Mega Merged: Latest Rex Media Releases re:Routes & the Pilot Shortage
 

REX MEDIA RELEASE 06 May 2008

Rex Announces Network Changes

Regional Express (Rex)has today announced a number of network schedule changes as a result of the continuing pilot shortage. Rex will withdraw from the Cooma (Snowy Mountains) to Sydney route indefinitely, which had been planned to recommence from 6 June 2008, as well as reducing flying activities elsewhere in the network.

Rex General Manager, Network Strategy and Sales, Mr Warrick Lodge said,
“When we announced our decision to suspend the summer schedule for Cooma, we were counting on a lessening of the recruitment activities of the major carriers over the winter period to enable us to resume the Cooma service in winter. Unfortunately this was not to be and in the most recent month of April, Rex experienced 5% attrition in our pilot ranks, with the attrition rate in this FY tracking above 50%.”

“The continued high attrition rate means that our flight schedules remain vulnerable to last minute sickness of the flight crew. We believe that the responsible course of action is to reduce the flight schedule, which will provide us with more reserve pilots and in turn will translate into a reduction of last minute flight cancellations.”

:eek:

Doh! Rule No 1 in aviation Mr L..............NEVER assume anything :=

So there was no back up plan, or budgeting for 'worst case' scenario? Management incompetence at it's finest! :rolleyes:

Perhaps Qantaslink could pick up the slack and introduce a Sydney-Cooma-Mt. Hotham Skiers service.

Sorry, that was tongue-in-cheek :}

And still both companies sit on their hands re pilot attrition:{

LT DAN. :D You are so correct, There is no pilot shortage

farrari,

You don't understand the meaning of shortage in this sense. Rex does not have enough pilots because of a huge attrition rate which has the "Double Whammy" effect of meaning they need to train at high rates, whilst losing most of their experienced training staff.

They MAY have enough applicants who meet their minimum requirements, but no company can lose over 50% of it's pilots a year and not fell the pinch.

As to why they dropped Cooma, well, obviously if they have to cut services because they can't get enough pilots on line, they are going to drop their least profitable ones first.

During winter Cooma makes money. Wiz' is on the money again.

Then there's Lismore, Merimbula, Albury, Orange, etc...... Not cancelled in their entireity yet, but have all suffered last minute cancellations and continue to do so. These routes are REX's core business, and they are under enormous stress. Weekends are a nightmare, as crews (who are only entitled to one weekend off per month) choose to spend time with their families rather than pay the tax man with REX's inadequate incentive payments.

And what about Brisbane? The REX CP recently assured a Brisbane based F/O (overdue for command) that come September services would resume and he could then expect a command without having to move a third time! fortunately he was able to see through that little piece of bullsh!t, and has now moved on to better patures.

REX are in serious, serious trouble. So are QFLink, but unlike REX they will Jump in (albeit belatedly) and pay their experienced pilots substantialy more to keep them. Once that happens (it has begun already), and QFLink are forced to seek out High time turbo-prop Captains for direct entry, then REX will lose the last of their commands to the opposition!

And as for Mr lodge's statement about hopeing the majors would slow down their recruitment. At a social function some time ago, a certain senior pilot commented to him that the appetite for pilots at the majors would continue for some years yet. As usual, REX management types do not consider the informed opinions of their senior staff as having any value.

Way to go Warrick!

Well they need to get their s**t together - Out of curiosity I filled out an on-line application about two months ago and have heard nothing from them.
Got 10,000 hours, lots of experience on many things and in many places etc.

Why no call?

(I wasn't going to take the job unless it was a Brissy-based Captain, but I didn't even get asked)

New Press Release
 

"A Really Unreliable source".............................

Rex have just announced they have sourced a solution to their short/long term crewing issues.
Quoting senior flight ops mangr Max Headroom "we realized that by removing the wings and placing a taxi sign on the roof of the SAAB crewing was no longer a problem,we also found flight duty times did not apply and nor was there any requirement for training crew,sim sessions,renewals etc".
Rex have also announced a new cadet scheme in conjunction with Taxi's Combined. Unfortunatly there is an English test..........if you pass ..you fail.
Thankfully the navigation tollerances once required can be ignored as the longer it takes the more money Rex makes.

