Willie Walsh-No shortage of Pilots.
 

The chief executive of the International Airlines Group (IAG), Willie Walsh, has said there is no shortage of pilots in the airline industry, confirming that Aer Lingus has recently received 3,000 applications for 100 pilot jobs.

Speaking at the Shannon Chamber of Commerce’s President’s lunch at Dromoland Castle, Co Clare, Mr Walsh referred to Ryanair’s recent flight cancellation troubles and said the bigger problem that Ryanair faced was a shortage of people with sufficient experience to be promoted to captain.

“There are lots of pilots in the market,” he said. “There aren’t many who have the qualifications to fly as a captain.”

IAG owns and operates Aer Lingus, British Airways and Iberia airlines and Mr Walsh described Ryanair’s recent flight cancellation troubles as a blip.

Mr Walsh said what happened to Ryanair he would not “wish on anybody”.

“Michael O’Leary is an incredible competitor, very aggressive,” he said. “If anyone could fix it, he would fix it and he has done that.

“I don’t buy into the belief that this was something structural. It was just a blip. Ryanair has fixed it and has moved on and they will be as strong as ever. Personally, I don’t take any pleasure out of seeing someone else go through some difficulty and we wish Michael O’Leary well.”

Under Mr Walsh’s leadership, IAG has increased its workforce from 57,000 employees in 2011 to 63,000 employees. However, Mr Walsh confirmed IAG does not have a human resources department.

“It is something I do slightly differently — I refuse to have a HR department.” He told the audience that “outsourcing your management of people to a HR department is wrong”.

“We all have a responsibility to the people that we work with and for,” he said. “It is fascinating to see how an organisation tries to create one and comes up with innovative names and as soon as spot them I get rid of them.”

Mr Walsh said his ambition for Aer Lingus is unlimited.

“Until we discover we have gone everywhere we can and there is no where left go to, I think there is huge opportunity for the company,” he said.

With the recently announced Dublin-Seattle route, Aer Lingus operates 13 routes to the US from Ireland — compared to six when IAG first purchased the company in 2015.

He said: “It bemused my colleagues in London when they would read about the questions we were being asked and the challenges that were being levelled against us.

“We bought it because we wanted to grow it and we have already exceeded all of the commitments we gave.

“We wanted to purchase Aer Lingus because of its transatlantic network. We saw great opportunity there.”

Mr Walsh said the airline is to take delivery of eight 180 seat Airbus A321LR aircraft in 2019 for its transatlantic network which he believes will be a “potential game changer” for the airline.

No pilot shortage just shortage of captains ?

I think many of the 3000 were Ryanair pilots. And maybe a few from CX as well...

No mention of the following :

1. IAG buys lion's share of Monarch Gatwick slots for new start "Level".
2. EI pilot contract includes a clause allowing their transfer to any airline in the group.
3. New EI A321 order will have aircraft on Spanish register.
4. IAG eyes stake in Agean/Olympic
5. BA uses Iberia HR company but technically does not have on of it's own.

The master plan is for Iberia and BA to merge and EI and Veulig to merge forming a low cost feeder to the big boys. "Level" there to stop Ryanair going longhaul across the Atlantic.

WW s seemingly strange comments about not wishing problems on people may have been because he and MOL are both from Ireland but perhaps more likely because of the giant BA F--K Up on their reservations system earlier in the year.
The problem he has with BA was illustrated in my experience over the last 24 hours to Athens and back
Outbound new style 380 hopelessly cramped in business for close to 4 hours crew too rushed for any kind of real service. Newish plane service and experience poor, for the money very poor
Inbound ageing 76 with old style seats much more space much more comfortable better galley lovely friendly efficient crew and a nice meal. Experience very good .
And thats BA these days-you pay your money and have no idea at all which BA will turn up.

Anything the little Irishman has to say is usually separated from the truth by a healthy distance. BA will have exactly the same problems over the next decade finding pilots as any other airline. However, one difference with CX's developing problem: at least BA is a recognised major airline where you have multiple fleet types to enjoy, live in your home country (or even Europe and commute) and has a semblance of law that surrounds your contract (and hinders the ability for management to abuse it ). BA will ALWAYS be a better place to spend your career than CX. At least you will be able to afford a proper home, send your kids to a decent school, have a nice car or two, and breath relatively clean air, not to mention your kids will have a normal life. CX offers none of that. CX pilots will be the reason that WW has a less difficult time getting pilots, because many of CX's pilots will be heading to BA.

For those excellent Co-pilots (to use the BA term) who are based in London, another "Cathay Gotcha" is this. To be promoted to Captain, they have to relocate their entire family to Hong Kong for an unknown period of time until they can get a UK base as a Captain. They could go alone but most don't. In fact, most decide to stay on their UK base as a Co-pilot. I can't think of any other airline that has this restriction. Another Cathay 'own goal'.

Yes unfortunately they have to wait until command comes up under the seniority system. Of course they’d love to screw their colleagues over but the current COS won’t allow it. Go figure.

Same pilots are just rotating... not much new coming on stream

A number of FOs on the PER base got their commands this year without relocating to HKG.

An anomaly of the seniority system. Unlikely to happen elsewhere to any degree.

swh

The seniority anomaly that allowed this and the opening of the PER base at all is stashed away in the vault at CX City. It doesn't stand up to any real scrutiny. However, the suggestion that PER is no longer a viable base has been muted on more than one occassion. So these poor beggers might find themselves back in HKG sooner than they think ala CDG lads in 2012.
And before you ask "No" they will not be able to re-locate to another AUS base port.

On the BBC News today "Level" to open Paris base and increase to 30 aircraft by 2022. Bases in Gatwick to be announced as IAG takes on Norwegian and WOW in low cost long haul ops.
Currently recruiting 330 drivers thru PARC Aviation.

My contacts in the UK tell me that Level is planned to be a very large carrier over the next 5 years. Interestingly, he told me that the plan is for 50+ aircraft by 2022. He also told me that pay and benefits will be very competitive, because again, there is a critical shortage of pilots developing and you can't build and establish a brand without reliable schedules, which take satisfied and motivated pilots. Get in there early and you will have a great career (and oh, live at home and enjoy life).

About 1000 of those 3000 applicants will be from fresh pilot graduates from all over the world looking for there first flying job and therefore not qualified for the job. Many of them won't even have EU work rights. A massive majority will be looking to leave RYR for the chance to work for the only other meaningful operator out of Dublin.

And several will no doubt be ex CX pilots, taking their loyalty and training to a new employer who should have the sense to treat them with respect and dignity.

Completely incorrect. Been flogged to death with the AOA, they can relocate the pilots anywhere in the base area the company chooses. If there was only command slots then everyone would get a command slot, hypothetically even an FO one day after their QL. Only those who's base changes get to bid for the new slots.

Go ask the AOA if you're confused.

swh Glad to hear that. Good for them. You will note, however that I was addressing my comments to London but point taken - and very well made I must say!

morningcoffee

You'd think so wouldn't you BUT the paris case was exactly the same and look what happened there and your precious AOA was in on the deal to screw the 42 guys until their compliance was exposed.
If a base closes and there are no other vacancies advertised everyone comes back to HKG.

Checklist, just a heads up. MorningCoffee is management , masquerading as a pilot.

Thanks Traf. Thought so but now confirmed.
Is it true the new housing proposals ( ha ha ) are to be announced Monday ?

They can propose what they want. I know what my COS says about 'suitable accommodation'. Let's see what further misstep this inept management decide to take. I guess they really do want to shut down the airline over the holidays (and push even more pilots out of the airline). Bring it on.

It don't get any better than this - Our OW Partner
 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...hts-on-it-flaw

How's that computer rostering system working ???

Nope completely wrong.

The company will find other vacancies that turn up just when they are needed. It’s the current situation in Australia at the moment, SYD Base numbers reducing and hey presto slots will appear in BNE and MEL. But none that anyone in HKG can bid on.

I have no idea if you’re for or against it.

MC, thanks for pointing out yet another example of the company's mendacity. Just add's to the pile of reasons why most pilots in this airline are making plans to leave. The best hiring environment in 30 years, and most of us want to become established early on another seniority list. I'm sure there is almost no one who looks back when they leave this toxic place. Please, keep posting, you only help the rest of us resolve to leave. :ok:

99.99999999% sure you’ll find that was an AOA Australia move to keep control of the base slots in Oz to themselves. But blame the company by all means :ugh:

MC, the fact that EVERY comment you make is in support of the company is all the evidence needed to label you a cubicle dwelling cretin. And as for the bases, if you don't have the right to live in a country, you can't bid. And if they have to move members around that are already there, that is fine with me. Or do you think it makes sense to keep uprooting families every time there is a shift of flying within a base area? Seriously, leave CX/Swire. You are a lost and empty soul.

So you're all for throwing seniority out the window? Screwing over your colleagues in HKG who might want a base one day. If you'd read my post you'd see the problem is YOU CAN'T BID EVEN IF YOU HAD THE RIGHT TO LIVE IN THE COUNTRY. BIDS ARE ONLY ALLOWED BY THE BASED CREW.

That doesn't make much sense.

MC. You are toxic, and a review of your posts clearly shows that. My point is that once you have pilots based in a country, they should have rights to stay there (and I have been disadvantaged by that premise myself). It makes no sense to keep forcing pilots and their families back and forth between a base area and HK. If they are already in a base area, they should be able to move within that to fill base slots as and when the company changes them around. Otherwise there would be chaos in too many lives. Now, go back to your cubicle.

BA are top of the food chain and an employer of choice rather than necessity for a pilot. They can still afford to be fussy as they offer legacy airline conditions of employment, except for recent pension changes. A desirable main base with the ability to commute from other locations and a good fleet/route mix offer a decent lifestyle. No wonder there is very little turnover.

Any shortage will be felt lower down the chain by operators who took full advantage of previous pilot surpluses to drive down pay and conditions. Foreign airlines which previously offered desirable expat packages but continually eroded them and second level airlines with no respect for their employees are in the firing line.

So screw seniority, a 3 years in the company based F/O should be allowed a command slot if that’s all that’s available in the base area and the 25 yrs in the company skipper in HKG should miss out on the same slot.

And that’s fair. Because Precious has been in the company 3 years and moving their family is tough.

MC,

You are implying that the PER base manning was the work of the AAOA.

It was not - our AOAs (all of them) do not have that power. Take up your complaint with mangment [sic].

Not talking about upgrades MC. That is a different issue. If they want command, they can go back to HK. That is the chaotic and unworkable system CX has created. If they move slots around a base area, they should have the right to move to a different city, but in the same position. Again, go back to your cubicle.

Virgin Australia has just dropped the requirement to have any multi engine what so ever to join them...EK will take you..as long as you have a pulse...there is a shortage out there alright!

Morning Coffee/ idiotic troll. You choose.

I'm not sure what illicit substances you are injecting, sniffing or swallowing, but I'd hazard a guess they'll be in contravention of our Drugs and Alcohol policy.

Your 99.99999999% assertion that the MEL/SYD/BNE base slot reorganization was controlled by the AAOA, was, unfortunately for you, 100.000000% wrong.
But why spoil a good story with the truth.
A poor attempt to cause a little discontent hoping for more divide and conquer.
Another mangment (sic) epic fail.

Whether we like the fact that the slots in MEL/SYD could not be bid for by other HK crew is irrelevant. The whole process was both instigated and controlled, by the company in accordance with the Basings Agreement.
Yes MC, the same document that allows crew to bid for bases, was also (strangely!) upheld by the company in allowing some affected crew to move to other ports like MEL & BNE.

It was not that slots suddenly and magically appeared. The base vacancies in BNE & MEL had increasingly been there for a while. The company, who control their release, had chosen not to previously release them. Again that's their call, not the AAOA.

Time for another 420 puff old boy.
Please keep up the amusing baseless rants - troll/idiot you may be, but sadly all you provide is amusement value showing how increasingly desperate things upstairs are becoming.

It's like watching deck chairs being shuffled on the deck of the titanic, but in slow motion.

Whilst Willie feels inclined to mention a 'non-shortage', one might ponder why if it is a 'non shortage' even bother mentioning it?

https://s15-us2.ixquick.com/cgi-bin/...064b1f28fd8dd4

Sounds a bit like this guy!