Pacific Blue about to park aircraft
Quote:
"It wouldn't be the most economic way of running, but rather than park a plane, using VB pilots deferring their leave for A$1000 per day (minimum for 737 capts) would work. And since the surge in recruiting and upgrades VB doesn't seem too short of drivers these days. At least on the 737. At least until anyone leaves for the 777. "
DJ drivers are covered under a fatigue management system, but are still restricted to 900 flight hours a year. These pilots are currently flying near max hours, so any talk of a secondment would only serve to restrict DJ's own operation, assuming of course enough DJ drivers would be willing to spend 24/7 in the cockpit. Considering their current roster, it would be a brave pencil d!ck doing the asking. Not to mention the fact that DJ's own expansion hasn't even begun yet! You may get a PB aircraft or 2 into the air for a very limited time, but it would be no more than a flag waving exercise. The reality is, there continues to be a serious shortage of airline pilots everywhere! Any threat of moving one group to another is simply more management spin. DEC's, Spin. Cadets, Spin. We'll just get DJ drivers to come over and do the job, F#rking spin!
Reality is staring these characters in the face, and they still fail to acknowledge it. Pay your crews what they are worth or face ruin.
The arrogance/idiocy is breathtaking!
"It wouldn't be the most economic way of running, but rather than park a plane, using VB pilots deferring their leave for A$1000 per day (minimum for 737 capts) would work. And since the surge in recruiting and upgrades VB doesn't seem too short of drivers these days. At least on the 737. At least until anyone leaves for the 777. "
DJ drivers are covered under a fatigue management system, but are still restricted to 900 flight hours a year. These pilots are currently flying near max hours, so any talk of a secondment would only serve to restrict DJ's own operation, assuming of course enough DJ drivers would be willing to spend 24/7 in the cockpit. Considering their current roster, it would be a brave pencil d!ck doing the asking. Not to mention the fact that DJ's own expansion hasn't even begun yet! You may get a PB aircraft or 2 into the air for a very limited time, but it would be no more than a flag waving exercise. The reality is, there continues to be a serious shortage of airline pilots everywhere! Any threat of moving one group to another is simply more management spin. DEC's, Spin. Cadets, Spin. We'll just get DJ drivers to come over and do the job, F#rking spin!
Reality is staring these characters in the face, and they still fail to acknowledge it. Pay your crews what they are worth or face ruin.
The arrogance/idiocy is breathtaking!
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spoke to a friend today who works for an Aero Club and the issues they face sad thing is The aeroclub management sounds a lot more professional than the idiots that run PB. Guess what they actually talk to there staff odd I know but it seems to work.
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The head office worker (JB) did the same thing at Ansett NZ. His side kick (SA) was the chief "YES" man a little while later. All the underling office workers were there too. All saying yes then too!!
I will think of you PB guys and girls at the Split Enz concert on Sunday night when they play "History Never Repeats".
I will think of you PB guys and girls at the Split Enz concert on Sunday night when they play "History Never Repeats".
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The suggestion that it is OK for VB pilots to come over to PB to ' help out ' demonstrates the short sighted, hypocrisy that is at the core of whats wrong with oz / nz aviation.
May I remind all those VB pilots that screamed blue murder and threatend the PB pilot group with being labeled scabs etc etc, when PB got their Australian AOC and rumours circulated that PB may operate on some domestic routes in Australia.
Now the boot is on the other foot and its all ok and somehow different. Wake up to yourselves. Yes we at PB accepted very average t&c's initially with the promise of better things once the airline got up and running. Well four years latter we are still getting crapped on by the fools running the show.
I would ask our collegues at VB to just once look beyond the promise of serviced apartment, hire cars and a well paid holiday to NZ for the ski season and help out the guys at PB by NOT even entertaining the thought.
Help us pilots and crew at PB make these self proclaimed leaders of aviation in NZ feel some heat and sort out the rot. The only way to get through to JB and his team is to make their life difficult. I would love to be a fly on the wall when JB is trying to explain to BG why he has had to park a/c and cancell services because most of the training dept has left. (Who is going to train these 1000 hr fo's that rishworth are hiring)
The Nz CAA also need a kick in the ring, in 4 years at PB I never had a single ramp check!! How can they sit back as the experience and standards plumet at PB. They owe it to the travelling public to get involved.
Remember the Ansett Dash 8 at Palmy. Its the same management team!!!!