Thank you and Goodnight

.........where's my post ?:{



CW:bored:

Can anyone advise if Snowy Mountains or Mt Hotham would be able to take an F100? Sorry, no jepps at home...

Cooma would.

Hotham, definately not!

Just heard a promo for ABC radio in SA saying they will be discussing the pilot shortage and speaking to REX reps about it.

Also invited pilot's etc. to call up and have their say on why Rex and others are having difficulty attracting / retaining pilots.

Chance to perhaps put the pilot's perspective?
Ph. 1300 222 891

After 4pm SA time...

It is interesting to read in this thread that pilots with more than enough hours who have applied to REX are getting no response. My best friend, who has over 2200TT with 1200 turbine, albeit S.E. Turbine, is still waiting for a reply... The application was made in January! I suppose because he is lacking in multi hours he is not worthy, especially when there will be "highly qualified" cadets with 200 hours coming through soon...:ugh:

It would be interesting to see how many experienced applicants recieved no response...

REX you have made your bed, now quietly sleep in it.

oh and for the record he ended up on bigger and better birds anyway, so it all worked for the best!:ok:

Quote:

"oh and for the record he ended up on bigger and better birds anyway, so it all worked for the best!:ok:"

I'd hazzard a guess world traveler, that's the reason "experienced" people are not getting a go. REX are well aware that they are uncompetitve when it comes to the retention of pilots, so they are not even bothering to try. And probably with good reason. Cadets and low time "captive" wannabes are the order of the day. They will save us!

The reason Rex doesn't reply to pilot applicants is simple.
They would like to con the government into allowing cheap
overseas labour in.

Unprofessional recruiting
 

Reading the last couple of posts and many others re experienced pilots not being contacted by Rex, is truly idiotic. Other than the obvious reasons, the people in recruitment are not the most efficient nor professional.
It is common courtesy (as I have experience in recruiting for an emergency service) to be contactable, approachable and provide feedback - no matter how busy you are. 1700 cadet applications are nothing when you consider ambulance and fire receive upwards of 4000 and manage to do it all in a timely manner.
Inefficiency is letting willing and experienced pilots fall by the wayside.

I am applying for the cadet program and can't even find out if they have read my application!!!
A friend of mine rang asking about the program and was abruptly told "if you apply now we won't look at your application for at least 5 months"!!!

Are they serious!!:D

What a joke!!!:ok:

Priority should be given to getting the experienced pilots moving into the system as they are cheaper to train and offer a more immediate solution.:confused:

What are you on about mate??? I hope that was tongue in cheek?

So paying peanuts to guys from South Africa IS THE ANSWER to their perceived shortage?????

Total rubbish I'm affraid.

YOU Aussies must all STAND up for yourselves and be COUNTED.

there are plenty of experienced guys/girls ALREADY IN OZ that can DO THE JOB very well.:ok:

QFlink just have to ACTUALLY RECRUIT THEM IN, then pay them properly.

Simple really.

Over to you Mr Frozzo....................incoming...........

because they are too busy GIVING YOUR JOB TO A FOREIGNER that thinks the sun shines out of QF's bum and will work eagerly for the wage they offer.
THEN in a few years they'll leave QFLink and go fly a jet anyway.

Back to square one again.

This thread's about REX
 

ACMS..........

One of us seems to be missing the point here, and I think it's you. :confused:

Post #19 Post #20 re foreigners that think the sun shines out of '...QF's bum.'

Perhaps, but this thread's about REX.

ACMS -What I was "on about" were those pilots from Australia who are getting knocked back or not even the courtesy of a reply:=. I certainly did not mean pilots from overseas . An apparent mis-understanding;).
Nor do I agree with 'outsourcing' to other countries ie DECs.

