PACIFIC AIRLINES- Working conditions
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PACIFIC AIRLINES- Working conditions
I would like to invite a discussion about any Pacific Airlines that hire expats that may or may not now be hiring. The first few that comes to mind in the North PAC are Korean, Asiana, Cathay, Dragon air, and the various Japanese contracts.
I would like to know what hours people fly, what the day off programs are, whether one has a bidding system or does seniority matter at all, and how promotions occur.
To start it off, I can give you China Airlines overview.
The hours range from about 70-90 and CAL pays only for flight time(off to on). You get paid for the hours you fly and not schedule or greater. So if you get in early.....you lose pay. You'll always get 70 hours pay.
The expat days off are 8 and they are 8 in a row. They have bases for Captains on the 744 outside of TPE. The 744 makes up half of the CAL operations. They are contemplating some additional bases. CAL provides an ECM to pilots each month to a location where they fly. This ECM is free and gets the pilot to his home. The travel is in uniform and one travels on the GEN DEC. Captains are assigned First Class and F/Os Business. You can be downgraded if it requires. There can be multiple ECMs on one flight.
Days off are generally given to the pilot based on their choice. Certain times of the year do not allow this. Unless Christmas or times like Chinese New year, the requests for the 8 days are uusually given. Vacations or annual leave accumulate at 2 days per month or 24 per year and can be taken adjacent to the home leave each month.
There is no bidding system and no reserves as all trips are placed in someone's line each month. Pilots usually serve one day of standby duty from TPE and this negates the needs for reserves. Absences and sick leave are very low,so people on standby rarely get used.
The 744 fleet is the largest and it is divided into four groups. West 1, West 2, East 1 , East 2. This defines the direction one flies FROM TPE. This was implemented a few years ago as the fleet got bigger. It is confusing in that some east direction flying to North America is done by WEST pilots,since there is more flying eastbound than westbound. Also CAL just decided to let Westbound pilots do the daily SFO flight to keep the number of people heding to SFO to a more defined group. I was just indoctrinated to the west group to stick with a SFO base. The good news is that I get to go to AUH,LUX,FRA,BKK,DEL, and Manchester. This will be a welcome change for me for a while.
Anyway, that's what I would like to know about some other carriers that hire expats. My only other experiences are being familiar with traditional bidding and seniority systems in North America.Apparently most airlines outside of this region have differnt methodologies.
I would like to know what hours people fly, what the day off programs are, whether one has a bidding system or does seniority matter at all, and how promotions occur.
To start it off, I can give you China Airlines overview.
The hours range from about 70-90 and CAL pays only for flight time(off to on). You get paid for the hours you fly and not schedule or greater. So if you get in early.....you lose pay. You'll always get 70 hours pay.
The expat days off are 8 and they are 8 in a row. They have bases for Captains on the 744 outside of TPE. The 744 makes up half of the CAL operations. They are contemplating some additional bases. CAL provides an ECM to pilots each month to a location where they fly. This ECM is free and gets the pilot to his home. The travel is in uniform and one travels on the GEN DEC. Captains are assigned First Class and F/Os Business. You can be downgraded if it requires. There can be multiple ECMs on one flight.
Days off are generally given to the pilot based on their choice. Certain times of the year do not allow this. Unless Christmas or times like Chinese New year, the requests for the 8 days are uusually given. Vacations or annual leave accumulate at 2 days per month or 24 per year and can be taken adjacent to the home leave each month.
There is no bidding system and no reserves as all trips are placed in someone's line each month. Pilots usually serve one day of standby duty from TPE and this negates the needs for reserves. Absences and sick leave are very low,so people on standby rarely get used.
The 744 fleet is the largest and it is divided into four groups. West 1, West 2, East 1 , East 2. This defines the direction one flies FROM TPE. This was implemented a few years ago as the fleet got bigger. It is confusing in that some east direction flying to North America is done by WEST pilots,since there is more flying eastbound than westbound. Also CAL just decided to let Westbound pilots do the daily SFO flight to keep the number of people heding to SFO to a more defined group. I was just indoctrinated to the west group to stick with a SFO base. The good news is that I get to go to AUH,LUX,FRA,BKK,DEL, and Manchester. This will be a welcome change for me for a while.
Anyway, that's what I would like to know about some other carriers that hire expats. My only other experiences are being familiar with traditional bidding and seniority systems in North America.Apparently most airlines outside of this region have differnt methodologies.
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SAW...I see a lot of the 737-800 guys in the crew room and at the crew center. Most of their flying is of a 1-2 day version I recall. Where the A340 and the 744 go to NRT from TPE in a turnaround or a 2 day overnight (744), the 737 goes to the smaller Japanese cities. There is an interesting ETOPS 737 flight where they fly TPE-GUAM nonstop and take two crews,so there is no layover. The 738 will go to HKG for turns also in a 1 day trip. The 738 does a TPE-KHH flight (:45min) and then onto the various cities in Asia.
The 738 pilots are all based in TPE even though I think they had a KHH base a few years ago. The 738 expats get 8 days off in a row just like everybody else. They get the ECM to their home for their 8 days. I think the pay is fairly comparable to the other fleet pay even though their market allowance is lower. This is because Boeing made some 3,000 737 models and the 744 and A340 may be in the 1,000 range. More people are rated on 737 models than the other and more previously qualified 737 people have made the trek to Taipei. So their market allowance is slightly lower because of supply and demand.
Somewhere in January,CAL has their annual review of pay and expenses. Obviously,I hope they go up or stay the same as CAL does not need to lose any more pilots to other people hiring in the world. Money is a fine attractor of people <bfg>!
The 738 pilots are all based in TPE even though I think they had a KHH base a few years ago. The 738 expats get 8 days off in a row just like everybody else. They get the ECM to their home for their 8 days. I think the pay is fairly comparable to the other fleet pay even though their market allowance is lower. This is because Boeing made some 3,000 737 models and the 744 and A340 may be in the 1,000 range. More people are rated on 737 models than the other and more previously qualified 737 people have made the trek to Taipei. So their market allowance is slightly lower because of supply and demand.
Somewhere in January,CAL has their annual review of pay and expenses. Obviously,I hope they go up or stay the same as CAL does not need to lose any more pilots to other people hiring in the world. Money is a fine attractor of people <bfg>!
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An excellent question. For all us turboprop guys.... is there any hope of getting into CAL without jet time? Having posted the CAL application form twice, to no avail, I am starting to despair.
Perhaps Mr Morehead might have some info...
Perhaps Mr Morehead might have some info...
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Bateman and Bug+10
I know of nobody personally that have been hired with only turboprop time,but that does not mean it can't happen. I would apply and see where it takes you.
Type ratings are always of the first priorities.
I know of nobody personally that have been hired with only turboprop time,but that does not mean it can't happen. I would apply and see where it takes you.
Type ratings are always of the first priorities.
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I am sure that they are receptive to updates and reminders to check your application. Needs always change and there are developments within the industry.
I also should remind you that Chinese New Year is coming and the offices are often closed for a week about January 21-26. I recall it last year,but it was in February. I have off now,so I can be working over that period of time. Anything special going on in AUH and AMS over that period of time?
I should be back in TPE during the last part of the holiday.I guess I have to start wearing long pants and shirts again <bg>!
Happy New Year
I also should remind you that Chinese New Year is coming and the offices are often closed for a week about January 21-26. I recall it last year,but it was in February. I have off now,so I can be working over that period of time. Anything special going on in AUH and AMS over that period of time?
I should be back in TPE during the last part of the holiday.I guess I have to start wearing long pants and shirts again <bg>!
Happy New Year
