Air NZ regionals hemorrhaging
 

Sounds like huge quantities of Air NZ regional pilots are looking elsewhere and leaving the group. Word is the lack of progression opportunities within the company and better wage elsewhere is helping out? Any first hand info out there? Still a good option to sign up, or better of getting on with one of the Australian carriers?

There is also there have been a number of highly qualified, very competent link pilots who have been through the interview process and have been rejected from Air New Zealand Jet.

A lot of the younger regional pilots are looking at these highly regarded pilots within the links who aren't successful at Jet and are thinking "If they can't get in, then there isn't much hope for me."

The world requires more pilots than what they are producing at the moment and Air New Zealand isn't the be all and end all job it once was.

But then the link airlines aren't the job they once were either, a lot of people are wanting out because flying for a link airline no longer fits with the lifestyle they once had.

I'm not familiar with the nuts & bolts of the NZ pilot employment scene but saw this ad saying "Visa Sponsor" yesterday. It's for paying members of the website and I'm not one so details aren't available. Could it be related to the subject of this thread ? Are visas commonly offered to foreign nationals:


Dash-8 Rated / Non Rated Captains - New Zeland (Visa Sponsor)
(MEMBERS ONLY)
13 Jun , 2017

From this website:

https://www.latestpilotjobs.com/jobs/

What sort of coin are the Dash/ATR link pilots on? Surely in today's day and age things can't be that bad...

The coin isn't so much the issue, it's where you're based is the big deal.

A lot of Link pilots, Captains particularly, have worked/stayed in the Links because they like the lifestyle and or work/life balance that living in a regional centre gives them.

With the decision of Air New Zealand to centralise the bases these pilots are reassessing their options, some are looking at jobs that allow them to stay where they've built their life. Those that go the the main centres, usually Auckland, decide they may as well get a job on a jet that pays more money and or gives them a better work life balance.

No wonder there's an increase in pilot turnover for the Links.

Nail on the head.

I'd say the two causes of people looking elsewhere is a combination of this and the apparent lack of career progression through to the Jet Fleet. Sure, the company is in a time of growth, but when damn good Captains / Trainers are being rejected form Jet Interviews it makes you wonder. The whole industry is expanding and recruiting. If you can go elsewhere, earn more and have a much clearer path for career progression it's hard not to look over the fence. Especially when your peers who started at the same time as you are now earning almost twice as much as A320 Captains with Australian airlines.

Probably Jetstar.... assuming it's legit.

It is legit, it is on the Rishworth site, Jetstar Regional is willing to sponsor pilots for the Dash 8 as they can't recruit enough.

I wonder if the foreigners will pass the psychometric testing unlike the locals which just get milked for the $ of doing the test.

DeltaT I don't think they have charged recently for the online testing, jesus they must be short if they are offering sponsorship. Their expansion in NZ must be delayed due to crewing issues. Has anyone who has done the q300 f/o interview/sim heard back from HR? Pm please.

So, offering visa sponsorship is highly unusual in NZ ?

Unusual, in fact I'd say unheard of before now. I'm surprised there's even a need now as I think there must be sufficient local candidates.

You have to wonder whats going on.

In most countries and across most industries, it is not hard to create the necessity for a work permit or visa, you (the employer) just sets qualification/experience levels to exclude local applicants. In this case, it is more of what isn't written. The way I read it is that if you are working for an American or UK Dash 8 operator which by default means you should have level 6 English as it is your first language and you're looking for a change of scenery and quite possibly better salary, then we might sponsor you if you tick the rest of the boxes. If you are Dash 8 rated and current, your chances are even better as it saves us time and training costs.

I'm sure someone in the know could shed some light on this, but I've been told J* regional are having to pay QLink Captains an absolute fortune to operate in NZ.... i.e. more than J* NZ Pilots in some cases. This is due to them being on their Aussie contracts plus a fat bonus.

Plenty of local Kiwi Pilots looking for a T-Prop job, but very few of them would be qualified for a DEC apart from Nelson Pilots jumping the fence to stay in a regional base.

If they're sponsoring visa's for FO's then that certainly would raise some eyebrows.

just heard a tour operator in OZ is looking for a Dash 8 or similar, to operate in OZ for 12 months from end of 2017, with something like 450-600 hours guaranteed. Presume it would be much easier for a New Zealand airline to do this, than an Australian airline. Would Air NZ ? It wouldn't be stepping on VA toes, especially now as VA getting out of regional/turboprop ops.

I can only speak for 2 individuals I know who interviewed recently for FO positions. They we're told that because they hadn't flown 150 hours in the last 6 months they were ineligible. This was after both their interviews were rescheduled twice to even later dates. Neither were told of this policy.

With this mindset I'm not surprised they struggle to recruit.

so..... were these guys flying at the time? Apparently the 150 thing is very recent and I know of a few people a few years back who had to fly for a little while before getting a course date. SO they got told straight up NO? :uhoh::uhoh:

Air NZ tried to get being a pilot on the skills shortage list a few years ago, which would have allowed easy visa sponsorship open slather. It made the TV news 2 days in a row with many angry aeroclubs, associations and pilot unions around the country. -And prospective pilots as well of course! The move was quashed.

Not sure how an Australian company, flying VH registered aircraft can sponsor crew in a foreign country ?...

there are several jetstar entities on the nz company register

aircraft registration has nothing to do with who is doing the employing