The reference to 'cheaperer training' was referring to the cost of training a pilot with more than a thousand hrs compared to a cadet. Surely it stands to reason that these types of pilots with experience would be checked and flying the SAAB 340s quicker and bolster the ranks of very junior pilots??

Plenty of people on these forums who are Australian pilots have said the same thing, not even a reply and are left wondering "if there really is a shortage".

Simply case is the people in recruitment/HR know that they don't have to reply, that they can leave phones off the hook, because they don't give a rats... they know that if I spit the dummy and withdraw my application, someone else will take my place.:ugh:

ok then Capt Stoobing, just as long as we are on the same page:ok:

QF recruitment should have a rocket shot up their rears

That we are ACMS!!

REX's problem with pilots...
 

I have heard a lot about the problem that REX in Australia is facing due to its pilots leaving the company creating some difficulties to keep the operations regular. I was asking myself why the pilots are leaving, just for making career in others airlines or maybe the labor conditions in the company is not very satisfactory?

Does anybody know something about it?

Regards!

Very very low pay compared to the cost of living here. Simple as that. Garbage collectors do better.

Management still have a 19th Century mill owners attitude...........:ugh:

When you can make more working as a flight attendant at any other airline in the country, this should answer your question....

The company is F..:mad: Staff morale is low, they are loosing top check and trainers left right and centre(many of these have asked for a pay rise but didnt get it). The answer is staring at them right in the face. How can they possibly believe that you can live on 42K PA in sydney. It's a friggin joke. In fact I have even heard they have got 1 sim instructor left. It's a shame, the company has a lot of potential.

GA

Had....:hmm:

Report in News.com
 

Just read the heart felt story from Rex on News.com.au.

Yeah right! Yet again I find my desk surrounded by finger pointers asking me why I, as a pilot, don't run down there with my leather helmet and goggles and help them out!!
I always enjoy the gasps of suprise when I tell them what my monthly take would be if I did. Yet again, the non flying folks simply can't comprehend it.

Rx and Ql have effectively reduced the once sought after career choice of becoming a pilot, to LESS than that of a school bus driver. (no offence to bus drivers as you guys earn more).

Roll on the 6 year cadet slaves and the 457's!! So glad I'm off overseas.

BP:ugh:

Simple question and a simple answer;

Short term management greed at the expense of their staff and patrons.

So.........did anyone catch the ABC radio program? What did Rex have to say for themselves, and more importantly, did any pilots call up to put the truth forward?? And of course, what did Lawrie have to say??? :rolleyes:

The so called pilot shortage......
 

There are enough competent pilots available in Australia for REX to hire.

The problem is not finding the pilots but retaining them.

Who cannot understand a REX Saab F/O moving to one of the bigger operators to fly a nicer, newer jet at double the pay..???

With their new school REX anticipates this flow-through of F/O's. As long as there is demand for pilots from the bigger ailrines, the school will provide new inflow to REX for F/O positions. When the flow-through stops the school is in trouble or has to start training for China and/or India..

For the Captains the situation is entirely different. It is essential that REX retains the experienced Captains, but even these are now enticed by the option to go to the bigger airlines for basically the same pay as they have today (when they start as F/O), with the prospect of getting fast-tracked to a jet command and enjoying the much higher pay as well....

It is very difficult to see how REX can stay viable without some drastic measures to retain the experienced pilots and trainers. As a minimum they would have to be looking at SERIOUS retention bonusses for these key people. Think about $25,000 - $50,000 a year for the next 2-3 years. And then still DEC's may have to be brought in as well....

With the shares trading at just above $1 it seems the market has also some doubts about how the future of REX will shape up.

????
 

