

Well, I got my letter through today from Cabair and - no surprise - they've put the sponsorship on hold BUT Cabair are still inviting you to attend the tests for £47 anyway with no guarantee that it will move you "forward". There's also a new test date as well, 17th March.

Just trying to decide whether to attend now or not...

[A Very Civil Pilot]

Barney,

Not all the wrong pilots arre 146. I'm a 737 pilot expecting redundancy.

I think there is 1 sponsorship pilot doing the 737 course at the moment, but I don't expect any more to start.

If M O'L wants 737 pilots, he'll advertise for them, and no need to worry about sponsorship.

[Wodka]

monkeyboy,

Yep I got the letter this morning too. Question is - £47 is it worth it? - might be useful experience etc, but looks very likely that the scheme is going to be canned!

:confused:

[carb]

I think frankly they've got a bit of a cheek offering to charge us for selection for a scheme that may well not exist. Win-win situation for Cabair.

I can cope with travelling at my expense to do the exams, in that vain hope, but pay £47 upfront for the privilege aswell? Hmmm... one does have to be desensitised to burning money in this game... but I hate that it's always the little people coughing up... it's like going for a graduate job interview and being asked to buy the board their lunch and pay their taxi fares, truly absurd. How do these people sleep at night?

[Barney Stubble]

A Very Civil Pilot,

I am sorry to hear that you are joining the ranks of the shafted, however with your 737 rating there is another operator at Stansted who should be interested so maybe your career will continue happily.

I suspect the 146 guys will find it more difficult to get similar positions - therfeore it is the wrong aircraft in that sense. What I can't understand is why MOL is getting rid of pilots like yourself ready to fly on the type Ryan intend to employ!!?

Regarding the pilots made redundant and those losing their sponsorship (most probably) why doesn't KLC do the honourable thing and transfer them over to the Dutch side? After all it was only 3 or 4 months ago that it was all one company.

Barney

[A Very Civil Pilot]

KLC don't want British pilots. They were hoping that over the next few years all the ex KLMuk pilots would trickle back to buzz. No chance of that now. Anyway the Cabair deal is with KLMuk/buzz side of it.

If the Ryanair deal goes ahead, M O'L is not buying KLMuk/buzz, but a new company to be called buzzaway ltd, that contains only the bits he is interested in (ie not the ATR's, 146's, crewing side that deals with STN based KLC pilots etc) and will probably not include any Cabair deal.