Air NZ Blocking Link Pilots Employment
 

Is Air NZ (Big Brother), blocking Captains from Air Nelson, Eagle and Mt Cook from joining the Land of milk and honey?

It seems that if you are even lucky to get an interview, you have to wait for all the GA pilots from for example Airwork, Origin, Vincent and Air Chats, who were interviewed after you to get a course.

If this is the case, my advice is don't join the Link Operators, don't take a command at the Link Operators, or resign from the Link Operators. You'll get into Air NZ quicker.

If you're in this boat, give Big Brother a call and ask if they are bypassing you? But make sure you talk to the organ grinder, not one of the monkeys.

Hmmm odd
 

This is a post that will involve much head scratching from an outsider like myself.

Is it possible that AirNZ and Eagle (Link) have some sort of agreement that stops the brain-drain and experience leaving? If so, you would wonder...

ECT?

Brain Drain?????????????????????? This is new Zealand we are discussing here.........

Aren't there a bunch of Mt Cook guys currently on a B737 course (including at least one Captain?)

Possibly they have reinstituted an old "gentlemans agreement" at Air NZ.

Used to be that way years ago when several very eligible Saab CPT's at Air Nelson couldn't get Air NZ mainline interviews while marginals (no offence intended) from Eagle / Rex etc got the jobs. Was told (unofficially of course) by the then Line Ops Mgr at Air Nelson that there was an unwritten policy of not buggering the regionals by stripping their TRN departments etc.

Understandable from a bean counter's perspective I guess, but can remember some sad Saab CPT's / TRN CPT's who with all their efforts and extras from slogging their way through the GA, Uni degrees, Commuters etc, found that they would never be able to achieve their career goals due to corporate interference.

Some left to; Crossair, BMI. CX etc... But that meant facing effective exile from their own country. :-(

I would hope that it isn't happening again. Perhaps the "new" Air NZ mgt isn't that new after all?

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37b getting icthy feet?? these "GA" company's that you mention all operate bar vincent (1900D's) bigger faster or more complex aircraft than the link group.
Maybe these company's with their more hands on approach to employing of crew seclect pilot's that are more suited to the "land of milk and honey" while if ya dont cut it with link well lets face it many just become Cpt's.
There's a 747 course at mo with all link pilot's while I know of other's in the "GA" seen waiting
If ya on a yes letter what a great place too be! just chill out 6mths is a long time in aviation

Hey but I'm just a fence post:ok:

Anyone know for sure if Air NZ has an unofficial pilot recruitment age limit?

Age discrimination was knocked on the head in Aotearoa wasn't it, at least they (Air NZ) wouldn't admit to one.



Shags

If Big Brother is halting the career prospects of Link pilots then this does suck. But at least the Link pilots are getting a good salary and flying safe aircraft whilst they wait for the call.

Spare a thought for the real GA pilots. They too are being held back from Link jobs by so called gentlemen's agreements between Link operators and GA employers. However these same agreements open up opurtunities as well so it is a matter of good things come to those who wait.........hopefully!!!!!:ok:

37B, I don't think that is the case at the moment. There have been a few on yes letters that have been offered jobs but prefer to wait for what they want. Even if it takes more than 6 months. That then puts them at the botom for the next job offer. For a while they couldn't get anyone to fly the 737. So some quite new guys got the 73 jobs while the others waited and watched their senority number get bigger and bigger.

There is also some sort of rigging with the ages so that a whole bunch don't retire at the same time, so there seems to be a variety of ages being interviewed so stop this or at least slow it down. IE: they want the max usage out of their new hires.

It costs a lot more to have a jet on the ground due no crew than a t/p.El Oso mentions a time when Nsn was on critical manning due to their own fault, then Air NZ came-a-knockin'. So a few guys were shafted as a result.

Would I resign earlier to get an earlier start date....knowing what I know now. Yup!

Air NZ seems to keep open the lines of communications to the regionals now as a result of lessons learned over the last decade, and let the affected regional know what's up in advance.

I too know of a few Capts that are struggling to get interviews whilst their rt seaters, who are still mopping up the primordial ooze from their audio devices, get yes letters!

From what others are saying there are 30 still to be employed this year and another 40-60 next year. Then expect it to go quiet.

As a suggestion:
Take the first job you get offered! This hanging about for a S/O slot just to go and party on some far off island might come back and give you a dose....

Here endith my rant. :p

Pray tell me, is getting into ANZ, "the land of milk and honey" the be all to end all??? I don't think so.

Mr Joseph Shanks..agreed.

Why does this surprise u guys.

QANTAS has been following the same policy for years.
Ask all the boys and girls from Eastern and Sunstate. QANTAS wont even take F/O's out of those companies.

Buy the way there is a group of 4 going through ground school at Air New Zealand who I believe were commanders on B1900's and ATR's.

Hope their policy hasn't changed recently.

As one of many ex Air Nelson cpt's who left around 7 yrs ago due to lack of career progression I can safely say it was one of the best things I have ever done. There is a whole lot of opportunity out there. Many of us who left are in the left seat of medium to heavy jets( some in training roles) and will nerver look back.

Having to leave your home country in pursuit of your career is not the end of the world. Air new Zealand is a big fish in a very very small pond, there are by far better choices out there.

tutai, having just got my "Airn Zolind 4 eva" tatoo I have to say I am shocked by your comments. Much the same as I thought 737-200s were still the most modern Boeing up until 2 years ago when we phased ours out I have blissfully kept my head in the sand and assumed only the best airlines got repeated government handouts and lurched from one financial disaster to another.

Don't tell me there is a whole world out there containing airlines with modern equipment that actually make money. My god man, do you understand what your saying?

Haka bound?
 

Like Tutai (didn't know someone had a user name so close to my own!). I left Air NZ Link many years ago when there was no movement in the industry. Adding to that decision was the low pay, high taxes, and the nastiest industry politics I have seen anywhere which saw people fighting over positions which in reality were not worth a damn by world stds. (Old aircraft, low pay, nasty employers etc).

I agree the world has far better opportunties than in NZ, just look how many Kiwis fly for CX, Emirates etc... Like Tutai I am way ahead of where I would have been had I stayed.

But I can empathise with "El Oso" that it is sad to have to leave ones own country (And IMHO one of these nicest places to live you could find - vouched for by the number of foreign CPT's I know trying to emigrate there for retirement).

For the reality is once you leave Air NZ and hit 40 you are probably not ever going to work there again.

My sympathies if Air NZ is up to its old tricks again. Seemed very unfair at the time. Seeing many top operators sidelined while some of the less desirable of the industry got the plum jobs.

To quote the Toyota hilux ad "bugger"!

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