Australian Bases
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Australian Bases
Does anyone have anything worthwhile they can share with me about the reopening of Aussie bases? I'll take claimed "facts", jaded pontifications, rumors & opinions.
After nearly 10 years I'm done with Hong Kong, in so many ways. My only option is to leave the company or hang on for a bit longer for a Aussie base. I don't care about Command anymore & I'm happy to pay the tax & give up the housing. The big question is how long will I have to wait for a base, any ideas fellas?
P.S I would rather not hear from the guys with 500 negative posts to their names I.e. The regular "nothing positive to say", company bashing fools we all know where you stand & what your opinion is thanks very much, other please feel free to share your thoughts & rumours.
After nearly 10 years I'm done with Hong Kong, in so many ways. My only option is to leave the company or hang on for a bit longer for a Aussie base. I don't care about Command anymore & I'm happy to pay the tax & give up the housing. The big question is how long will I have to wait for a base, any ideas fellas?
P.S I would rather not hear from the guys with 500 negative posts to their names I.e. The regular "nothing positive to say", company bashing fools we all know where you stand & what your opinion is thanks very much, other please feel free to share your thoughts & rumours.
Last edited by stevieboy330; 16th Dec 2015 at 03:12. Reason: Spelling
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I heard a dirty rumour the other day. CX will offer contractual direct entry slots on bases in Aus and other ports. Being a contract CX will not need to abide by Long service leave and other industrial hurdles. It helps solve their crewing issues and is a way of sticking it to the HKAOA. It fits in nicely with the hundreds of guys wanting to bail from the middle east. I heard it is just waiting on the long sort after EBA to be voted on. I guess it will be a mass opening of base slots to be taken up within 3 months and those not subscribed can be filled by the company as they see fit similar to the DEFO charade a few years ago if you can remember that one. It is so dirty I guess it has to be true!
The reality is don't hold your breath. Anyone who talks with those in the know on the 3rd floor seem to have other things on their mind. Bases is the last on the agenda.
Good Luck
The reality is don't hold your breath. Anyone who talks with those in the know on the 3rd floor seem to have other things on their mind. Bases is the last on the agenda.
Good Luck
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Now that Obama signed the Pacific Free Trade Agreement, as an American, I should be able to bid for Aussie bases just like the Canadians with US bases right? Since they're CX bases, it should be based on seniority only right?
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Whats mine is mine and whats yours is mine too! Says the protectionist Canadian to the U.S. based pilot. I'm sure a warm industry wide welcome awaits. 
Nice rumour, RAT, another CX dodgy labour set-up in a foreign jurisdiction. What could possibly go wrong?
Last edited by Captain Dart; 16th Dec 2015 at 05:25.
Now that Obama signed the Pacific Free Trade Agreement, as an American, I should be able to bid for Aussie bases just like the Canadians with US bases right? Since they're CX bases, it should be based on seniority only right?
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I worked on contract for QANtAS for a few years. No holiday pay, No sick pay. Just an agreed payment per day of work. If you missed a day you got docked and if you worked an extra one you got payed the extra. Just like any other contractor. You needed to supply them with an invoice each week for the claimed work and they would pay the invoice. Some guys even formed companies in order to avoid higher tax and other things. There is no requirement for them to abide by the labour laws when you are on a contract to provide a service. It's a dodgy fine line but it is one that is accepted. It's like hiring an electrician to fix a light. I am not saying the rumour is true. But I do know from experience that labour laws do not apply when you are a contracted pilot as opposed to an employed pilot. I know it's dodgy but it's what Qantas did. A few years ago it was possible. I am not sure if it's still possible now but it's plausible from my past experience. Enough to make me think it could happen and it wouldn't surprise me if it did...Based on previous history!
Last edited by RAT Management; 17th Dec 2015 at 03:28. Reason: Mistakes
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Now that Obama signed the Pacific Free Trade Agreement, as an American, I should be able to bid for Aussie bases just like the Canadians with US bases right?
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Kitty Hawk NC. First in Flight.
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Join Date: Jul 2006
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No, don't see it that way. It's more like ignoring long established right-of-way rules in order to cut another aircraft off on final. Hey, as long as you can get away with it, why not?
Yeahh, riiiight. Dangling a carrot to end CC. A carrot which will probably not eventuate.
With starry-eyed wannabes lining up in droves to join the company on HKPA, there is little financial incentive for CX to expand AUS bases. Also, there is the LSL liability, particularly for captains.
However, they do benefit from Reserve capability, at least in my experience on an AUS base. For some reason, those naughty Hong Kong pilots never answer their hotel room phones. And maybe, just maybe, they might one day become a little concerned about retention of senior, experienced crew.
With starry-eyed wannabes lining up in droves to join the company on HKPA, there is little financial incentive for CX to expand AUS bases. Also, there is the LSL liability, particularly for captains.
However, they do benefit from Reserve capability, at least in my experience on an AUS base. For some reason, those naughty Hong Kong pilots never answer their hotel room phones. And maybe, just maybe, they might one day become a little concerned about retention of senior, experienced crew.
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As far as the company suspending any further bases until CC is over: just goes to show you what a malicious lot we work for. They are willing to hold dozens of families hostage to their own political ends. Perhaps they could become just as committed to actually fixing some of the problems that have led to CC. If that is their strategy, then they can choke on it. I will look even further for every little element of CC to implement. To those of you who are directly affected by this petty and mean-spirited move by the company, don't give up your resolve. They are panicking, and this sort of move only highlights that all the more.
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The incentive for them to offer bases, in the Land of Oz or elsewhere, is all but gone.
Bases are a huge administrative and industrial headache for them, the housing benefits basings are meant to save on are about to die a premature death, and C-scale joiners keep flocking in faster than Syrian migrants on Italian beaches.
Why would they keep offering bases? To please their employees?
Bases are a huge administrative and industrial headache for them, the housing benefits basings are meant to save on are about to die a premature death, and C-scale joiners keep flocking in faster than Syrian migrants on Italian beaches.
Why would they keep offering bases? To please their employees?
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Just heard, they are starting DEFO hiring beginning of 2016 as they can not meet their training targets via the cadet scheme. Now that will be interesting how they try to justify this without opening base vacancies for CX pilots first.
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They will just offer bases on a new lower D scale which you would be crazy to leave HK to take for the sake of that base. Then the same as they still flock here on C scale and low HKPA, there will be takers falling over themselves to take your base slot as a DEFO.