"Rex expects pilot 'bloodbath' battle"
 

From the Australian newspaper....

Is there any company in the bottom level of GA at the moment that doesn't have a 60% attrition rate??


Steve Creedy | February 11, 2008

AUSTRALIA'S biggest independent regional carrier is predicting a "bloodbath" this year among the nation's smaller airlines as they struggle to hire and retain pilots.
Regional Express (Rex) said it currently faced an annual attrition rate of 60 per cent for its pilot workforce and warned that some regional operators would not make it through the year.
While Rex had started its own pilot school to offset the shortage, it had still been forced to suspend some flights and cancel others.
The airline on Friday announced it would suspend its Melbourne-Griffith service as a result of the shortage.
It warned that the suspension would have flow-on effects for other Griffith flights, with a reduction in Sydney-Griffith services also expected.
It also announced it was postponing the start of the Maryborough-Brisbane route from March to September and said Sydney-Cooma flights, originally scheduled to restart in May, would not resume until June.
"No airline in the world can withstand a 60 per cent annual attrition rate of its pilot strength without catastrophic damage," Rex chief pilot Chris Hine said.
"The fact that we have only suspended 6 per cent of our services is a testimony to the dedication and sacrifices of our staff and the rapidity of management's response to this severe crisis."
Rex's troubles are part of a worldwide trend that has seen competition for pilots among airlines increasing as the industry experiences strong growth, particularly in the Middle East and Asia.
The growth of Australia's domestic aviation market - fuelled by the strong economy and the mining boom - had also been a factor, although there were signs the domestic growth rate would soften.
Smaller carriers have accused the bigger operators of targeting their pilots to accommodate their domestic growth and as more experienced flyers are recruited by international carriers.
However, the big airlines denied they had actively recruited pilots from the regionals and said the movement was a result of pilots moving to capitalise on the opportunity for better wages and conditions.
However, Rex expected its new pilot school to help offset the worst ravages of the shortage.
Mr Hine said the first 16 batch of cadets were due to graduate from its pilot school in July and it would receive about 20 new pilots every three months after that.
He said this would largely shelter Rex from the massive recruitment of its trained pilots by the main airlines. But he warned that the situation was set to get worse with all three major carriers expanding and with the start-up of Tiger Airways.
"Not all regional airlines have Rex's ability to fund their own cadet program and flying academy," he said. "I expect to see a bloodbath among the regional operators in the months ahead.
"Even QantasLink will not be spared as evidenced by its recent reduction in services to ports such as Dubbo, Armidale, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Newcastle and Tamworth. I foresee many regional operators not making it through 2008."

Arr.

Should be walkin' the plank fer comments like that!

Arr, an' it's a box of gold dubloons to yer longboat REX is one of those operators?


Arr, ye call this rapid? How come ye haven' started te pay yer pirates any more pieces of eight?


Aye, REX, it was YE who were accusin' them bigger operators nae but a few short months ago!


Arr, now there be an idea! Pay yer own pirates better wages and conditions, and mebbe they'll stay a wee longer..


Arr, an' I can expect to find buried treasure under the "X" on me new treasure map. But because I got me management to draw the map, instead of someone who actually knows where buried treasure be hidden, I'm goin' to have me expectations crushed..

Arr, if ye can be affordin' that, hows about a bit of affording to pay yer pirates some more?

Arr.

either/or
 

Surveillance Australia worked this one out. Some slightly smarter people over there than industry standard.... (thats right pilots actually want to keep pace with all the other industries)

Already know of people looking to take the plunge and go regional for the big bucks.

Either Unpuff chests managers or practice holding ankles.

Anyone know of any charter companies paying above award wages? trying to keep more experienced staff? ie more than 1000hrs!! lol

I know a lot of companies keep lowering their minimums but you can only go so far.....

Above Award
 

Being in Katherine you get to DN regularly?

I understand with the CAO minimums for multi RPT there are operators paying above the award. If not, they have other bases with twins if you have multi time and charter experience behind you.. Guys are moving on quickly so vacancies coming up regularly.. They pay well, after considering and adding other 'Base' conditions (lower rent, electricity, transport).

Pay Rexy manager or you'll be a victim of the bloodbath!

No I don't want to see this happen, I know some good people there who want the company to suceed. Best start treating them as an asset rather than a liability.

Good luck ladies and gentlemen!!!

This could be the rebirth of GA

If you need to get around for wok regionally, have a PPL....go buy a C172 or better and fly yourself......or hire one!

Might be almost as quick, far more flexible and even allowing the odd wx diversion, more reliable.

And its a lot more fun!

J:ok:

The AFAP, are you serious.

Phone the WA TWU and speak to them about the current advertising and the realities of the situation and you may get some where. seriously a phone call and some industry input and they may well act.

Laurie is down the beach enjoying his $200K+ on oysters and red wine, don't disturb him!!

RENURPP although it would be nice, sadly it's hard to come to any other conclusion.

Completely disagree with your statement RENURPP. :=
It'd be white wine with oysters surely. :}:E

Even the RFDS attrition rate is at a staggering 50%+:eek:

Well what do you expect when the only base Western Ops offer you is Meek-bucken-tharra, eh pahlot?

No lifestyle and not a nice town to bring the missus or family to. :yuk:

Yeah but the req for RFDS are still staggering, so one would be led to believe getting pilots isnt a problem for them :confused:

Fortunetly the RFDS always has people knocking on their doors. Obviously a lot don't make the cut for various reasons such as hrs etc. The institution is still held in high regard but sadly it is also unable to hold onto the younger ones due simply more jobs now than ever for the taking!. You will find that the RFDS has a good deal of more mature guys in their ranks that see lifestyle as more important than having to get to know a whole new set of SOPS & having to 'pay for yr next job start'.
Like I have mentioned elsewhere in this threads it's a different beast these days flying. The youth of yesterday are approaching retirement age & the youth of today have a lot more choice with IT for Eg & more money. Hence the ones falling off the edge aren't being replaced by new ones. Flying has no longer that mystical attraction where pilots where once upon a time looked up to by young children saying 'I want to be a pilot someday'.
It's not a glamorous job, it's not even a well paid job anymore. I think people generally used to believe flying was for the adventurous, the brave but now it's mainly boring for all that travel behind the pilots seat, where just so used to it! People now take flying for granted, you pay little for the ticket & you just go thru the motions to get where you want to go, nobody cares how why when & where' the pilots come from.

Why do we fly?..............'cause we love it, (& the CO's know this)few other industries would put up with the T&C's we have these days.

CW

Its not rocket science.

If you have a company (regional) that offers less benefits than the others you will lose your experienced people when there are vacancies.

People by nature want to improve their quality of life.

So either you can afford to at least match vb and j* or accept turnover.

And smaller jet operators that offer less than these are asking people to leave.

60% !!!!!!!

Thats whats GM SAPL is telling his pilots the SAPL attrition rate is. Actually depending on the dates you use it could be as high as 100%, but statistics hey!!!!

We know what they did to try and fix it, from all accounts its going well !!!!

When Rex management tell their pilots that they're not worth any extra money, what do you expect??

About time the newspapers report the OTHER side of the story and put Rex management to shame, instead of the other way around.

morno

Would Joe Public on the street read it?
 

Could not agree more that more should be written with regards the 'coalface guys and gals". It would have to be front page (or close to it) for anyone to read it.

Would Mr & Mrs Public in the cities really care or give it a look at the moment. So long as they can fly from city to city when they want to, they will not care or pay attention. But when they cannot do that then questions will be asked.

But Mr & Mrs Farmer in the smaller centres and in the country are experiencing the cancellations and service pullouts. They must be saying something and the local rags running these stories. But they are but only a small voice in the wilderness.

Maybe this thought. The public don't see pilots anymore - all tucked securely behind the security door. Can't talk to them and learn first hand what is going on.

CW
There was a mystery to it, a bit of glamour, but now its a job playing taxi/bus-driver. Lucky I still enjoy it.

Anyway we are (appropriate now that the ALP is back) only "Glorified Bus Drivers" :{:( Why pay pilots more than them, with superior T&Cs thrown in :oh::rolleyes:

Morno said - "About time the newspapers report the OTHER side of the story and put Rex management to shame, instead of the other way around".

That would require investigative journalism and a willingness to question matters further which at this time as with past articles concerning this subject has not happened.

All we have seen to date regarding this is not journalism but at best, free advertising.

Quite true 'bara', free advertising by the media.

I also believe that the media these days is purely based on 'show'. More like a 'circus' competing for the advertising dollar. Their ability to 'impress' the masses rather than explain it with accuracy appears to be the norm these days. They like all other industries have competition & with that they seem to miss the idea of media in the first place, in the best interest of the public,the truth as it really is. To get them (the media) to behave like we feel they ought to would be ni impossible, esspecially for our cause.

CW