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VA pilots worried about employment 2021

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VA pilots worried about employment 2021

Old 10th Mar 2020, 01:59
  #281 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by non_state_actor
No point in getting to fired up over this stuff, we won't go broke because people didn't SE taxi enough.
Most guys and girls out there act as professionals - but there is the 10% (probably the same 10% alluded to above) that will do things that deliberately cost money. I’ve seen it
firsthand.

This notion that we won’t go broke because people don’t do SE taxi is an interesting one. It does save money - simple as that. Same as leaving the APU off - it does save money. Obviously we are paid to factor in all the other relevant issues around whether it’s safe, practical, efficient to not do those things. People say that taking a pay freeze won’t do anything either.

But if you add up everything that’s going on, the head office lay offs, employee groups being asked for to take pay freezes, aircraft efficiency programs - it does all add up.

And that’s not to say that it can’t be all wasted by someone high up making stupid decisions (paying 3 times the market rate for A330s is up there), but it doesn’t mean that we should all be looking to perhaps do our bit, because I still want to have a job to rock up to in a few years time.

And that’s the crux of it all - there is a growing number of pilots who are legitimately starting to be concerned about their job prospects, because the financials of this place aren’t good at all.
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Old 10th Mar 2020, 03:18
  #282 (permalink)  
 
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Scurrah Nominees and Scurrah Superannuation purchased a total of 942,600 ordinary VAH shares on 3/4/5/6 March. It appears the shares changed hands at close to an average of 10c each. Since the purchase the share price has dropped a further 25% meaning a financial haircut has been endured by Scurrah. 20,000,000 shares have changed hands over 3 days since the market closed last Thursday. The average daily turnover the past year have been 734,000 shares per day. This suggest the stock is being dumped.

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Old 10th Mar 2020, 04:26
  #283 (permalink)  
 
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Down another 6.25% today and currently listed at $0.075.

Originally Posted by B772
Scurrah Nominees and Scurrah Superannuation purchased a total of 942,600 ordinary VAH shares on 3/4/5/6 March. It appears the shares changed hands at close to an average of 10c each. Since the purchase the share price has dropped a further 25% meaning a financial haircut has been endured by Scurrah. 20,000,000 shares have changed hands over 3 days since the market closed last Thursday. The average daily turnover the past year have been 734,000 shares per day. This suggest the stock is being dumped.
I do hope he is doing the trading in his own time and not during work hours, such as when the stock exchange opens first thing in the morning? His time and energies should be spent managing the airline Monday to Friday and not doing personal business activities. That would be irresponsible. But then again, the Village is a somewhat special place for those who inhabit the bubble.


VAH shares down another 6.25% today and currently listed at $0.075.
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Old 10th Mar 2020, 07:54
  #284 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by The Bullwinkle
Not nit-picking. Just calling out lies when I see them.
We aren’t all a bunch of angry men as the other post portrayed so I am going to defend the mostly great guys that work here!
I wasn’t specific enough Bullwinkle, apologies I meant “without passengers on board”.

I’ll wear the hat as long as it’s part of the uniform policy as I’m paid to do so. Do I like the hat? Not really, it’s a poor shape and has an emblem of nothing but it’s part of the job so I wear it. Funnily enough people ranted about the old uniform and I just wore that as well. I preferred the open neck but didn’t like the beige. Didn’t mind the jacket, at least it was different and not trying to be something we’re not. In my book VB old school is the go.

Just ideas and my opinion, don’t mind people if people disagree with it, maybe my roster is slightly better than theirs this month (unlikely). I get it.

All the best.
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Old 10th Mar 2020, 07:54
  #285 (permalink)  
 
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Either Scurrah is privy to something and that's possibly insider trading, or he's backing himself and taking a huge punt.

i know where my money is.
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Old 10th Mar 2020, 08:04
  #286 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by Chadzat
And therein lies the problem with VA (well probably most airlines actually) at the moment. Illustrated in those two posts directly above. You have a very sensible overall suggestion/idea that people should band together when literally the fate of the airline could be at stake in 2020, depending on COVID duration, and you get nitpickers and spiteful people who cant get over history.

