Focus Air
Join Date: May 2001
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The pay scales, working conditions, etc. are fully disclosed and discussed at each interview period. Nothing comes as a surprise. If one knows the score prior to going to work there, why complain after accepting employment?
I don't know that the pay scale will change in the "near" future, but I do know that it is being discussed and will probably undergo some modification as the company continues to grow.
Again, it's a start up and start ups have problems....it's not perfect. As far as doing 120 block hours, I haven't done that yet, however I have been paid overtime each pay period and received my days off too! Imagine that!
Once again, it's not as bad as the rumors say. I have friends at other airlines and the things they tell me they've heard about Focus always give me a little laugh...
All of that being said, I don't drink the Kool-Aid. I know there is room for a lot of improvement there. I do see some and hope it continues as the company grows.
I don't know that the pay scale will change in the "near" future, but I do know that it is being discussed and will probably undergo some modification as the company continues to grow.
Again, it's a start up and start ups have problems....it's not perfect. As far as doing 120 block hours, I haven't done that yet, however I have been paid overtime each pay period and received my days off too! Imagine that!
Once again, it's not as bad as the rumors say. I have friends at other airlines and the things they tell me they've heard about Focus always give me a little laugh...
All of that being said, I don't drink the Kool-Aid. I know there is room for a lot of improvement there. I do see some and hope it continues as the company grows.
I see the hatorade is still flowing against Focus
Join Date: Jan 2005
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747loadie
re focus air;;;Ratty - If you think back AFX rostered their Loadmasters LUX/ABU DHABI/SIN/HKG/BOM/ABU DHABI/LUX on the eastbound sectors and LUX/JFK/MEX/IAH/YMX/PIK/LUX on the westbound sectors. They were pretty shattered but did the work!!!:
Join Date: Feb 2006
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I just have to laugh sometimes...
Nothing gives me greater pleasure (its only a phrase) to come on here and see all the people who more than likely don't work for Focus... but who have friends at Focus... and they seem to know all the ins and outs of this airline. I guess if we can't complain about our own airline, we can complain about someone elses.
That said... when I interviewed and WAS HIRED at Focus... all the pay issues were fully disclosed. There was no hidden information about how we would be paid. Everyone was told the bid period for each month was 19 days, 38 days for the two month bid period. 60 hours a month for a total of 120 hours for the two month bid period. Anything over 38 days in two months or 120 hours in two months was considered overtime. Now here is the funny part... very few crew members here get over 60 hours a month or 120 hours in the two month bid period. Very few. I know for a fact I haven't come close to 120 hours in two months. Instructors, well, they may or may not. In the very beginning, there were hours to be had by those FEW that were qualified to fly the planes. As we got more crew members out there qualified, the hours per month came down. Now, getting over 120 hours in two months is almost unheard of. Even if we did use actual "block to block" time, we aren't getting close to the 120 hour mark. We do much better by being out over 38 days if we want overtime. And that sometimes happens because we don't really have the best in crew sheduling.
I can't say I blame anyone that wants to leave over the pay issues here. The pay here is better than a lot of airlines out there. We almost mirror what Atlas crews are paid. I started here at $2.00 more an hour that I would have made after 7 years at Omni, had I stayed there... what does that say? And I'll get a $9.00 a hour raise soon. At most, from what I understand about our new Chief Pilot, he doesn't care for the two month bid period and would like to see it go to a monthly program. Will that happen, depends, on whether he can convience Mr. McElroy who likes the two month program.
I got friends here who also aren't happy and they are looking for jobs elsewhere. That's their business. All of them are doing it for different reasons... pay isn't always the issue here. Sometimes it's an equipment issue. Anytime someone can get hired by a "major" airline they should go for it. I would if "major" airlines hired FEs. The quality of life isn't that bad here. We stay in pretty nice hotels... we get things paid for by the company that other airline crews wish they could get... we have good equipment considering its older stuff... things are slowly (sometimes too slow though) coming together and within a few years, this may be a pretty darn good place to work. We even hired five Polar guys during their strike... they didn't stay after the strike, but we must have looked pretty good to some people out there.
So give Focus a break. Like it has been said here several times, this is new airline with only 6 or so months under their belt. It takes time to get the bugs worked out but no matter how much time it takes, not everyone will be happy here. For some, they won't be happy anywhere they go, they just want to work someplace and talk about how great it would be to work someplace else. We all have met that person sometime in our flying career.
I'm here for the long haul, as most Flight Engineers are. I'm making the best of what this company has to offer and hopefully will offer in the future.
Keep the dirty side facing the ground... FACFE
Oh, I talked to some Polar guys in Almaty, they said they are looking forward to becoming the newest airline purchased by Focus Air
(for those of you that didn't get it... that was a joke).
That said... when I interviewed and WAS HIRED at Focus... all the pay issues were fully disclosed. There was no hidden information about how we would be paid. Everyone was told the bid period for each month was 19 days, 38 days for the two month bid period. 60 hours a month for a total of 120 hours for the two month bid period. Anything over 38 days in two months or 120 hours in two months was considered overtime. Now here is the funny part... very few crew members here get over 60 hours a month or 120 hours in the two month bid period. Very few. I know for a fact I haven't come close to 120 hours in two months. Instructors, well, they may or may not. In the very beginning, there were hours to be had by those FEW that were qualified to fly the planes. As we got more crew members out there qualified, the hours per month came down. Now, getting over 120 hours in two months is almost unheard of. Even if we did use actual "block to block" time, we aren't getting close to the 120 hour mark. We do much better by being out over 38 days if we want overtime. And that sometimes happens because we don't really have the best in crew sheduling.
I can't say I blame anyone that wants to leave over the pay issues here. The pay here is better than a lot of airlines out there. We almost mirror what Atlas crews are paid. I started here at $2.00 more an hour that I would have made after 7 years at Omni, had I stayed there... what does that say? And I'll get a $9.00 a hour raise soon. At most, from what I understand about our new Chief Pilot, he doesn't care for the two month bid period and would like to see it go to a monthly program. Will that happen, depends, on whether he can convience Mr. McElroy who likes the two month program.
I got friends here who also aren't happy and they are looking for jobs elsewhere. That's their business. All of them are doing it for different reasons... pay isn't always the issue here. Sometimes it's an equipment issue. Anytime someone can get hired by a "major" airline they should go for it. I would if "major" airlines hired FEs. The quality of life isn't that bad here. We stay in pretty nice hotels... we get things paid for by the company that other airline crews wish they could get... we have good equipment considering its older stuff... things are slowly (sometimes too slow though) coming together and within a few years, this may be a pretty darn good place to work. We even hired five Polar guys during their strike... they didn't stay after the strike, but we must have looked pretty good to some people out there.
So give Focus a break. Like it has been said here several times, this is new airline with only 6 or so months under their belt. It takes time to get the bugs worked out but no matter how much time it takes, not everyone will be happy here. For some, they won't be happy anywhere they go, they just want to work someplace and talk about how great it would be to work someplace else. We all have met that person sometime in our flying career.
I'm here for the long haul, as most Flight Engineers are. I'm making the best of what this company has to offer and hopefully will offer in the future.
Keep the dirty side facing the ground... FACFE
Oh, I talked to some Polar guys in Almaty, they said they are looking forward to becoming the newest airline purchased by Focus Air
(for those of you that didn't get it... that was a joke).
Last edited by fac747fe; 5th Mar 2006 at 16:55.
Join Date: May 2000
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I might be interested in Focus. A few questions:
1. Does Focus have jumpseat agreements with the pax airlines?
2. What is Captain's pay?
3. What's the guarantee?
3. What is the normal schedule . . . 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off?
4. Are they going to be expanding soon?
1. Does Focus have jumpseat agreements with the pax airlines?
2. What is Captain's pay?
3. What's the guarantee?
3. What is the normal schedule . . . 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off?
4. Are they going to be expanding soon?
Join Date: Jan 2006
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I interviewed and was offered a job. Didn't like the pay, didn't like the working conditions, stayed where I am. Nothing against Focus, just my requirements were a bit higher than what was offered. If you like Focus, great. If you don't know anything about it, let those who are there do the talking and shut up. I am sure the Focusites know more than you do.
Join Date: Mar 2001
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Go or No Go???
Originally Posted by trashhauler
I interviewed and was offered a job. Didn't like the pay, didn't like the working conditions, stayed where I am. Nothing against Focus, just my requirements were a bit higher than what was offered. If you like Focus, great. If you don't know anything about it, let those who are there do the talking and shut up. I am sure the Focusites know more than you do.
Would you mind answering the questions Roadtrip asked in the post above yours?
This might help those considering going to a Focus interview, make an informed decision, as to whether they should go on the interview or not!
Join Date: May 2001
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The following is from an earlier post regarding captain's pay:
The pay rates only go through the first five years right now. they are:
first year.........$98.00
second year....$104.00
third year........$113.00
fourth year......$120.00
fifth year.........$127.00
add $10.00 per hour to the above for any time flown above 70 hours per month which is pretty easy to do with the present contracts and certain pairings. Not so easy to do on other pairings.
Focus does have a jumpseat coordinator who is continually working to secure agreements with all the major airlines. We have jumpseats with other cargo carriers and are working, although it's slow, to secure seats with the major carriers.
The guarantee is 60 hours per month for a two month bid period. That's 120 hours in within the two months. Anything over the 120 is paid at normal rate plus anything over 140 is paid at what's being called an aux rate. Basically at a $10.00 override. (round numbers) There is a 3.16 hour daily trip pay and 3.5 hour trip pay for days on reserve or days off. Pay is at the highest number of hours....flight pay or trip pay. Flight time is paid at the scheduled (flight plan scheduled time) flight time. It's not the best system and there has been talk of revisiting the pay scale...nothing as of yet.
Days on duty are 19 on ( which includes travel) and 12 off...supposedly guaranteed. As of now that can be give or take a few days either way (mostly give). Depending upon which schedule or pairing you are on. Those extra days are paid at the 3.5 hour daily rate.
Focus is expanding. The plan is to secure up to 4 more aircraft in the year 2006. Aircraft number 4 is due to be delivered withing the next two months. Resumes continue to flow in and a hiring pool has been established. Classes are slated to be started every two months for the remainder of 2006. It was to be every month but due to a slowdown of aircraft delivery, the classes will be doubled up and only start every two months....
Hope this helps. It's not perfect, but not terrible...hopefully it will get better. I do see some signs of improvement in all areas.
The pay rates only go through the first five years right now. they are:
first year.........$98.00
second year....$104.00
third year........$113.00
fourth year......$120.00
fifth year.........$127.00
add $10.00 per hour to the above for any time flown above 70 hours per month which is pretty easy to do with the present contracts and certain pairings. Not so easy to do on other pairings.
Originally Posted by Roadtrip
I might be interested in Focus. A few questions:
1. Does Focus have jumpseat agreements with the pax airlines?
2. What is Captain's pay?
3. What's the guarantee?
3. What is the normal schedule . . . 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off?
4. Are they going to be expanding soon?
1. Does Focus have jumpseat agreements with the pax airlines?
2. What is Captain's pay?
3. What's the guarantee?
3. What is the normal schedule . . . 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off?
4. Are they going to be expanding soon?
The guarantee is 60 hours per month for a two month bid period. That's 120 hours in within the two months. Anything over the 120 is paid at normal rate plus anything over 140 is paid at what's being called an aux rate. Basically at a $10.00 override. (round numbers) There is a 3.16 hour daily trip pay and 3.5 hour trip pay for days on reserve or days off. Pay is at the highest number of hours....flight pay or trip pay. Flight time is paid at the scheduled (flight plan scheduled time) flight time. It's not the best system and there has been talk of revisiting the pay scale...nothing as of yet.
Days on duty are 19 on ( which includes travel) and 12 off...supposedly guaranteed. As of now that can be give or take a few days either way (mostly give). Depending upon which schedule or pairing you are on. Those extra days are paid at the 3.5 hour daily rate.
Focus is expanding. The plan is to secure up to 4 more aircraft in the year 2006. Aircraft number 4 is due to be delivered withing the next two months. Resumes continue to flow in and a hiring pool has been established. Classes are slated to be started every two months for the remainder of 2006. It was to be every month but due to a slowdown of aircraft delivery, the classes will be doubled up and only start every two months....
Hope this helps. It's not perfect, but not terrible...hopefully it will get better. I do see some signs of improvement in all areas.
