Air Japan (AJX) B767

[Fratemate]

Any new applicants should be factoring this possibility into their longer term planning.

I agree 100% and it is not just a rumour about the number of upgrades being reduced. Ask JT or CO and they'll confirm it, especially as they are directly affected.

With the balance of FOs v captains being addressed and it being much more balanced than it has been in the past, I believe we will see a new policy ('my technique') being brought into play whereby upgrades will only take place in the second contract. Assessment may well begin earlier but training etc won't.

This is just my guess but not only will it allow the FO:captain ratio to be better managed but it will also allow the Company to upgrade those who they want to keep around by upgrading in a second contract and by not extending a contract to those they don't really want around the place any more. Of course, the opposite is true and it allows an FO to do 5 years, collect his completion bonus at the end of that period and go elsewhere with the blessing of AJX (and the possibility of coming back later), without having to extend further because of left to right training etc.

All guessing aside, I would be guided by the wise words of Almostok....who clearly must be almostgood

[The Yank]

Fratemate is correct.

The company has reduced the upgrades from 12 per year to 8 THIS fiscal year.

This affects all of the FO's (apart from 1) that were hired in 2010. All of these guys will not upgrade until the 5 year contract is complete.

What happens next year is anyones guess.

[jrmyl]

I was a March 2010 hire and it is correct that it appears that upgrades have been reduced to 8 per year. This means that I will not upgrade during this contract. I'm not too happy about it but there is not much I can do other than accept it. As has been said so many times, it was never guaranteed to happen in the first contract.

Oh, and as far as the experience, I have over 10.5k TT and 4K TPIC. So experience really doesn't factor into the equation here.

[The Dominican]

It's all speculative since we don't really know where is this ship headed, we are all in the boiler room just shoveling coal......! I know there is a LOT of speculation and logical sounding rumors floating around, but rumor spreading is the entertainment around here

[The Yank]

Well this one is not a rumour. I was told by management directly.

No Sept course. Next course will be Jan/Feb.

As for next year ????? It is all speculation.

[Captain Biggles84]

Money

Hi all,

Prob a question that has been flogged to death and i have attempted to look back through the pages to find the answer but prob a half@ssed look.

How much $$ can u expect to spend on your month or so in Japan?? Say first year $11k how much would you expect to be left in ones account (not taking into account any tax considerations) after commuting and living whilst at work in Japan. Is it reasonable to assume at the very best you could expect your base salary remaining give or take a bit each side depending on ones activities??

Cheers

[Fratemate]

Is it reasonable to assume at the very best you could expect your base salary remaining give or take a bit each side depending on ones activities??

If you take the C class ticket option you don't pay for any tickets, so that removes one complication from the equation. If you choose to take the $2000 and use a ZED ticket, then you'll end up with extra in your bank account because no-one spends > $2000 on a ZED fare (if they did they deserve to lose money through sheer stupidity).

If you live in the hotel then the accommodation allowance will normally cover the costs over the course of a year. Sometimes you'll spend more in a month than the allowance but other times you won't. So, living in the hotel will mean you don't dip into the base salary. If you live by yourself in an apartment then you'll be using some of your own money to cover the cost. Sharing will probably work out similar to the hotel.

Food and drink are a variable feast (do you like what I did there) but you've basically got $1000 to spend during the 20-odd days that you're 'on the job'. Japan is expensive but some of the places we go are pretty cheap. I think it is fair to say that you can get by on the per diem element without encroaching on the basic pay.

With the recent tax hikes in Japan it definitely costs more to sleep and eat than it used to and, so far, none of the contract companies has bothered to get their finger out and press AJX for an increase to the allowances or per diem. I believe we are right on the limit of the allowances covering what they are meant to but any further price rises, particularly in Japan, will mean dipping into the basic salary, which is clearly unacceptable and will have to be actioned by the contract companies whether they like it or not.

So, in answer to your question; living in the hotel I think it is reasonable to assume you can bank on banking your base pay. Sitting down the back of an aircraft on a ZED ticket to commute home you can guarantee banking a bit more.

[Captain Biggles84]

Cheers for your response fratmate,

Yeh i figured as much and no doubt I'm sure there is a knack to making it work best for the individual..

Depending on tax requirements back in Aus I'm trying to weigh up this jobs worth. Between this and going to the sandpit are what I'm comparing at present and both seem fairly level pegged. Being able to remain at home is a def pro however away for longer stint.. (some may feel this aint as bad as most )

But as far as $$ go it seems very competitive.. Would you agree?

