Air Niugini's subsidiary - LINK PNG
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I was told today that the Falcon FO is now in battle with PX. Lawyers involved.
PX reneging on paying what he is owed and rewriting his original contract to include a bond for the Falcon. True class.
Word is they also put him on B scale.
I would think that they would be advertising very soon for either a replacement or contract pilot.
Good luck to anyone who takes up the offer.
How much lower can PX go in their treatment of pilots?
It's not all about payscales.
PX reneging on paying what he is owed and rewriting his original contract to include a bond for the Falcon. True class.
Word is they also put him on B scale.
I would think that they would be advertising very soon for either a replacement or contract pilot.
Good luck to anyone who takes up the offer.
How much lower can PX go in their treatment of pilots?
It's not all about payscales.
PX reneging on paying what he is owed and rewriting his original contract to include a bond for the Falcon. True class.
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Lawyers involved
Papua New Guinea police and army involved in shootout at lock-up - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
In a country where an elderly couple are murdered as they were suspected of sorcery, in its Capital City.
Elderly couple killed over sorcery claims in PNG's capital Port Moresby | Papua New Guinea Today
Could keep on going on but you get my drift.
Well, best of British and all that entails with the Lawyers.
Copy of an email doing the rounds:
As an associate of both current and former Air Niugini pilots, I am aware that Air Niugini has advertised Pilot position locally within PNG, on SEEK, the AFAP website, and in the Cairns Post. For those contemplating these Pilot positions the following information (as relayed to me) may be of interest.
“The positions offered will be based Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea with option for domicile at a port of the employees own choosing”.
The Air Niugini Pilots Contract 2015, allows 4 weeks Annual Leave together with ten (10) days off at home base.
The Rostering Department has been instructed to allocate RD’s in a group of 7 consecutive days together with 3 separate individual days for those domiciled domicile at a port of own choosing elsewhere other than Port Morseby. However, with an ever-reducing number of pilots it is uncertain as to whether this Rostering pattern can or will be sustainable.
To travel to domicile, a pilot will be ticketed to a port on the ANG network and will need to use his/her RDO’s for travel as travel will not be rostered on duty. The pilot will therefore have 5 full consecutive RDO’s at domicile, which is effectively 65 days at home out of the 365 days of the year (13 blocks x 5 RD’s). Information is that only one FOC Y class return ticket will be issued per block per pilot.
The single RDO’s will in effective only be useable in the base of Port Moresby as there will be no way of effectively traveling anywhere on a single RD.
Accommodation in Port Moresby (the Base) will be provided by ANG. For those “domiciled at port of choosing” a self-contained two-bedroom apartment will provided on a share with another pilot basis (ala boarding school). It is not known whether there will be a charge for this as those details are allegedly contained in the “Housing Policy Manual”. This manual has not been made available to the pilot group (as far as I am aware). It is believed that, out of each pilot’s salary, an amount will be deducted for electricity, and such amount will be the same for all residents (no matter the amount of time you spend there in your apartment).
For those who take full time residence in POM (ie: not domiciled at the port of employees own choosing), you will be provided POM accommodation. This however comes with a price. it is understood that 6.5% of gross will be taken out of the salary as a “Fringe Benefits Tax” plus an amount for rent will be also be deducted. This is believed to be in the vicinity of PGK6-700 per fortnight. Therefore, for a POM basing, not domiciled at a port of the employees own choosing, over half of the salary will be taken in taxes and accommodation cost.
Whilst in POM no meal allowances or any other allowance will be payable, the pilot will be responsible for his/her own day-to-day living costs, passport, telephone and Internet. Also should there be delays in obtaining any required Visa, Work Permits, etc, no matter if the delay is the fault of yourself, ANG, or the relevant PNG Government Department, the contract states that you will be placed on Recreation Leave until the issue is resolved.
“Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea which has facilities for water sports, diving, tennis, golf, restaurants, and family clubs with access to Australian curriculum international primary and secondary schools”.
Yes, it does have those things, but do not think that Port Moresby is some pleasant 1st world country. It most definitely is not. The following articles will give an indication of what living in Port Moresby might entail.
The “Independent” on the 30 August 2013, listed Port Moresby as the 3rd worst city to live in the world.
