WestJet
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WestJet
OK WestJet guys and gals. Let's hear the real story. How is the company to work for, Pro's and Con's vs Air Canada etc
Cheers
Cheers
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westjet
I too am not there, but seriously thinking about trying.
I think they look great,
but any truth to the rumour that while the mins are now 4000 the reference
requirements are now 3 internal references, one of which must have flown
with you at some point?!!!
can any westjet guys confirm please?
anyway, looks like great fun,
Dubai looks worse every day!
I think they look great,
but any truth to the rumour that while the mins are now 4000 the reference
requirements are now 3 internal references, one of which must have flown
with you at some point?!!!
can any westjet guys confirm please?
anyway, looks like great fun,
Dubai looks worse every day!
Join Date: Jun 2001
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Have been with them for a long time. Pretty good to work for so far. Can't compare conditions with AC, as I haven't worked there; but it is kind of like comparing apples and oranges.
They did indeed lower the hours requirement to 4000, but I hadn't heard about the change in policy regarding internal recommendations. Starting pay is higher than AC, and average time to the left seat is 18-24 months. Start on either -200 or -700.Everybody is based in Calgary.
Very large number of pilots commutes, but they are starting to make it harder. One of the best issues used to be scheduling/rostering; but that is coming under increased criticism.
Basepay is fairly low; but augmented by profitsharing, ESP (employee stockpurchase plan) and stockoptions. Stockprice has taken a bit of a dive the last month, but company is profitable and still expanding.
They did indeed lower the hours requirement to 4000, but I hadn't heard about the change in policy regarding internal recommendations. Starting pay is higher than AC, and average time to the left seat is 18-24 months. Start on either -200 or -700.Everybody is based in Calgary.
Very large number of pilots commutes, but they are starting to make it harder. One of the best issues used to be scheduling/rostering; but that is coming under increased criticism.
Basepay is fairly low; but augmented by profitsharing, ESP (employee stockpurchase plan) and stockoptions. Stockprice has taken a bit of a dive the last month, but company is profitable and still expanding.
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Pretty good company to work for. Company morale is very good for the most part. Salary a bit lower than competitors. Requirements were lowered to 4,000 hrs, but understand competition is still quite high. This week a pilot stated they have about 10,000 active resumes on file for pilots who are applying. Still usually require 3 internal references to be considered - although there have been a couple without references who were hired according to a few pilots with WestJet. Good luck!
Join Date: Jun 2000
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saudipc-9
If you're Canadian, the best advice I could give you is, don't bother looking for a flying job in Canada. You'd be wasting your time.
Taxation is a whole other conversation but that alone should discourage you from returning to the Socialist Republic of Canada.
Gulf Air are starting a new operation in Abu Dhabi with B767-300s. It would be worthwhile chasing that than wasting your time with West Jet or any of the other players back here.
Check out Emirates website for pilot specs. They're recruiting. And Dubai is pretty cool.
Good luck and Masalama
Willie
If you're Canadian, the best advice I could give you is, don't bother looking for a flying job in Canada. You'd be wasting your time.
Taxation is a whole other conversation but that alone should discourage you from returning to the Socialist Republic of Canada.
Gulf Air are starting a new operation in Abu Dhabi with B767-300s. It would be worthwhile chasing that than wasting your time with West Jet or any of the other players back here.
Check out Emirates website for pilot specs. They're recruiting. And Dubai is pretty cool.
Good luck and Masalama
Willie
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Saudipic-Westjet
"Starting pay is higher than AC, and average time to the left seat is 18-24 months"
I am a relief pilot on the B747-400 for air Canada. Starting pay at West jet is not higher than Air Canada and that is not including the 1K a month I bring home in perdiums!
18-24 months is the time to command over the last two years, but who is to say what it will be over the next two years! I could have been a CRJ Captain after a year if I had the notion. (Which I didn't) CRJ Capt. pay is about 90K a year I think! I am not sure of the latest WJ Capt. Pay but I do know that it is around the 100k mark! That being said 4 year pay on the B747 as a R/P is Min 100K and usually about 110K. WJ pilots work 14-18 days month and I have averaged 10 over the last two years.
