Thank you!

Are there 777 DEFOs now?

A330 DEFO
 

Hello,

Can anybody give a clear idea of how a new joinees roster would be for the A330 fleet.
1.Hours
2.Avg days off
3.destinations
4.layover duration
5.night turns
6.Is it a seniority based roster system?
7.Is the 330/350 one fleet?

Any other info would be appreciated

1. 84.01 credit hours
2. 10
3. Regional, India, Middle East and Australia
4. Variable, mainly minimum rest regionally and 18-30 hours for more distant ports
5. Yes but not many
6. What's a seniority based roster system?
7. Yes

If you haven't visited FH before, beware.

STP

3. For the first couple of years it wil be Asia, India and Perth. Only once you are relief qualified (=cruise captain) you can get 3 man flights to the ME and Australia.

By then you will also have plenty of time to check out Dubai and see how these 380 guys are enjoying their 15-17 days off a month and their 4 BR villas whilst you will be in a shoebox.

Further you will still be doing split duties since the CX Windows98 rostering system can't figure out how to get you an efficient 330 roster.

Interview coming up
 

So guys after reading all of this it is definitely food for thought. I have been invited to an interview coming up in either March or April.

I currently fly the Embraer 175 for probably the best regional airline in the USA. Im not American, my family all live in Australia.

Im happy here but the work visa Im on makes it difficult to progress to the majors or even LCC like JetBlue etc.

I want to be close to family in Australia or even live there and commute to a CX job if its worth it. I also have a couple other interview offers in Asia, one with HKA.

Basically is there any light at the end of the tunnel with regards to the management/pilot and contract issues being sorted out in the near future/

My wife is also preganant with our first child so this is a pretty big decision for me. I am doing research reading all forums and articles online as I dont want to regret my decision but at the same time if you dont take a chance you will never know.

I do love HK, I know how expensive it is, pollution etc. Does anybody see progress or improvements happening within the next 12 months as I understand CX really is at a crossroads at the moment as to whether they survive due to severly incompetant management decisions.

They used to be the best and heres hoping they are trying to get back there.:ok:

No light at the end of the tunnel, republic is better than cx honestly

Luggage,

Rule number 1 - Nobody loves HK!!!

Some people enjoy it, some tolerate it and some hate it.


How about Qantas/ANZ?

Several CX SOs, FOs and even one Captain have recently joined or are about to join either of these two.

QF and Jetstar
 

I have submitted applications to Qantas and JetStar but no response as of yet so lets see what happens.

If I got one of those two with a Brisbane base it would be perfect for me and I would definitely grab it.

I believe things in Australia may start to pick up now regarding hiring into the airlines again. That would definitely be my preferred option.

The airline Im with now treats us very well and we certainly dont have the complaints of the CX and KA guys.

However from a money point of view and with a baby on the way Im losing out a bit so need to get a better paying job, trick is to get good QOL, perks and treatment as well.

I guess there is no harm going to the interview and will take it from there.

Anybody care to comment on the sim check, how tough, what you do and possibly the technical questions/face to face interview.:ok:

Well one out of ten seems to be the pass rate for the sim interview right now if not worse. Seriously.

South Lantau has better restaurants than Brisbane if you're into fine dining. :8

Fine dining
 

Yes I do like fine dining but not top of the agenda at present. A good BBQ and a bottle of red will suffice.

More interested in quality of life and being close to my family again. QF and JQ pay well enough and would allow me to go home, cant really ask for more than that.

I always admired CX as they were the best and I sincerely hope they get back there but by the sounds of it that will not happen anytime soon.

Luggage,

Sounds like you will be packing your bags. If so, good luck. You certainly are not alone. I think CX is losing many more pilots than it lets on.

Agree 100% with your dining analogy. Far better to be home with family and friends eating modestly.

CXorcist, yep I will take the good and simple life at home any day. Just need that darn interview now.

I would be interested to know how many pilots CX is losing and at what point they will be reaching breaking point in terms of sort the pilot contract out or the gig is up for us.

Other airlines in the region will simply railroad CX if they dont get their act together soon.

You're use of the future tense is somewhat inaccurate

Broadband. Spot on. Horse:bolted:barn door

A very experienced mate of mine who has plenty of international experience on Airbus based in Asia put in an application with CX/ANZ/QF at the same time. He now has an upcoming interview with both ANZ and Qantas, but as you see below the latest standard response from CX, which he updated every month.

Maybe it's a blessing in disguise with CX incompetents, especially with all the debacle with fuel hedging, command upgrades times, pollution etc he now putting his energy into going back down under. :ok:

He was mystified if Cathay has all these highly experienced applicants but only 1 in 10 can pass the simulator, wow I guess 7500tt 4600 Bus time isn't experienced enough !! :ugh:

Your funny.

Spot on, Dan.

Somewhere along the way control and trying to keep people 'in line' -- with whatever strange sense of perspective they may have on what that is -- became much more important than actually making money.

JQ interview
 

So after getting advice on this forum and saying my preference would be QF or JQ back in Australia but forever waiting on a call for an interview, some kind lady from JQ sent me the email last night inviting me to a JQ interview.

I have to admit after reading about the CX issues going to JQ is by far my first choice on getting back home to be close to family again. Thats what CX always was about for me, getting close to home in Australia.

Just got to not stuff up the JQ interview now over the next couple of months. Makes one wonder though how many guys will leave CX, KA and HKA to go elsewhere in Australia, Singapore etc.

The market seems to be opening up and even Europe is getting better. Im in the US and if you have a pilots licence and can tie your shoe laces you have won the lottery, literally!!!

I still have the CX interview as a back up so will see but hopefully wont need it now.

Luggage:ok: