Internal recommendations
 

Hello:

I was just thinking about internal recommendations along Europe.
In Spain the most important thing you need to get an airline job is a good recommendation, if you haven´t then we can almost say you are lost.

What happens in your countries? Is the same like in Spain?
Do been the son (or daughter) of an airline Captain help to get a job, or just the opposite?
You have an assured RH seat position if you have a friend in an airline?

In Britain I would say it is a mixture. There are some airlines where it would help to have a friend recommend you. However, a lot of airlines operate quite an obective recruitment system and you can get by on merit. Some airlines recruit certain types of ex military pilots. These can be difficult to get in of you were not in hte right RAF Squadron. If you fall out with an airline then some Flight Operations Directors will spread bad news and that can limit your chances considerably. I have never seen any preference given to family members.

I have had several airlines jobs. My best experience was where I was selected purely on my own merit. Being selected because you have a friend in the airline is not good practice. You might actually be quite unsuited to the operation. You will find this out after a period in the airline.

Just my personal thoughts.

Same in Portugal, if you dont have a recomendation then dont even bother applying, there is the odd case of getting into a Portuguese Airline by own merits, but its very rare, so i've been told.