Like the gentleman from WJ said it is like comparing apples to oranges. West jet is a great company to work for! That being said it is an airline in its infancy and has a long road ahead of it! I wish them all the success and I believe they will have a market for about 50 A/c domestically. But make no mistake about it! They work hard for there money and the airline have yet to deal with having a pilots union! The company has hired ex-C3/Royal pilots as of late and they will not be happy for long at the current wage structure and working conditions! I have about 10 friends who fly for WJ and they enjoy the job! 2 of them would never admit it but they would all rather fly for Air Canada. The rest have already told me they would rather be at AC.
Either company is just a job! If I was a self made millionaire then I would still rather be at AC! If for nothing else ...the life it provides! Days off......variety of a/c, destinations.....etc!
Peace.....
Carnie
I am a relief pilot on the B747-400 for air Canada. Starting pay at West jet is not higher than Air Canada and that is not including the 1K a month I bring home in perdiums!
18-24 months is the time to command over the last two years, but who is to say what it will be over the next two years! I could have been a CRJ Captain after a year if I had the notion. (Which I didn't) CRJ Capt. pay is about 90K a year I think! I am not sure of the latest WJ Capt. Pay but I do know that it is around the 100k mark! That being said 4 year pay on the B747 as a R/P is Min 100K and usually about 110K. WJ pilots work 14-18 days month and I have averaged 10 over the last two years.
Like the gentleman from WJ said it is like comparing apples to oranges. West jet is a great company to work for! That being said it is an airline in its infancy and has a long road ahead of it! I wish them all the success and I believe they will have a market for about 50 A/c domestically. But make no mistake about it! They work hard for there money and the airline have yet to deal with having a pilots union! The company has hired ex-C3/Royal pilots as of late and they will not be happy for long at the current wage structure and working conditions! I have about 10 friends who fly for WJ and they enjoy the job! 2 of them would never admit it but they would all rather fly for Air Canada. The rest have already told me they would rather be at AC.
Either company is just a job! If I was a self made millionaire then I would still rather be at AC! If for nothing else ...the life it provides! Days off......variety of a/c, destinations.....etc!
Peace.....
Carnie
Join Date: Dec 1999
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AC
Somehow I fail to see how working only 10 days a month for 110k is a badge of honour during these times when airlines are having trouble turning a profit. I too would like to work for AC but these kind of wages and schedules are what's getting the airlines in trouble re: "United Airlines"
For some reason Air Canada employees think that the company and themselves are bulletproof.
I think that there may soon be a wake up call.
Air Canada and its employees should lose the arrogance!!
For some reason Air Canada employees think that the company and themselves are bulletproof.
I think that there may soon be a wake up call.
Air Canada and its employees should lose the arrogance!!
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Muzzy,
I think your being a little unfair with the wages issue. The contracts that United/Delta have would have cormacward earning $200'000 or more. AC doesn't pay nearly that much.
However I will agree that AC needs to work on it's public image and service attitude. WestJet is fun to fly on and the service is nice. Not to mention that Westjet's FA's are good looking and AC's are all grandmother's.
I think your being a little unfair with the wages issue. The contracts that United/Delta have would have cormacward earning $200'000 or more. AC doesn't pay nearly that much.
However I will agree that AC needs to work on it's public image and service attitude. WestJet is fun to fly on and the service is nice. Not to mention that Westjet's FA's are good looking and AC's are all grandmother's.
Join Date: Sep 2001
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Boo Hoo WJ'ers...
Your flight attendants make bubkus...
Your ticket agents make min wage..
And your pilots clean the garbage from the paying public..
WJ has been very successful in brainwashing the public as to their "low fares" but if you shop around you can get similar fares with AC without having to fly through YWG
Profit sharing is great, but it is on the backs of the working stiffs on the ramp/at the gates.
WJ has also had no burden of maintaining non-profitable route structures..Grand Prairie, ABis one example...WJ goes is, killls the market for AC, then leaves because they can't make any money..
Sounds like the spoiled brats of Calgary want their cake and want to eat it too...
Their day of reckoning is coming...Wake up Clive, there will be a union there one day...
End of Rant
Your flight attendants make bubkus...
Your ticket agents make min wage..
And your pilots clean the garbage from the paying public..
WJ has been very successful in brainwashing the public as to their "low fares" but if you shop around you can get similar fares with AC without having to fly through YWG
Profit sharing is great, but it is on the backs of the working stiffs on the ramp/at the gates.
WJ has also had no burden of maintaining non-profitable route structures..Grand Prairie, ABis one example...WJ goes is, killls the market for AC, then leaves because they can't make any money..
Sounds like the spoiled brats of Calgary want their cake and want to eat it too...
Their day of reckoning is coming...Wake up Clive, there will be a union there one day...
End of Rant
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AAHHH yes:
And with a union all the slack ass self important minimum ability pilots will be able to earn top pay for minimum ability and zero work ethics.
If there is anything in aviation that I hold in contempt it is self important minimum skills pilots......Dressed like third world Generals and prancing around like peacocks.
Cat Driver
And with a union all the slack ass self important minimum ability pilots will be able to earn top pay for minimum ability and zero work ethics.
If there is anything in aviation that I hold in contempt it is self important minimum skills pilots......Dressed like third world Generals and prancing around like peacocks.
Cat Driver
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Right ON ......Chuck Ellsworth
And it is worse in the third world countries!.
Any ways I think A lot of people are getting paid TOO much.
Let's face it. It does not take a genius to fly a plane, believe me I am a flight instructor.
I do not think it is right for a person to get paid 100.000$ a year for driving a plane and another person in the same company doing the same job gets paid half.
If it is the SAME job I do not give a fuxx how many years you have been with the airline, same job accomplish same pay.
And notice I said SAME!
I have seen these Egos in a different airline, in a different country, same Kind of Monopoly, same overspending.
Let's face it what kind of idiots are managing Air Canada if they have the market for themselve(with minor competition) for so many years!
And what kind of pilot are flying there that they see there airline going to the ground and do not say or do something!
Any ways I think A lot of people are getting paid TOO much.
Let's face it. It does not take a genius to fly a plane, believe me I am a flight instructor.
I do not think it is right for a person to get paid 100.000$ a year for driving a plane and another person in the same company doing the same job gets paid half.
If it is the SAME job I do not give a fuxx how many years you have been with the airline, same job accomplish same pay.
And notice I said SAME!
I have seen these Egos in a different airline, in a different country, same Kind of Monopoly, same overspending.
Let's face it what kind of idiots are managing Air Canada if they have the market for themselve(with minor competition) for so many years!
And what kind of pilot are flying there that they see there airline going to the ground and do not say or do something!
Join Date: Dec 2001
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Day of reckoning
Hey WDE, looks like that day of reckoning you were talking about has come, but to Air Canada! 4Q results.
Kickin' your butts is so much fun becouse its so deserving!
Kidding aside, AC and WJ are very different companys and they both do some things very well.
I love working at WestJet for the friendly hassle free work envirnment. I like the short legs and team envirnment.
Others like the long haul stuff and stability (well, it was stable) of Air Canada.
Kickin' your butts is so much fun becouse its so deserving!
Kidding aside, AC and WJ are very different companys and they both do some things very well.
I love working at WestJet for the friendly hassle free work envirnment. I like the short legs and team envirnment.
Others like the long haul stuff and stability (well, it was stable) of Air Canada.
Join Date: Nov 1999
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C'mon guys.
And by the way Chuck-- I'm VERY disappointed in you. Minimum skills pilots? What are minimum skills? Please do enlighten me on what level of skills you see as appropriate. Self important? I see bush and bomber types swagger too. The third world General uniforms? Guess what, it comes with the job and that is what the public likes. Most pax don't like seeing a pilot with a worn pair of jeans, cowboy boots and logger shirt stapping a 767 to his butt. A lot of guys don't like the uniform, but lets face it, there is tradition and some purpose behind it, just like many other traditions in aviation. I think if we could all wear what we want-- some folks would come to work not even wearing pants. Prancing like a peacock? Don't know-- the weight of my flightback with all the manuals the Company makes me take is so heavy I have trouble prancing. Hey-- but my jacket with 18 gold bars hides the fact that one arm has been stretched longer than the other so that's really great!
It is disappointing to see all of us pilots trying to critique the other camp. Allow me to boil it down to common immaturity. Lets leave the competing to our bosses and marketing departments. I am a professional pilot and I fly a turboprop. Chuck, you are a professional pilot and flew a Canso and had a Flight Training School. WRC, you are a professional pilot and fly blue Boeings. I have a lot of respect for the bush/bomber types and also for my colleagues at Westjet. We all take pride in what we do and I am happy when you guys do well also.
In the end, we all have more in common than we have differences.