The 10 worst cities in the world to live in - World - News - The Independent
“With only 350,000 people living in Port Moresby, this city still gets to enter the top 10 dangerous cities in the world. Theft, rape, murders and auto theft happen on a daily basis, and it is recommended not to use public transportation. Beside all these concern reasons, the entire area is submitted to seismic activities, landslides and tsunamis”.
This Internet article says likewise.
Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities In The World | News, Facts & Other Information You Love - UncoverDiscover.com
“Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea : The lone entry from Oceania is the ultra-diverse Port Moresby of Papua New Guinea. PNG is home to over 820 languages – more than any other country in the world. As such, its capital Port Moresby boasts a diverse crew of opportunists and island cultures. It was recently voted by the Economist as the 137th out of 140 places in the livable cities index, making it a tough place to get by.
Rapes, Murders, and HIV are just a few of the daily tragedies that befall this enclave at the edge of the map. Here, even riding in cars is a dangerous activity. Gangs called Raskols are known to rob vehicles transporting foreigners at gunpoint”.
International schooling is available as stated but this is by no means cheap (comparably) and no schooling subsidy or allowance is paid by ANG.
“Port Moresby is ideally located allowing easy accessibility to all parts of the world via Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Manila and Japan”.
That is correct. In addition to PX flights, Qantaslink and Virgin operate to POM. Apparently Philippine Airlines will soon be operating between the Philippines and POM.
Should you wish to take advantage of POM as a stepping off point for all parts of the world, and in doing so, decide to use ANG sub load Staff Travel, your family members may need a Visa to transit POM. The PNG Government no longer allows "Visa on Arrival" for Australian Passport Holders, so for travel that is sub-load, a PNG Entry Visa is required. However the Consulate will only issue a single entry Visa, so should it be used on the flight out (delay, cancellation etc) you will need to obtain another to transit back to Australia on the return trip.
Family members who hold passports other than an Australian passport will normally not have that difficulty.
Realistically, unless you live in POM, it will be much easier to use another airline and another staging point to that rest of the world, and in many (perhaps most) cases it will be cheaper as X POM there is no competition and ANG airfares reflect that point
“A competitive salary package will be provided to attract the right candidate.”
New hires will be paid on a new B scale in PNG Kina. In many cases Captains will have “A” scale First Officers who will earn almost the same as they do. In fact, with the current seniority on the B767 fleet, just about every “A” scale First Officer will earn upwards of $AUD20, 000 more than a new “B” scale Captain. This is in no means a criticism, as all new hires will need the assistance and guidance of an experienced First Officers to get the “show on the road” rather than the assistance and guidance of ANG.
To salary paid, the following pay scales are lifted directly from the 2015 Contract. The 2012 Contract was paid in $AUD, however the 2015 contract will be paid in the PNG Kina. A salary in $AUD has been stated which will then be converted to a PGK value at a nominal exchange rate of .40 cents. The pilot salary will the be tied to the Kina (PGK) where each .01 Australian cent variance in the exchange having a significant impact, if it goes up you win, if it goes down you loose.
The salary scales are as follows:
DHC 8
Capt PGK 271,130 / $AUD 108,452 F/O PGK 115,692 / $AUD 46, 277
Q400
Capt PGK 300,118 / $AUD 20,047 F/O PGK 184, 241 / $AUD 73,696
F100
Capt PGK 353,880 / $AUD 141,552 F/O PGK 245,711 / $AUD 98,285
B737
Capt PGK 402,027 / $AUD 160,811 F/O PGK 312, 370 / $AUD 124,948
B767
Capt PGK 428,062 / $AUD 171,225 F/O PGK 312, 370 / $AUD 124,948
Tax is paid in PNG, and compared to the AUS tax scales is more onerous. There is no tax-free threshold applied to residents. For example:
The DHC 8 Captain salary (using $AUD 108, 452 and an exchange rate of .40c for ease of example) equates to $AUD 5,628 net per month. Earning $AUD 90,000 in Australian will give a monthly net take home salary of $AUD 5,614 plus a further $713 paid in monthly compulsory employer Super contribution.
The B767 Captain salary (using $AUD 171,225 and an exchange rate of .40c) equates to $AUD 8,662 net per month. Earning $AUD 150,00 in Australian will give a monthly net take home salary of $AUD 8,701 plus a further $1,188 paid in monthly compulsory employer Super contribution. So you can see the implications of the higher tax and the lack of compulsory employee superannuation.
Whilst no Superannuation is paid by ANG, the employee can salary sacrifice up to 15% of gross salary, but there are tax implications if certain criteria are not met when it comes time to withdraw.
The 2015 Pilots Contract Conditions will last for the next 6 years, although the pilots individual Contract only be for 3 X 2 years. At the end of each 2 years your contract will be reviewed, and renewal will be based on whether you have reached KPI in flown hours, performance in training and renewals together with your general attitude towards the company. If you reach your KPI targets and considered a company person a 1.7% pay rise will be given each year.
A 1.7% increase in salary does not bode well when compared to the PNG inflation rate. In the second quarter of 2014 the inflation was 5.10 %. POM is indeed an expensive place to live.
Commentary.
Within the last 12 months there have been almost 50 Pilot resignations (around 22% of the Pilot group), and the majority of the remaining Expatriate Pilots, and indeed many of the National Pilots, are actively looking for work elsewhere with several already signaling resignations dates.
For ANG this should be considered unprecedented, as over the last several years ANG has had an extremely stable workforce with resignations at a minimum. These more recent resignations began when the general attitude towards the Pilot Group by Management became more and more disdainful, which has now accelerated with the publication of the new 2015 Contract.
Within the last 6 months, 8 Pilots were made redundant as several flying contacts went elsewhere. In that short time ANG has found a need to rehire so as to avoid parking aircraft.
ANG has a very active and large Cadet Pilot system and will eventually reach a self-sustaining Pilot level where the reliance on expatriate pilot will be exceedingly reduced. Management has stated that the aim is to reduce the Expat Pilot Workforce to 20% of the total pilot group within 5 years. That would mean a reduction of a further 60 or so expats over that 5 year time frame.
As such ANG is becoming a short term Contract job.
ANG considers that the Contract it has offered is competitive in the Australasian and Pacific arena. The ANG Pilots that have left, the Pilots that are in the process of leaving, and the Pilots seeking to leave, do not see it competitive. And that is not solely based on the up to 20% Salary Package chop, (11% salary reduction, loss of 13th month bonus together with loss of loyalty bonus), and the no longer competitive salary compared to other available jobs, but very much attributable to the loss of lifestyle caused by the conditions of the 2015 contract.
For those that are contemplating any of these advertised positions, it may be worthwhile contacting an ANG Pilot direct. There are plenty of PDF copies of the 2015 Contracts floating around that they could assist you to get a hold of.
It may also be worth while asking your family if they would put up with only seeing you, at best, at your domicile at a port of own choosing, 5 days in every 28 days (at best).
As an associate of both current and former Air Niugini pilots, I am aware that Air Niugini has advertised Pilot position locally within PNG, on SEEK, the AFAP website, and in the Cairns Post. For those contemplating these Pilot positions the following information (as relayed to me) may be of interest.
“The positions offered will be based Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea with option for domicile at a port of the employees own choosing”.
The Air Niugini Pilots Contract 2015, allows 4 weeks Annual Leave together with ten (10) days off at home base.
The Rostering Department has been instructed to allocate RD’s in a group of 7 consecutive days together with 3 separate individual days for those domiciled domicile at a port of own choosing elsewhere other than Port Morseby. However, with an ever-reducing number of pilots it is uncertain as to whether this Rostering pattern can or will be sustainable.
To travel to domicile, a pilot will be ticketed to a port on the ANG network and will need to use his/her RDO’s for travel as travel will not be rostered on duty. The pilot will therefore have 5 full consecutive RDO’s at domicile, which is effectively 65 days at home out of the 365 days of the year (13 blocks x 5 RD’s). Information is that only one FOC Y class return ticket will be issued per block per pilot.
The single RDO’s will in effective only be useable in the base of Port Moresby as there will be no way of effectively traveling anywhere on a single RD.
Accommodation in Port Moresby (the Base) will be provided by ANG. For those “domiciled at port of choosing” a self-contained two-bedroom apartment will provided on a share with another pilot basis (ala boarding school). It is not known whether there will be a charge for this as those details are allegedly contained in the “Housing Policy Manual”. This manual has not been made available to the pilot group (as far as I am aware). It is believed that, out of each pilot’s salary, an amount will be deducted for electricity, and such amount will be the same for all residents (no matter the amount of time you spend there in your apartment).
For those who take full time residence in POM (ie: not domiciled at the port of employees own choosing), you will be provided POM accommodation. This however comes with a price. it is understood that 6.5% of gross will be taken out of the salary as a “Fringe Benefits Tax” plus an amount for rent will be also be deducted. This is believed to be in the vicinity of PGK6-700 per fortnight. Therefore, for a POM basing, not domiciled at a port of the employees own choosing, over half of the salary will be taken in taxes and accommodation cost.
Whilst in POM no meal allowances or any other allowance will be payable, the pilot will be responsible for his/her own day-to-day living costs, passport, telephone and Internet. Also should there be delays in obtaining any required Visa, Work Permits, etc, no matter if the delay is the fault of yourself, ANG, or the relevant PNG Government Department, the contract states that you will be placed on Recreation Leave until the issue is resolved.
“Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea which has facilities for water sports, diving, tennis, golf, restaurants, and family clubs with access to Australian curriculum international primary and secondary schools”.
Yes, it does have those things, but do not think that Port Moresby is some pleasant 1st world country. It most definitely is not. The following articles will give an indication of what living in Port Moresby might entail.
The “Independent” on the 30 August 2013, listed Port Moresby as the 3rd worst city to live in the world.
The 10 worst cities in the world to live in - World - News - The Independent
“With only 350,000 people living in Port Moresby, this city still gets to enter the top 10 dangerous cities in the world. Theft, rape, murders and auto theft happen on a daily basis, and it is recommended not to use public transportation. Beside all these concern reasons, the entire area is submitted to seismic activities, landslides and tsunamis”.
This Internet article says likewise.
Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities In The World | News, Facts & Other Information You Love - UncoverDiscover.com
“Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea : The lone entry from Oceania is the ultra-diverse Port Moresby of Papua New Guinea. PNG is home to over 820 languages – more than any other country in the world. As such, its capital Port Moresby boasts a diverse crew of opportunists and island cultures. It was recently voted by the Economist as the 137th out of 140 places in the livable cities index, making it a tough place to get by.
Rapes, Murders, and HIV are just a few of the daily tragedies that befall this enclave at the edge of the map. Here, even riding in cars is a dangerous activity. Gangs called Raskols are known to rob vehicles transporting foreigners at gunpoint”.
International schooling is available as stated but this is by no means cheap (comparably) and no schooling subsidy or allowance is paid by ANG.
“Port Moresby is ideally located allowing easy accessibility to all parts of the world via Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Manila and Japan”.
That is correct. In addition to PX flights, Qantaslink and Virgin operate to POM. Apparently Philippine Airlines will soon be operating between the Philippines and POM.
Should you wish to take advantage of POM as a stepping off point for all parts of the world, and in doing so, decide to use ANG sub load Staff Travel, your family members may need a Visa to transit POM. The PNG Government no longer allows "Visa on Arrival" for Australian Passport Holders, so for travel that is sub-load, a PNG Entry Visa is required. However the Consulate will only issue a single entry Visa, so should it be used on the flight out (delay, cancellation etc) you will need to obtain another to transit back to Australia on the return trip.
Family members who hold passports other than an Australian passport will normally not have that difficulty.
Realistically, unless you live in POM, it will be much easier to use another airline and another staging point to that rest of the world, and in many (perhaps most) cases it will be cheaper as X POM there is no competition and ANG airfares reflect that point
“A competitive salary package will be provided to attract the right candidate.”
New hires will be paid on a new B scale in PNG Kina. In many cases Captains will have “A” scale First Officers who will earn almost the same as they do. In fact, with the current seniority on the B767 fleet, just about every “A” scale First Officer will earn upwards of $AUD20, 000 more than a new “B” scale Captain. This is in no means a criticism, as all new hires will need the assistance and guidance of an experienced First Officers to get the “show on the road” rather than the assistance and guidance of ANG.
To salary paid, the following pay scales are lifted directly from the 2015 Contract. The 2012 Contract was paid in $AUD, however the 2015 contract will be paid in the PNG Kina. A salary in $AUD has been stated which will then be converted to a PGK value at a nominal exchange rate of .40 cents. The pilot salary will the be tied to the Kina (PGK) where each .01 Australian cent variance in the exchange having a significant impact, if it goes up you win, if it goes down you loose.
The salary scales are as follows:
DHC 8
Capt PGK 271,130 / $AUD 108,452 F/O PGK 115,692 / $AUD 46, 277
Q400
Capt PGK 300,118 / $AUD 20,047 F/O PGK 184, 241 / $AUD 73,696
F100
Capt PGK 353,880 / $AUD 141,552 F/O PGK 245,711 / $AUD 98,285
B737
Capt PGK 402,027 / $AUD 160,811 F/O PGK 312, 370 / $AUD 124,948
B767
Capt PGK 428,062 / $AUD 171,225 F/O PGK 312, 370 / $AUD 124,948
Tax is paid in PNG, and compared to the AUS tax scales is more onerous. There is no tax-free threshold applied to residents. For example:
The DHC 8 Captain salary (using $AUD 108, 452 and an exchange rate of .40c for ease of example) equates to $AUD 5,628 net per month. Earning $AUD 90,000 in Australian will give a monthly net take home salary of $AUD 5,614 plus a further $713 paid in monthly compulsory employer Super contribution.
The B767 Captain salary (using $AUD 171,225 and an exchange rate of .40c) equates to $AUD 8,662 net per month. Earning $AUD 150,00 in Australian will give a monthly net take home salary of $AUD 8,701 plus a further $1,188 paid in monthly compulsory employer Super contribution. So you can see the implications of the higher tax and the lack of compulsory employee superannuation.
Whilst no Superannuation is paid by ANG, the employee can salary sacrifice up to 15% of gross salary, but there are tax implications if certain criteria are not met when it comes time to withdraw.
The 2015 Pilots Contract Conditions will last for the next 6 years, although the pilots individual Contract only be for 3 X 2 years. At the end of each 2 years your contract will be reviewed, and renewal will be based on whether you have reached KPI in flown hours, performance in training and renewals together with your general attitude towards the company. If you reach your KPI targets and considered a company person a 1.7% pay rise will be given each year.
A 1.7% increase in salary does not bode well when compared to the PNG inflation rate. In the second quarter of 2014 the inflation was 5.10 %. POM is indeed an expensive place to live.
Commentary.
Within the last 12 months there have been almost 50 Pilot resignations (around 22% of the Pilot group), and the majority of the remaining Expatriate Pilots, and indeed many of the National Pilots, are actively looking for work elsewhere with several already signaling resignations dates.
For ANG this should be considered unprecedented, as over the last several years ANG has had an extremely stable workforce with resignations at a minimum. These more recent resignations began when the general attitude towards the Pilot Group by Management became more and more disdainful, which has now accelerated with the publication of the new 2015 Contract.
Within the last 6 months, 8 Pilots were made redundant as several flying contacts went elsewhere. In that short time ANG has found a need to rehire so as to avoid parking aircraft.
ANG has a very active and large Cadet Pilot system and will eventually reach a self-sustaining Pilot level where the reliance on expatriate pilot will be exceedingly reduced. Management has stated that the aim is to reduce the Expat Pilot Workforce to 20% of the total pilot group within 5 years. That would mean a reduction of a further 60 or so expats over that 5 year time frame.
As such ANG is becoming a short term Contract job.
ANG considers that the Contract it has offered is competitive in the Australasian and Pacific arena. The ANG Pilots that have left, the Pilots that are in the process of leaving, and the Pilots seeking to leave, do not see it competitive. And that is not solely based on the up to 20% Salary Package chop, (11% salary reduction, loss of 13th month bonus together with loss of loyalty bonus), and the no longer competitive salary compared to other available jobs, but very much attributable to the loss of lifestyle caused by the conditions of the 2015 contract.
For those that are contemplating any of these advertised positions, it may be worthwhile contacting an ANG Pilot direct. There are plenty of PDF copies of the 2015 Contracts floating around that they could assist you to get a hold of.
It may also be worth while asking your family if they would put up with only seeing you, at best, at your domicile at a port of own choosing, 5 days in every 28 days (at best).