Yes VA management have stuffed up majorly under JB but if people just arent flying - well some drastic and unpopular measures need to be taken TEMPORARILY by all. A number of suggestions on how to personally help are being discussed on the line already but there is a fear that the 10% of nutjobs who make the most noise come every EBA will try to quash the well-meaning of the masses.
sorry, but what was spiteful about it? Just saying that in my experience these days, 99% of pilots switch off the APU...when appropriate.
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Old 10th Mar 2020, 09:11
  #287 (permalink)  
 
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So Scurrah has allegedly spent close to $95k on worthless stock - what's the reason ????
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Old 10th Mar 2020, 09:19
  #288 (permalink)  
 
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VA will get through it. The money is in the domestic business. This is what matters most. Australians will travel locally for the time being. With capacity reductions and likely improved domestic demand - this will help the overall business performance (everyone is being urged to take leave. They have to travel somewhere). The share price will recover. He will make money from it. Everyone will.
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Old 10th Mar 2020, 09:28
  #289 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by Des Dimona
Either Scurrah is privy to something and that's possibly insider trading, or he's backing himself and taking a huge punt.

i know where my money is.
Agreed. Perhaps he really believes there will be a turnaround in the next 12 months that will see the shares rise a couple of cents because the price can’t go much lower? Or is there some big announcements coming that, announcements that although painful, will get the shareholders excited and have the market jumping for joy which in turn will give the Fuhrer some quick personal profit? Only time will tell.

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Old 10th Mar 2020, 09:30
  #290 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by Des Dimona
So Scurrah has allegedly spent close to $95k on worthless stock - what's the reason ????
With what he earns, $100k is chump change. It could be a simple tactic to make the market and shareholders feel warm and fuzzy and retain some confidence in him and the business when they see the CEO buying shares. It’s happenned before! Smoke and mirrors.
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Old 10th Mar 2020, 17:56
  #291 (permalink)  
 
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No big deal really. He did this back in March 2019 as well when these two entities purchased just over 1.1 million shares. Interestingly though for an average of 17cents per share. Probably just ‘dollar cost averaging’ 😊.
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Old 10th Mar 2020, 21:30
  #292 (permalink)  
 
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I wasn’t specific enough Bullwinkle, apologies I meant “without passengers on board”.
Thanks for clarifying!
Two points:-
Firstly, I don’t believe that type of behaviour is as prevalent as you are suggesting.
Secondly, if the off going crew weren’t in attendance when you arrived at the aircraft, then you are merely making assumptions that they didn’t have a valid reason for leaving the packs running.
It’s very easy to exaggerate the number of occurrences and make assumptions about others behaviour but if you don’t have all the facts, you’re just being as negative as the pilots that you’re targeting.
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Old 10th Mar 2020, 22:57
  #293 (permalink)  
 
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Two rules have held me in good stead over the years. Never get tax advice from a pilot. Never get financial advice from a pilot.
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Old 10th Mar 2020, 23:21
  #294 (permalink)  
 
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I wouldn’t try to twist my post it into something it isn’t. I’m not attacking people it’s just not what I’m about.

All I’m saying is that the real shareholders in this company are indeed the pilots. Right now I’m seeing and hearing of companies larger than ours failing or close to failure. If Virgin fails nearly everyone bar the pilots will simply find a similar paying job in the home town.

All I’m saying is that it might be worth considering forgetting about all the nonsense and noise (JB wiggy hello everyone) and trying to find a way to help save a few dollars which over 600 flights a day could actually make a difference.

I personally seeing nothing wrong with interacting with passengers and saving fuel where it has no adverse affect on safety. Idle decents, track shortening precooling the cabin to then turn the APU off once 2/3 of the passengers have left and turning it back on just before boarding would in my opinion make a difference due to the scale of the operation and the high interest borrowings involved. Besides it’s quieter during set up/walk around.

My post is about keeping us in a job that’s all. People are pretty afraid to come up with constructive ideas for fear of not being one of the boys, I fear seeing the place close more. Anyway I’m happy to be flamed if it convinces some to help keep the creditors away from OUR investment. BG JB PS come and go you and I will hopefully be here for years to come.
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Old 10th Mar 2020, 23:36
  #295 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by Berealgetreal
I wouldn’t try to twist my post it into something it isn’t. I’m not attacking people it’s just not what I’m about.

All I’m saying is that the real shareholders in this company are indeed the pilots. Right now I’m seeing and hearing of companies larger than ours failing or close to failure. If Virgin fails nearly everyone bar the pilots will simply find a similar paying job in the home town.

All I’m saying is that it might be worth considering forgetting about all the nonsense and noise (JB wiggy hello everyone) and trying to find a way to help save a few dollars which over 600 flights a day could actually make a difference.