History may indeed repeat itself.. I hope not..................
May I remind all those VB pilots that screamed blue murder and threatend the PB pilot group with being labeled scabs etc etc, when PB got their Australian AOC and rumours circulated that PB may operate on some domestic routes in Australia.
Now the boot is on the other foot and its all ok and somehow different. Wake up to yourselves. Yes we at PB accepted very average t&c's initially with the promise of better things once the airline got up and running. Well four years latter we are still getting crapped on by the fools running the show.
I would ask our collegues at VB to just once look beyond the promise of serviced apartment, hire cars and a well paid holiday to NZ for the ski season and help out the guys at PB by NOT even entertaining the thought.
Help us pilots and crew at PB make these self proclaimed leaders of aviation in NZ feel some heat and sort out the rot. The only way to get through to JB and his team is to make their life difficult. I would love to be a fly on the wall when JB is trying to explain to BG why he has had to park a/c and cancell services because most of the training dept has left. (Who is going to train these 1000 hr fo's that rishworth are hiring)
The Nz CAA also need a kick in the ring, in 4 years at PB I never had a single ramp check!! How can they sit back as the experience and standards plumet at PB. They owe it to the travelling public to get involved.
Remember the Ansett Dash 8 at Palmy. Its the same management team!!!!
History may indeed repeat itself.. I hope not..................
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Pilots from where exactly?
All my own views of course but...
VB pilots fixing the roster for PB, are you joking? From what I'm told VB can barely crew their own flights and are hiring... Jetstar, Tiger, Eastern, Rex... the same etc etc etc. Guys when are you gonna get the message. There are effectively NO SPARE DECENT 737 NG PILOTS AROUND!!!
"Oh no sonny take the low pay or we'll, we'll, we'll.... um - get them from China" WRONG, short of crew there, the locals all bonded forever and most couldn't pass the English test (or maybe even the base check!
). Or persuade Kiwi or Ozzie NG drivers to leave their overseas job for 1/2 the pay... Yeah right! Maybe the odd one, but not many...
At best I believe VB could maybe give ya a couple of crews for a few days to put out fires (so to speak) and thats it! And even then they would be putting stress on their own roster...
Pure and simple management BS. Guys you are about the worst paid NG drivers I've heard of - period! IMHO its disgraceful, my F/O's get as much as your CPT's. 3rd world airlines pay more (China, India, Middle East etc).
Same old NZ aviation equation; First world country + 2nd world wages = corporate profitability.
RW's must be laughing all the way to the bank, and PB management with em!
Guys if your management are so delluded that they think they can replace you, then let them face the music from their board when the planes are parked, and the losses soar.
Instead it appears they are hoping that their remaining crews are so naive they will believe the BS and continue to accept being treated like garbage. 
If I was G*dfrey I'd see this one company / 2 pay schemes fiasco as the divisive disaster it is and bring everyone in the Virgin OZ / NZ outfit together under the same pay & condx. (just think of the message it sends to your people; Oh yes boys and girls, we are all Virgin and we do exactly the same job, BUT you are Kiwis so deserve to be treated like 2nd class citizens...) Not nice and hardly promoting company spirit & unity.
IMHO the answer is simple: Show some respect to the people who actually did create and who maintain the organisation that provides YOU YOUR JOB by providing real world pay & conditions.
Uh, mmmm, oh yeah - thats an idea! Or not...
VB pilots fixing the roster for PB, are you joking? From what I'm told VB can barely crew their own flights and are hiring... Jetstar, Tiger, Eastern, Rex... the same etc etc etc. Guys when are you gonna get the message. There are effectively NO SPARE DECENT 737 NG PILOTS AROUND!!!
"Oh no sonny take the low pay or we'll, we'll, we'll.... um - get them from China" WRONG, short of crew there, the locals all bonded forever and most couldn't pass the English test (or maybe even the base check!
). Or persuade Kiwi or Ozzie NG drivers to leave their overseas job for 1/2 the pay... Yeah right! Maybe the odd one, but not many...At best I believe VB could maybe give ya a couple of crews for a few days to put out fires (so to speak) and thats it! And even then they would be putting stress on their own roster...
Pure and simple management BS. Guys you are about the worst paid NG drivers I've heard of - period! IMHO its disgraceful, my F/O's get as much as your CPT's. 3rd world airlines pay more (China, India, Middle East etc).