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As an indication of how desperate the PX "thought bubble' management has become,and what their ('the team")attitude is to their pilots right now,yesterday ad placed on
AviationJobs.me
posted 24/1/15 should tell you.
-----------------
Air Niugini is currently looking for B767 Captains to join the team to be based in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Minimum requirements:
ATP License
3500 hours total time
2500 hours on fixed wing airplanes
Minimum of 1000 hours of Command flight time on Multi Engine Aircraft
100 hours night time
Current PX Flight Adminstration Manual Company required minimums for B767 Command:--
FAM Requirements
5,500 HRS. TOTAL TIME
2,000 HRS JET COMMAND
4,500 HRS COMMAND
400 HRS NIGHT
Sure there is something not quite legal here , but not sure they care about such trivial details.
The word is they actually have quite a shortage of B767 FOs but no mention of that.
Sad to see the final days of a once proud airline playing out.
Perhaps this thread should be re-titled RIP PX or something, as its all about the waterfall decline of the airline now.
If anyone is considering applying, suggest they contact ,as has been suggested, a PX pilot or two and get the real story on what it is really like living in Moresby these days and get a copy of the contract which will tell you about the bits the current management might somehow forget to tell you.
Don't worry about the pilots trying to put you off, the vast majority of them I'm told , including the experienced National pilots ,are heading for the exits as fast as they can and don't care whether you apply, don't apply, get a job with them or not, they are determined not to be there to suffer through it anyway.
If you think their pay e.g. 46,000 AUD with 48% tax approx (Dash 8 FO salary on the new contract) to "live" most of your roster in a dangerous place like Pt Moresby is a step up, then there's not a lot of hope.
AviationJobs.me
posted 24/1/15 should tell you.
-----------------
Air Niugini is currently looking for B767 Captains to join the team to be based in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Minimum requirements:
ATP License
3500 hours total time
2500 hours on fixed wing airplanes
Minimum of 1000 hours of Command flight time on Multi Engine Aircraft
100 hours night time
Current PX Flight Adminstration Manual Company required minimums for B767 Command:--
FAM Requirements
5,500 HRS. TOTAL TIME
2,000 HRS JET COMMAND
4,500 HRS COMMAND
400 HRS NIGHT
Sure there is something not quite legal here , but not sure they care about such trivial details.
The word is they actually have quite a shortage of B767 FOs but no mention of that.
Sad to see the final days of a once proud airline playing out.
Perhaps this thread should be re-titled RIP PX or something, as its all about the waterfall decline of the airline now.
If anyone is considering applying, suggest they contact ,as has been suggested, a PX pilot or two and get the real story on what it is really like living in Moresby these days and get a copy of the contract which will tell you about the bits the current management might somehow forget to tell you.
Don't worry about the pilots trying to put you off, the vast majority of them I'm told , including the experienced National pilots ,are heading for the exits as fast as they can and don't care whether you apply, don't apply, get a job with them or not, they are determined not to be there to suffer through it anyway.
If you think their pay e.g. 46,000 AUD with 48% tax approx (Dash 8 FO salary on the new contract) to "live" most of your roster in a dangerous place like Pt Moresby is a step up, then there's not a lot of hope.
And any truth in the rumour that Kung Foo Fighter himself was in crewing asking why are my flights being cancelled, are you crewing guys that useless???
Did anyone tell him that if you keep losing pilots at the current rate they will all be grounded?
Did anyone tell him that if you keep losing pilots at the current rate they will all be grounded?
Oldblowjob that is only the beginning of the Karma.
Wait until the training bill comes in for the replacement pilots.
Then the added maintenance costs and diversion costs while the newbies learn how to care for the equipment and cope with the flying conditions.
And heaven forbid if the airline's good safety record goes down the dunny.
The single most valuable resource in a place like PNG is local experience. Management don't get that.
Wait until the training bill comes in for the replacement pilots.
Then the added maintenance costs and diversion costs while the newbies learn how to care for the equipment and cope with the flying conditions.
And heaven forbid if the airline's good safety record goes down the dunny.
The single most valuable resource in a place like PNG is local experience. Management don't get that.
