Middle East and Asia blamed for Aussie pilot shortage
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Middle East and Asia blamed for Aussie pilot shortage
From the Australian
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."
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."
Yes Indeed!
How dare those daterdley Asians and A-Rabs offer decent terms and conditions to Professtional pilots!
Cheap labour is the soverion right of every Australian employer (although a brick-layer now earns more than a Saab 340 Captain) and it should be protected by military intervention if necessary!
Rex management has been doing a great deal of bleating in the Australian press in an attempt the smoke-screen it's own short-sightedness, but the emporers clothos are looking absent!!
How dare those daterdley Asians and A-Rabs offer decent terms and conditions to Professtional pilots!
Cheap labour is the soverion right of every Australian employer (although a brick-layer now earns more than a Saab 340 Captain) and it should be protected by military intervention if necessary!
Rex management has been doing a great deal of bleating in the Australian press in an attempt the smoke-screen it's own short-sightedness, but the emporers clothos are looking absent!!
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Not all regional airlines have Rex's ability to fund their own cadet program and flying academy
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Don't worry about pilot shortages,
http://www.theoildrum.com/node/3623#more
http://www.wisemandarine.com/why-air...-soon-go-bust/
http://www.theoildrum.com/node/3623#more
http://www.wisemandarine.com/why-air...-soon-go-bust/
Scratch,
Typical joining pay for REX is equivelent to 14 000STG a year. Bases are Syd and Mel and whilst they are cheaper than London, cost of living would be about the same as, say, Newcastle or Liverpool. Top Whack for a long serving Captain about 32K.
So how many UK pilots would be lining up? There's a reason you hear so many flat vowels on London Centre!!
Typical joining pay for REX is equivelent to 14 000STG a year. Bases are Syd and Mel and whilst they are cheaper than London, cost of living would be about the same as, say, Newcastle or Liverpool. Top Whack for a long serving Captain about 32K.
So how many UK pilots would be lining up? There's a reason you hear so many flat vowels on London Centre!!
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oh wahhh. Maybe its about time that we are treated as proffesionals and paid like we are a comodity rather than an abundant resource. If companies are going to think they will get people to fork out a 100k to work for peanuts..... well there will be some expensive right offs. ( sorry about the spelling but the wine was good tonight)
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Typical joining pay for REX is equivelent to 14 000STG a year. Bases are Syd and Mel and whilst they are cheaper than London, cost of living would be about the same as, say, Newcastle or Liverpool. Top Whack for a long serving Captain about 32K.
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services to ports such as Dubbo, Armidale, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Newcastle and Tamworth.
I could see the bean counters looking for a 'face saving' excuse to drop unprofitable routes...
What better way than to blame a pilot shortage?
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I think we're simply seeing growing pains in the Aus regional aviation scene. The market is finally transforming into a mature 1st world system as per Europe and the US. It seems to have been artificially repressed for some time due to a lack of opportunity and an abundance of young keen pilots to do the work for very little pay. It's (hope I got that right AF) just happening in a more compressed time period than airline managers would like.
On the up side, there should be greater efficiencies borne of the big boys moving in to fill the vacuum left by defunct regionals, but unfortunately much reduction in services and inconvenience for people in the regional towns.
As for cadet schemes saving the day...I don't believe they've thought that one through too well. Cadets are rather a trng burden for a significant period of time, which places further pressure on the existing pilot workforce. Hope they're not planning to just throw them into the RHS and hope for the best!
Good luck Rex management , looks like you'll need it.
On the up side, there should be greater efficiencies borne of the big boys moving in to fill the vacuum left by defunct regionals, but unfortunately much reduction in services and inconvenience for people in the regional towns.
As for cadet schemes saving the day...I don't believe they've thought that one through too well. Cadets are rather a trng burden for a significant period of time, which places further pressure on the existing pilot workforce. Hope they're not planning to just throw them into the RHS and hope for the best!
Good luck Rex management , looks like you'll need it.
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Yes, supply and demand.
If the operators made conditions a lot more attractive for pilots they wouldn't be in this mess.
How on earth can they blame other outfits in other countries for paying a "fair" salary, for their pilot shortage. I for one am glad they are struck for experienced pilots and it serves these operators right.
For too long they have treated pilots with disdain, forgetting that a core of experience within their crews is their greatest asset, apart from the aircraft.
I thought Australia was "God's own country" so things must be bad, pay wise, for the mass exodus.
In the mid '70's I worked for an outfit and we were pushing for a pay increase. The operator's answer was to inform us in no uncertain terms that we could be "replaced tomorrow" by GA pilots for half what we were on at the time.
If the operators made conditions a lot more attractive for pilots they wouldn't be in this mess.
How on earth can they blame other outfits in other countries for paying a "fair" salary, for their pilot shortage. I for one am glad they are struck for experienced pilots and it serves these operators right.
For too long they have treated pilots with disdain, forgetting that a core of experience within their crews is their greatest asset, apart from the aircraft.
I thought Australia was "God's own country" so things must be bad, pay wise, for the mass exodus.
In the mid '70's I worked for an outfit and we were pushing for a pay increase. The operator's answer was to inform us in no uncertain terms that we could be "replaced tomorrow" by GA pilots for half what we were on at the time.
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Maybe they are just trying to bring back the 10 quid pom scheme from 50 years back.
For all of you (most) I would guess, that is what the OZ goverment charged to emigrate to the land downunnda in the 1950's
For all of you (most) I would guess, that is what the OZ goverment charged to emigrate to the land downunnda in the 1950's
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Underpaid Australia-based pilot jobs
Who cares? And could Australian colleagues now please stop referring to poms? Before they get the old "convicts" label applied.
