Jetstar to hire 150 pilots
 

JETSTAR has begun a massive recruiting campaign for 150 Airbus A320 and A330 pilots to allow it to meet its aggressive expansion plans.

Recruiters in markets such as Europe, Asia, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa will be working to sign up the pilots over the next five months to fill positions across its network.

The recruiting drive brings to an end a freeze on hiring introduced after a run-in with pilots earlier this year over moves to put new hires on permanent part-time contracts. News of the contracts triggered widespread anger among the pilot group and prompted legal action by the Australian Federation of Air Pilots.

Jetstar chief executive Bruce Buchanan said yesterday the new recruits were necessary to meet the airline's continuing growth.

"We have got to the point where we're the fastest-growing and most successful airline ever, having reached almost 20 million passengers in our seventh year of operation," he said.

"And that growth rate is continuing. We are saying we need a big recruiting drive in terms of pilots to continue to support the success and growth.

"And so we've put out a big drive across all of our bases."

Mr Buchanan said the positions were also open to Qantas pilots after the Airline and International Pilots Association reactivated a memorandum of understanding in Fair Work Australia.

He said the MOU allowed Qantas pilots in Australia to not only take a leave of absence but get a seniority slot in Jetstar that opened up promotional opportunities in the low-cost carrier.

About 40 positions are for A330 pilots, although Mr Buchanan said this could increase.

He said those positions were also open to internal candidates, and they could end up being filled by 20 internal and 20 external candidates, creating a need to fill more A320 positions.

The airline says its last recruiting drive attracted about 10 pilots for every position and Mr Buchanan said he hoped to replicate this by offering a package that includes the ability to work any part of the business with first "dibs" on any career opportunities.

He said the airline also offered financial stability as well as some of the latest aircraft types and access to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

But the airline has yet to reach a resolution with its pilot group on contracts for new hires.

AFAP executive director Terry O'Connell said last night that talks with the airline were ongoing, with discussions continuing this week and more talks scheduled for next week.

"We are hopeful of some progress but it's still in train, so to speak," he said.

Mr O'Connell said the union would want the new hires to be employed under the EBA.

"As far as we're concerned, there's no other option," he said.

"All I can say is that the talks are progressing."





So does anyone on the inside know as to whether the EBA will be offered either on a part time / full time basis and when ground schools are supposed to start?

"The airline says its last recruiting drive attracted about 10 pilots for every position and Mr Buchanan said he hoped to replicate this by offering a package that includes the ability to work any part of the business with first "dibs" on any career opportunities."

From memory the last drive resulted in 5 people actually accepting the offered terms for the 55 positions. Given Mr Buchanan's track record I wouldn't apply for any "package" that did not have the protection of an EBA. His public comments appear to be somewhat detached from reality on a regular basis.

If you have a reasonable job, wait until the existing management have gone.

My two cents worth.

Liberal with the truth
 

BB says "We have got to the point where we're the fastest-growing and most successful airline ever, having reached almost 20 million passengers in our seventh year of operation,"

Only because you have leached the pax from the mother ship.:mad:

This offer doesn't mean much IMO, it has just been created as a means to transfer QF guys over to Jetstar, and maybe a few pissed off Tiger guys too. They won't be doing much, if any, external recruiting at all if you ask me.

Why would they? I just got an email a few weeks ago from rishworth for a320 f/o's for $65k NZD. Maybe the response rate was pretty poor? :E

Get in quick and beat the rush transferring from QF!:E

Note: Evil smilie used in absence of tongue in cheek smilie!;)

Can someone in the know please advise what an average (yep, thats me, very) Jetstar A320 F/O earns in Australia? I have tried searching but there is suprisingly little consistent info.

you haven't looked to hard have you!
JETSTAR jobs, payscales and entry requirements.

Say "no" to watering down our profession.

Also, I would advise you to become part of a union such as the AFAP. Know your rights, and unite. It the only way to make things change.

last offer oversubscribed by a factor of10 eh Bruce. That would be about 550 pilots vying for 55 positions! As Bombs gone said, only 5 jellybacks applied, and it seems they lucked out onto the EBA because of the efforts of the AFAP/JPC (Federal court injunction). I'd bet my house that those five pilots weren't even union members. Good one guys!

Years ago the Mayor of New York instigated zero tolerance policing. This was sucessful in catching serious criminal offenders by netting apparently ordinary citizens for any breach of the law, no matter how trivial. On a large number of ocassions these petty acts resulted in the offender being aprehended for the comitting of former serious crimes.

The dishonesty of this management is truely breathtaking. Some may say that it's just smoke and mirrors, it's simply playing the game. It underlines however a much deeper attitude WRT corporate responsibility. As with the criminals apprehended in the above example, JQ/QF management are so used to comitting what they see as acceptable transgressions (lying to all and sundry, The media, the public, the Senate!), that what lies underneath must surely be interesting.

Unless this latest offer of employment is under the current JQ EBA, DON'T TOUCH IT! You will only be facilitaing the evil empire, and sowing the seeds of our own destruction. JQ management will have to act responsibly, or shelve their expansion plans, and they're unlikely to do that! As for the 5 weak as P!ss characters that took the last offer, well done boys, you are enjoying the fruits of labour facilitated by men much stronger than you. My advice, keep your heads down and thank your lucky stars!

+1 Krusty :ok:

Join the AFAP! Didn't they start this all off and let it happen......Who is signatory to the Jetstar Award...time to let the pilots run the unions again...not the staff...they have nothing to lose.....the pilots do.

Jibba Jabba, thanks for your redundant link. I have seen that but as my use of the word average implied, I was actually after average pay given current hours being flown. The current offer is per the Jetstar EBA. Thanks.

A,

Spoke to a mate who is on the A320 SYD, yesterday.

He tells me the average F/O money is about $3200 nett per fortnight with the odd overtime ( day off payment ) thrown in once a month. He did say they are working 1000 hours per year under a dispo so I wouldn't count on o/t.

GUARD

Thanks Guard.

Directly from the 2008 J* EBA


Level 1 - 87k
Level 2 - 89K
Level 3 - 103k

Be careful.
I just bought my daughter a ticket to Singapore and back for the netball championships on Jetstar. She's travelled a fair bit and said it was her worst travel experience ever.

Rude cabin crew, poor on-time -performance and appalling food.
I suppose you get what you pay for.

Can this airline survive given the dreadful press and internet publicity?

I'm willing to give anything a go once but the naysayers are correct, it's mickey mouse.

yes it can..........the low fare leisure traveller in this country is in a league of its own....having operated in other countries under similar models i can tell you it out stands me on a daily basis.. Our cliental don't believe in shoes...or personal hygiene (nor can control there bladders apparently while seated)..It is the same people i see everyday disembarking ranting and raving about how they will never travel on us again..that i see the week after on board again....But i do agree the novelty wares off quite quickly. Tiger is the perfect example..if it wasn't for CASA shutting it down,,,,,,they would be lining up in droves ....

It aint overly redundant, as it still gets updated. But you got your average found out.
A jetstar f/o in Darwin, has alot of time off and rarely any overtime or monthly excess payments. So Averages can be vary depending on location so make sure you ask where they are based if your that keen for a number.
92k / 26 = $3500pf; so not to far from that above quoted average.
good luck
:ok:

You've got to be kidding, IMHO the Jetstar EBA is already crap.

Do not apply until their EBA is paying market rate, and by that I mean as per the mainline EBA.

Do not become one of the cretins that will see only the short term " oh I want to fly a jet".

IMHO, Jetstar EBA is not the standard, Jetstar EBA is below the standard, grow some stones.

Tax is the obvious killer in this country, you lose 35k of your income in a flash of a 130k salary.

Tiger guys were doing about $3700nett at some bases last month per fortnight. Compared to a Tiger F/O in Singapore which could be rolling in upwards of $5100 Singapore dollars per fortnight.

Well then it would be goodbye a few hundred pilots if they did that.

Have a look at some other low cost carriers around the world and you will find this is pretty much standard, look at the likes of AirAsia and some US LCC's and you have Captains on Jetstar and Tiger F/O Salaries.

Although in the case of AirAsia, you have Jetstar Cabin crew earning more than some F/Os!

Don;t you have to salary sacrifice your endorsement costs as well? Thats what the pilot FAQ says on website.

How much you lose a fortnight though that??