And by the way Chuck-- I'm VERY disappointed in you. Minimum skills pilots? What are minimum skills? Please do enlighten me on what level of skills you see as appropriate. Self important? I see bush and bomber types swagger too. The third world General uniforms? Guess what, it comes with the job and that is what the public likes. Most pax don't like seeing a pilot with a worn pair of jeans, cowboy boots and logger shirt stapping a 767 to his butt. A lot of guys don't like the uniform, but lets face it, there is tradition and some purpose behind it, just like many other traditions in aviation. I think if we could all wear what we want-- some folks would come to work not even wearing pants. Prancing like a peacock? Don't know-- the weight of my flightback with all the manuals the Company makes me take is so heavy I have trouble prancing. Hey-- but my jacket with 18 gold bars hides the fact that one arm has been stretched longer than the other so that's really great!
It is disappointing to see all of us pilots trying to critique the other camp. Allow me to boil it down to common immaturity. Lets leave the competing to our bosses and marketing departments. I am a professional pilot and I fly a turboprop. Chuck, you are a professional pilot and flew a Canso and had a Flight Training School. WRC, you are a professional pilot and fly blue Boeings. I have a lot of respect for the bush/bomber types and also for my colleagues at Westjet. We all take pride in what we do and I am happy when you guys do well also.
In the end, we all have more in common than we have differences.
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Panama Jack:
My comment was meant to cover the " few" slack ass peacocks that "do" inhabit our industry.
Of coures most of us are professionals and conduct ourselves accordingly.
Chuck:
My comment was meant to cover the " few" slack ass peacocks that "do" inhabit our industry.
Of coures most of us are professionals and conduct ourselves accordingly.
Chuck:
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Sure Chuck, I'll buy into that arguement.
There is some dead wood in every facet of life, however, most people I encounter in the industry are pros. We've worked hard towards our goals and were probably chosen out of a very selective process. I know that is the way at my company, Westjet, and I know the bomber/bush folks have stacks of resumes in their filing cabinets also.
We sometimes fall victims to generalization-- like saying "I hate Air Canada (or Westjet) pilots" because there are two or three which we've had bad personal experiences with (it is, of course, inevitable). Not unlike saying "I hate black or Chinese people" because one has had a bad experience with one or two of that race is unfair to all and can easily open one up to being ostracized and negatively labeled.
I hope things work out for all of us regardless of the uniform we might wear or the planes we fly. Remember, flying is only a profession (sometimes even a love). But above that, we all have bills to pay and families to take care of. As is often said "it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye."
Have a great day Chuck! Hope you're having a good winter on the Island.
There is some dead wood in every facet of life, however, most people I encounter in the industry are pros. We've worked hard towards our goals and were probably chosen out of a very selective process. I know that is the way at my company, Westjet, and I know the bomber/bush folks have stacks of resumes in their filing cabinets also.
We sometimes fall victims to generalization-- like saying "I hate Air Canada (or Westjet) pilots" because there are two or three which we've had bad personal experiences with (it is, of course, inevitable). Not unlike saying "I hate black or Chinese people" because one has had a bad experience with one or two of that race is unfair to all and can easily open one up to being ostracized and negatively labeled.
I hope things work out for all of us regardless of the uniform we might wear or the planes we fly. Remember, flying is only a profession (sometimes even a love). But above that, we all have bills to pay and families to take care of. As is often said "it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye."
Have a great day Chuck! Hope you're having a good winter on the Island.
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Panama:
Let me elaborate further.
We are a group unlike any other in the history of mankind ( person kind. )
The bond between aviators and those who support us, mechanics and everyone else in aviation, is worldwide and knows no borders, either geographical nor racial.
One of the most bitter and sad days for me in years was when I went to the car to get warm while working on a PBY in Duxford England and I turned on the radio to hear the news that Canada 3000 had gone under.
The first thought I had was, I'll never again share the bonds of flying in the cockpit of a Canada 3000 airplane with my friends across the North Atantic ever again. And then the thought what will all those people do now to support their families?
Yeh we are a breed apart.
Cat Driver:
Let me elaborate further.
We are a group unlike any other in the history of mankind ( person kind.
)The bond between aviators and those who support us, mechanics and everyone else in aviation, is worldwide and knows no borders, either geographical nor racial.
One of the most bitter and sad days for me in years was when I went to the car to get warm while working on a PBY in Duxford England and I turned on the radio to hear the news that Canada 3000 had gone under.
The first thought I had was, I'll never again share the bonds of flying in the cockpit of a Canada 3000 airplane with my friends across the North Atantic ever again. And then the thought what will all those people do now to support their families?
Yeh we are a breed apart.
Cat Driver: