Staff Travel, priority would be well down the list, sub load travel with the uncertainty it brings and the possibility of having to buy a full fare ticket at short notice. Overrated.

Business class travel on duty travel, does that occur for Network pilots?

Staff travel isn't scary at all, in laws and parents use it. Large numbers of pilots use it to commute to and from work. I use it all the time, never been bumped in over a decade.

QF staff travel, as I understand it, includes EK business class. A mate from Jetstar and I compared notes. I was stunned at how much cheaper it was than my option.

Not sure about duty travel for NAA. Ask hoofhearted.

I'd say NAA job security these days would be pretty good.

Staff Travel
 

Icarus, there is no difference to the onload priority between current Network employees and Mainline employees, everyone is the same these days. On J* services its first in first serve. Also high priority trips are available + interline so there is plenty of options to get you where you want to go. Yes, business class on duty travel, but not much need for that these days with F100 sim in Perth.

Not only does network offer job security, you also get to dress up like Captain Stubing when you go to work, win win

Its not the staff travel that may well ruin your commuting plans, it's the less than 24hr notice roster changes and the fact that annual leave is impossible to get at a time that you need/want. You will have to apply for annual leave more than a year in advance in order to be sure that you get something close to what you want. Furthermore, until a new EBA is negotiated and agreed too, annual leave is done on a seniority basis so the same people will always get Christmas, Easter etc.

Late night sign off prior to RDO's and early starts post RDO's are a regular occurrence (almost appear mandatory) and also do not help with a commute.

You must take into account that this is a company that does not care about your family commitments, childcare arrangements or any social/business appointments that you may have made - they can and will change your roster at short notice, even after sign on, to suit themselves and you will receive absolutely no support if this causes you personal difficulties.

I'm not trying to put you guys and gals off, just telling the way it actually is so you can make an informed decision about potential employment.

But you do get the rubber hat.

I'll second hoofharted with their comments, spot on.
Many of the current staff came to Network believing it to be a very low workload position. Those of us in the know knew this was never going to be the case and that is why we have been fighting for better working conditions. Five years since we were purchased and not a lot has changed. Change is on the horizon, however it could be a mirage...

Network is a company that believes it can do everything better and cheaper than the competition. In some areas they probably can. But they are quickly realizing that in the long term being a cheapskate can be costly. Take crew numbers, for example. They had believed they could run a 24/7 operation with less than three crew per a/c because, hey, it worked for charter so why not! Now when an aircraft goes tech is there a replacement crew second flight that that crew was to operate? How many late departures do we have because the captain is out refueling the a/c 10mins to departure because 'it not engineerings job'.


If your in a good job secure within a seniority system you'd be mad to leave for network. If not then buyer beware...

Oh and in regards to commuting, you only get 8 days off a month (I've heard for example Jetstar guys get up to 14) so that would be difficult to say the least!

Better get Blitzkreiger in there to sort that lot out... :} (have I already said that?! :{)