Having flown for ANG for a long time and experienced the pendulum of political interference and managerial incompetence swing from full left to full right on everything from nationalisation, off shore bases, contracts, crewing practises, political interference, general business practises, management expertise, pilot numbers, accommodation,..... I can only watch from afar as a great Airline with some fantastic people endure another period of instability.
We have all seen it before but it does not make it any easier to watch the slow motion train wreck unfold.
ANG refuse to learn from the past and are repeating the same mistakes but so to they will be forced to acknowledge and recompense the long-term staff that have kept ANG going all these years.
Good luck to all who have to endure this latest saga.
We have all seen it before but it does not make it any easier to watch the slow motion train wreck unfold.
ANG refuse to learn from the past and are repeating the same mistakes but so to they will be forced to acknowledge and recompense the long-term staff that have kept ANG going all these years.
Good luck to all who have to endure this latest saga.
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Duck,
ANG are at the point that the Domestic Roster is uncrewable, so cancellations are more reliable than the scheduled flights.
With 50+ pilots off the payroll within 12 months (close to 22% of the group), without replacement, and now looking down the barrel of having more leave within the next months, the schedule would have to be impossible to crew.
OlderDude,
maybe your Mr Foo should read this site, might be a little more factual than what he is getting from his present advisors methinks.
I echo ad-astra comments, good luck to those that are enduring the saga.
ANG are at the point that the Domestic Roster is uncrewable, so cancellations are more reliable than the scheduled flights.
With 50+ pilots off the payroll within 12 months (close to 22% of the group), without replacement, and now looking down the barrel of having more leave within the next months, the schedule would have to be impossible to crew.
OlderDude,
maybe your Mr Foo should read this site, might be a little more factual than what he is getting from his present advisors methinks.
I echo ad-astra comments, good luck to those that are enduring the saga.
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Geeup me too. I guess time will tell. It is not as though the infrastructure is receiving massive amounts of money to assist in safety, why isn't time in country as important as it used to be? Everyone works hard to be as safe as possible but there are those days.........when, well we all know.
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I think "time in country" is just as important as it ever was Craving More, as you say the infrastructure hasn't really improved over the years.
I think the problem is that some operators (including the one I work for) don't want to pay for that experience. Without wanting to drift too far off topic many of the contracts in PNG require the Captain of a light twin turbine for example to have an ATPL, 1000's of hours TT, twin turbine command time, ME command time, time on contract type and of course time in country.
Once an individual reaches these requirements he/she is usually ready to move on up the greasy pole (quite understandably) and so the cycle continues of companies having to scratch about looking for suitably qualified people to crew these contracts. However if companies were willing to pay for the experience that is required they would have a core group of pilots who were more than happy to remain in these roles. This in turn amongst other things would cost the company less in training, arguably improve safety, provide a stable roster, improve morale and increase productivity.
Hopefully PX management will realise this before more damage is done.....I am less hopeful about one or two of the other companies in PNG.
I think the problem is that some operators (including the one I work for) don't want to pay for that experience. Without wanting to drift too far off topic many of the contracts in PNG require the Captain of a light twin turbine for example to have an ATPL, 1000's of hours TT, twin turbine command time, ME command time, time on contract type and of course time in country.
Once an individual reaches these requirements he/she is usually ready to move on up the greasy pole (quite understandably) and so the cycle continues of companies having to scratch about looking for suitably qualified people to crew these contracts. However if companies were willing to pay for the experience that is required they would have a core group of pilots who were more than happy to remain in these roles. This in turn amongst other things would cost the company less in training, arguably improve safety, provide a stable roster, improve morale and increase productivity.
Hopefully PX management will realise this before more damage is done.....I am less hopeful about one or two of the other companies in PNG.
why isn't time in country as important as it used to be?
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Not many flights for Air Nuigini today. Rumors about a strike? Any news??
"No strike action, just numerous resignations.
PX Link is not so affected, but the "Mainline" Domestic (Fokker and Q400) schedule is a real mess with many, many uncrewed and ongoing cancellations of flights, which is ever increasing as guys one after the other run out of duty".
Seems a bit of "Management reap what you sow", in other words, you can steamroll the guys with an non negotiable sh*tty contract , but you can't make them stay to suck it up.
PX might be advertising for parking attendants soon,.... maybe very soon!
Last edited by balusnomore; 6th Feb 2015 at 11:48. Reason: sp.