I personally seeing nothing wrong with interacting with passengers and saving fuel where it has no adverse affect on safety. Idle decents, track shortening precooling the cabin to then turn the APU off once 2/3 of the passengers have left and turning it back on just before boarding would in my opinion make a difference due to the scale of the operation and the high interest borrowings involved. Besides it’s quieter during set up/walk around.

My post is about keeping us in a job that’s all. People are pretty afraid to come up with constructive ideas for fear of not being one of the boys, I fear seeing the place close more. Anyway I’m happy to be flamed if it convinces some to help keep the creditors away from OUR investment. BG JB PS come and go you and I will hopefully be here for years to come.
Hopefully not one of these captains that makes you sit in the airplane between flights (extended sits) with no air. Good way to add to fatigue and result in making a mistake and getting hung out to dry by FOQA. Save money sure, but don’t make your experience tougher at work to save a couple bucks.

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Old 11th Mar 2020, 01:39
  #296 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by T-Vasis
Yes - a slip of the keyboard.

But B772 - what value is Perth to anyone. That's not where the population and demand is. And I don't speak to just EY - I speak to all members where the program benefits apply - that includes the key shareholders of VA - hence their investment in the first place. They didn't invest becasue VA was a cash cow... They invested to capture the AUS market share to fill their own seats. Hence my use of 'et al' in the original statement. You're either a QF or VA member (or both in some instances).
I do have to wonder, why couldn't most of those shareholders arrange a partnership with DJ/VA without the need to take an equity stake in the first place. SQ for example was able to maintain codeshares with VS after selling their stake to DL.

I understand most of those shareholders' financial circumstances back when they started getting involved with VA were different back then (as opposed to now where they're struggling financially to stay afloat themselves).
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Old 11th Mar 2020, 02:41
  #297 (permalink)  
 
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Hopefully not one of these captains that makes you sit in the airplane between flights (extended sits) with no air. Good way to add to fatigue and result in making a mistake and getting hung out to dry by FOQA. Save money sure, but don’t make your experience tougher at work to save a couple bucks.
There is still air without the bleed on.

I am sure you don't run the air conditioning/heating at home 24/7 if the temperature is nice and comfortable (about 20 degrees) so there is no need to do so at work.



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Old 11th Mar 2020, 03:13
  #298 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by John Citizen
There is still air without the bleed on.

I am sure you don't run the air conditioning/heating at home 24/7 if the temperature is nice and comfortable (about 20 degrees) so there is no need to do so at work.
Unless there's 170 pax on board and it's "front only" due to staff shortages.
If you're in row 29 it gets pretty uncomfortable by the time you get off, regardless of the outside temperature.
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Old 11th Mar 2020, 03:20
  #299 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by DanV2
I do have to wonder, why couldn't most of those shareholders arrange a partnership with DJ/VA without the need to take an equity stake in the first place. SQ for example was able to maintain codeshares with VS after selling their stake to DL.

I understand most of those shareholders' financial circumstances back when they started getting involved with VA were different back then (as opposed to now where they're struggling financially to stay afloat themselves).
Different times for equity partners and VA. Buying into airlines was all the rage, until it wasn't. Getting a seat on the board gives you power. Australia is a valuable market. We pay top dollar. We travel a lot. For those equity partners - they saw the benefits of traffic as well as control of the business, and associated financial gains achieved. Problem is - most equity investments have not worked out. I see Air Italy collapsed, hammering QR's investment. FlyBe and VS;s investment etc.
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Old 11th Mar 2020, 03:53
  #300 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by DUXNUTZ
Hopefully not one of these captains that makes you sit in the airplane between flights (extended sits) with no air. Good way to add to fatigue and result in making a mistake and getting hung out to dry by FOQA. Save money sure, but don’t make your experience tougher at work to save a couple bucks.
I just judge it based on the scenario, if there are paxing crew or a passenger staying back for a wheel chair then I’ll leave it.

If I see an opportunity to safely save some fuel I take it because ultimately thats increasing the chances of us keeping our jobs in the long term and it’s also quieter for the pit crew and other pilot doing the walk around. Besides, the pit crew go to the trouble of plugging ground power in when they probably have far better things to do.

Last thing I want to do is make passengers or paxing pilots more fatigued than they already are!

People that try to do a good job and also happen to be doing what management want aren’t the enemy. The enemy are the loan repayments.

A lot of employees see it as just a job and if it closes its not a massive problem so they won’t be looking to save or help and that’s pretty normal in the workplace. For us it’s a different story.

Just my bit. If you look at what the 737 clears and divide it out across how many flights a day we have it’s actually not that much so the small savings are proportionately a lot more than most realise.
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