The flow of inactive pilots will reduce to a trickle by the middle of 2023. New hires will join at the bottom of a very long (and unknowable) list, behind any inactive pilot who comes back before 2026. At this stage the recruiting and training department is chugging along at anything from 20 to 30 per month, and intends to do so for the foreseeable future. New hires can't get start dates until VA runs out of redundant pilots to take those spots. By the time VA calls those pilots many will have a better offer.

Goat Whimperer: Why did they call for EOI then to externals? What a waste of time for all involved?

Happy Bandit et al

They are burning through the list at a great rate of knots. Every second person I talk to seems to be leaving for the US or QF. There is going to be a tsunami of resignations in the new year. Just hang tight, it’ll happen a lot quicker than anyone thought. Unfortunately I’m a ‘lifer’(too old to go anywhere else otherwise I would be off without a doubt) so I advise to think of it as a career step. Unless there are drastic changes you don’t want to spend the next 20-30 years here, it’s toxic at the moment. It’s hard to enjoy work (I used to) when the CEO hates you as a group and is only interested in a IPO bonus and the sooner Bain %#$@ off the better………..

Whilst every second person seems to be talking about leaving - it will be interesting to see if that actually materialises. I have my reservations.

The latest 12 month resource plan showed the need for 80FOs. That doesn’t account for attrition. So I think there’s every chance externals will be hired by middle of next year.

‘No Idea Either’ did hit the nail on the head though. Virgin is not an enjoyable place at all to work right now. Wholesale changes are needed - but anything that costs a dollar will be resisted at all costs due to this upcoming IPO which seems to be the CEOs sole attention. So the anger is only going to continue to build over the next 12-18 months until it blows up come EA time.

Thanks guys for your responses. It's so sad to hear that the morale is low currently. To be fair, I'm not sure it's better elsewhere, at least in Australia. It surprises me though, particularly after the pandemic when everyone was hurting. I'd have thought companies would be doing everything they could to keep staff and improve conditions.

Virgin used to be the place to be. How things have changed. I just hope that those looking to jump ship have something to look forward to.

I should have done my engineering degree in hindsight, except I love flying too much.

Because externals will be needed soon, and a hold file needs to built up. They'll start Q2 or Q3 of 2023. VA is concerned by inactive pilots biding their time and not coming back (as is the pilots' right), would like more to turn up.

Airlines in Australia need to get in line with the rest of the world. Either you are hiring or you aren't. This whole EOI is just nonsense.

DO NOT send a resume to anyone unless they are actively hiring.

G’day all,

Has anyone recently attended the October Assessment days in Brisbane? Any further detail on Psych testing (lead to believe it’s Compass), Interview or Group Dynamics?

An insight would be much appreciated.

Cheers,

Chuck

Hi Chuck,

Do you mind me asking roughly what your experience is? Have you flown the 737?
Just wondering who they are targeting.

Cheers

Heard a disturbing conversation among some VA crew that Bain was giving the company until New Years to perform or get cut loose, apparently a lot jumping ship as a result. Not sure if there's any truth to it or just restless murmurs but it dd not sound like the crew were not hanging around themselves to find out. Hopefully it's just a crew rumor and nothing based on concrete. Conversation was linked to many cancellations happening due to lack of crew, which is worrying the crew further that the company won't meet Bains expectations.

I think you'll find it's the management themselves that will be at risk of being cut loose.

lf a rumour to the contrary is circling the rank and file as you imply, then it's safe to say some in management know they are on the chopping block and trying the old 'make my problem seem like your problem' with regards to getting frontline staff onboard thier cause.

For an IPO to work the company will have to prove performance, otherwise the sale will go straight to where VA shares were pre-administration. Without solid buyers the cost of going to the market will just add to the costs of winding it up. We have no data on how VA is trading right now, other than having solid loads, but we all know loads mean nothing if yield is flat lining.

Hopefully it is just middle managers threatening staff, which in itself is a terrible motivator, more are likely to leave than work harder.

More than likely the people who are leaving are justifying their reasons…to themselves, loudly and within earshot of others.

We’ve all met these chest beaters before.

I heard they’re opening a crew base in Anchorage.

Funny thing was that was exactly what I overheard regarding pilots that were 'moving base' to Alaska, apparently it's going to be quite a large base of VA Captains and FOs.

I heard VUA is leaving? Our shores..

:D:ok:

Thanks for the laugh.

Anyone in the know re how many redundant 73 drivers there are still out there to be called up. I assume VA will be turning to their EOI external list in the new year

Still quite a lot. Depends how many want to take the offer up. It went near bottom of list but then right back up again last bid.