Same old NZ aviation equation; First world country + 2nd world wages = corporate profitability.
RW's must be laughing all the way to the bank, and PB management with em!
Guys if your management are so delluded that they think they can replace you, then let them face the music from their board when the planes are parked, and the losses soar.
Instead it appears they are hoping that their remaining crews are so naive they will believe the BS and continue to accept being treated like garbage. If I was G*dfrey I'd see this one company / 2 pay schemes fiasco as the divisive disaster it is and bring everyone in the Virgin OZ / NZ outfit together under the same pay & condx. (just think of the message it sends to your people; Oh yes boys and girls, we are all Virgin and we do exactly the same job, BUT you are Kiwis so deserve to be treated like 2nd class citizens...) Not nice and hardly promoting company spirit & unity.
IMHO the answer is simple: Show some respect to the people who actually did create and who maintain the organisation that provides YOU YOUR JOB by providing real world pay & conditions.
Uh, mmmm, oh yeah - thats an idea!
Or not...
Last edited by Dunnybudgee; 24th Mar 2008 at 00:42.
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No Spare Decent 737NG Capts HUH
Well I for one am spare and sitting at home in OZ relaxing since June 07 having had enough of ( living) OS but VB seem to think Im not needed in spite of having been on their books since 2000.
I guess my 6000 plus command in NGs and the many years of line training new F/OS and Capts on the NG I did for many OS International airlines is not enough for VB and the likes of JR, BK, etc etc.
Experience it seems is not needed in this LOW standards or should I mean LCC airline.
SO if they wait much longer I shall be off again to train other countries pilots on Ngs instead of the OZ ones that I should be bringing my skills from 19 years OS to share with!
Hey to the gods in flight mismanagement in the ivory tower in BNE why dont you drop me a line at my email address to arrange a chat about the future parking arrangements for your spare B737NGs!
I guess my 6000 plus command in NGs and the many years of line training new F/OS and Capts on the NG I did for many OS International airlines is not enough for VB and the likes of JR, BK, etc etc.
Experience it seems is not needed in this LOW standards or should I mean LCC airline.
SO if they wait much longer I shall be off again to train other countries pilots on Ngs instead of the OZ ones that I should be bringing my skills from 19 years OS to share with!
Hey to the gods in flight mismanagement in the ivory tower in BNE why dont you drop me a line at my email address to arrange a chat about the future parking arrangements for your spare B737NGs!
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How sad
Let me hazard a guess that experience may not be the issue then? Perhaps you could try RW's, I hear they are looking... Joke* is also rumoured to be offering PB NG CPT's DIC A320. (VB's JR long gone BTW).
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No parking yet, technically.
They "delayed" the introduction of the 8th frame due to this turmoil.
Heard it was announced at their Christmas party that new routes were planned to start with this 8th frame, early March...
Shareholders impressed?
They "delayed" the introduction of the 8th frame due to this turmoil.
Heard it was announced at their Christmas party that new routes were planned to start with this 8th frame, early March...
Shareholders impressed?
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Extra frames and 1 rtn flight to Dunedin
I see PacBlue have announced ChCh-Dunedin rtn starting 1 July.
Given the announced new route amounts to 1 flight per day, this would not be enough to justify an extra plane. Hence the route is either coming at the cost of something else or assuming its the extra plane that more announcements are forthcoming.
That the plane rtns to ChCh at 1.30pm, cetainly allows potential for extra domestic and a TransTasman returning midnight.
Any ideas as to what is planned?
Given the announced new route amounts to 1 flight per day, this would not be enough to justify an extra plane. Hence the route is either coming at the cost of something else or assuming its the extra plane that more announcements are forthcoming.
That the plane rtns to ChCh at 1.30pm, cetainly allows potential for extra domestic and a TransTasman returning midnight.
Any ideas as to what is planned?
Last edited by windytown; 3rd Apr 2008 at 05:55.
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7th Aircraft, and you're right, the CHC-DUD return doesn't utilise it fully, it will be mainly used to increase capacity on current international routes, particularly BNE. Nothing too exciting.
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Boeing Tech Rep' for major US Carrier said that quite a few deliveries will have to be deferred to SE Asia in coming months...they ain't got no pilots to fly 'em! Boeing aircraft make very expensive lawn ornaments.
I say it's time to pay the piper..or the pilot in this case.
I say it's time to pay the piper..or the pilot in this case.