Didn't you blokes learn anything from GA?
There was a time when operators paid for endorsements and training. Then the airlines and the flying schools convinced a squillion young blokes to get qualifications at their own expense and go into GA for " a short time" until that golden airline job came along. But it didn't come along so many quit, or went overseas, and the operators found they had become continuous free training organisation for young hopefuls who demanded twin time.
So the free endorsements are now very rare.
Our airlines have learned from this, and they are smart enough not to provide free training for the transient ones, like GA did. They have learned from the GA disaster, but it seems some pilots and some operatrs have difficulty understanding this.
A proper system requires a reasonal committment from both the employer and the employee. The better employers and the better employees will shun arrangements that do not have that committment on both sides.
So they should.

So Bushy..............try telling that to a REX F/O living in Sydney on $40,000 odd dollars after he's spent huge amounts of money to get there in the first place.

It's time for Airlines to actually pay a decent fair wage and maybe a bit more for the Pilot's to WANT TO STAY.
Then the Employee might be happy to give a REASONABLE COMMITTMENT.

It's a two way street.

Simple really.

From what I understand the heading should read "Pilots problems with REX":confused:

I normally agree with you bushy, but I think you're talking semantics. It's truely been a long time since anything like what you mentioned has existed in GA. No-one paid for any of my GA training, and the only reason some airlines require self funded endorsements is because they can still get away with it!

As for any of these operators learning anything from history, well I've yet to see it. A bunch of reactionary catch-up merchants the lot of them.

Professionals or prostitutes?
 

ACMS
While there are plenty of wannabies who are prepared to do it for low wages, they will get low wages. Just like GA.
I earned $43,000 flying a kingair fifteen years ago.
I could never understand why pilots, who I thought were intelligent people would spend so much time and money getting trained for jobs that just were not there. It's been happening for thirty years. It's still happening.
In this supposed pilot shortage, it appears that only about one in a hundred are considered suitable for airlines. Some pilots do not even get a reply to their application, and of the ones that do, three quarters are rejected before trainig starts.
The rejected ones, and those who do not get a reply often go on to have distinguished careers elsewhere. (sometimes with overseas airlines)
Airlines do not like spending money on training, and they will steal trained pilots from elsewhere if they can. It has always been so. It did not start yesterday.
A CPL is not necessarily a free ticket to a golden skygod job. People who want an airline job are taking a big risk if they spend money on training without some sort of agreement with an airline.
But still they come. And they work for low wages, and complain.
Just like GA was. What's new??

At around $70K as a capt on a prop plane in REX (could be wrong there but it aint much am sure) there is the EXACT problem! MONEY, and with the lack of that folding stuff loyality went out the window moons ago. You beat a loyal dog long enough & even he'll bite the hand that feeds him!:bored:

The guys that passed thru Kendells years ago with pride must be crying now to see REX dieing.
We where all stunned when Ansett went under, will we feel the same when REX goes under? Only for the employees left who are gallantly bringing home the bacon!:bored:


CW

Where's the AFAP???
 

It strikes me as bizarre as someone new to this industry that upon reading article after article in both NSW and interstate newspapers re Rex and the pilot shortage that only one mentioned Ts and Cs.
It was not a quote from AFAP or a rep!!!
Where are they:confused:

Coming from an industry where you got value for your union fees and that the union acted in the best interests of its members, especially publicly, the AFAP is a joke!!!! Are they toothless???:ugh:

There appears no campaign from the AFAP on behalf of their constituents to 'set the record straight' to the public and expose these gastly Ts and Cs. These people (pilots) are responsible for the safety of 34 people. A huge responsibility. Trainee nurses are paid more!!:*
Surely the gloves must come off and media are approached to embarrass the management into action. The time is ripe, pilots have more bargaining power right now than they have in a long time. Strike action or threatened industrial action would kill the company - they (the company) know it, but it seems they also know that the union is a toothless tiger, nothing more.:D

Its coming time to negotiate the new EBA for REX. I hope for all concerned that there are serious discussions regarding decent wages for all and retention bonuses for their senior pilots (those who are left). Time for the AFAP to show some kohoonas!!!!

why pay for the endorsement/type training/years of GA when you can earn more in sydney than a rex f/o when you can get a job with qf as cabin crew in qcca longhaul. they are currently employing