[Fratemate]

We've got a couple of guys who had a play in the sandpit but decided they didn't like it. On the plus side, EK etc have a MUCH bigger network than AJX and they're flying nicer machines (although you won't find better maintained and cared for aircraft anywhere else in the world than in Japan). Their salary is tax-free and, of course, accommodation provided etc but that's only because no-one would go and live in the desert and fly for them if they didn't provide those things. It's a long time since I looked at the EK deal but I think you'll be on equivalent or greater pay, especially as their command time has risen considerably. I would never come here thinking that you are going to be flying anything other than the 767 and that way you won't be disappointed. However, there are always rumours in the wind and the machine is getting a bit long in the tooth. With a reduction in fleet numbers and an increase in the 787s replacing them I think we may be switched to some other machine eventually but if you're desperate for a 777 then EK would be a better bet....but I'll take my schedule over their's any day of the week

I agree that it is a pain being away from home, particularly when on standby etc. If you live where you work then you can mow the lawn or whatever if you're not called but, away in Japan, you can't do anything particularly useful unless you're doing a degree course of something similar. However, your days off in AJX are sacrosanct and your time at home is undisturbed by the Company calling you to come in and work; something that cannot be said for Emirates etc. We don't necessarily get the same treatment as the ANA mainline pilots but I don't feel like I'm a slave to the Company and I certainly don't feel mistreated as the guys over on the ME forum seem to feel.

I think if you're young, free and single then Dubai might appeal. Lots of destinations in which to get yourself in trouble and a decent selection of aircraft. However, the desert wears very thin, very quickly (I'm bored after a week in Dubai) and if you've got a missus in tow then I reckon it's a completely different story. They've got to suffer the crap of living where they probably don't really want to live while we 'gallivant' off 'enjoying ourselves' (as they see it). My wife gave me an unequivocal 'NO' when I merely mentioned the possibility of the idea.....and that's from someone who's only had to enjoy a couple of holidays there.

Of course it's a very personal choice but this job allows me to live where my family and I want to live and for me to get the days off that I want to get. When you look at the sandpit, the same can't really be said.

[Captain Biggles84]

Great answer Frat and very insightful,

With the ZED option over the C Class ticket do you ever run into problems getting a seat from time to time like all staff travel or are you open to getting from A-B in several ways hence limiting this likelihood?

[Fratemate]

AJX has a ZED agreement with quite a number of airlines, so I think the options are there for a decent number of routes. For you, travelling to SYD, both QF and JQ are available. I'm not an expert on ZED travel, preferring to take the C class option, but there are quite a few guys that do use the facility and they seem to be pretty successful. As with all staff travel, you pick your fights but you can use ZED or C class whenever you want, so ZEDing during the off-peak times and using C class during peak times could be considered a sensible way of arranging your travel. It is nice to have that option

[SyncPilot]

#Fratemate,

I joined Ek on the super fleet some time ago and the other option was AirJ...I feel sorry I didn't took the interview in Tokyo.
You are so right about the desert and middle east. It is not the a/c you fly and where, other stuff is important, family, friends and home country on your down time..

Cheers guys

[pilotcpb]

Speaking of the sandpit, I am there too and looking at my contract expiring in about 9 months. The money at AJX is quite close to what I make right now and the days off every month are attractive to me. My ideal gig as an AJX guy would be commuting to Hawaii. Is it worth it?? Or will I be pissed off and 10 years older 2 years into the contract?

I have read this entire thread, post by post. Good and bad, rants and everything. This is an awesome post full of so much good info and thanks so much to the helpful guys who have made it that way. I can only come up with one question: What kind of documents and paperwork do AJX/JCAB/Contractor want from a new guy? I ask because my company is impossible to deal with and if I need any kind of documents whatsoever it will be an absolute battle to the death.

Besides AJX, any current info on Jetstar Japan or Peach? Information on those guys is sparse. Thanks guys!

[Jaz and the Fat Man]

paperwork...

They never asked for anything from my prior companies. BUT, if you go with the company I feel is one of the best for AJX, ( ok, standing by for the hammer ), Crew, which is an American company, will run you through the background check, which some company from the US, tries to contact them. When they do not receive a response, then they will ask you for some kind of proof that you worked there. Which is easy enough if you have a copy of your contract (and some pens and t-shirts etc....)

Other than that, beyond a shadow of a doubt, you will be much happier for the long and short term with Air Japan than Jetstar or Peach. That isn't my opinion, it's absolute fact.

Good luck and ok boys, I'm ready for the hammer......

[pilotcpb]

Thanks so much for the answer! If it stays like that then its good news for me!!

[pa28capt]

Are there any more courses this year?

[Jaz and the Fat Man]

Classes

I understand there is a class in September and November. Of course, everything subject to change.

[Fratemate]

Based on what experience, Devine Wind? Unless you're a pilot in AJX you have no genuine basis for your comments, only the information you've gleaned from reading Pprune. There are few people that are able to comment with any confidence on the difference between AJX and EK; I'm not one of them, neither are you but the two Ex-EK pilots in AJX that I know personally would not agree with what you've written.

I notice from your few postings that you're also an expert on Skymark and Hong Kong

[gcpilot8]

Based on what experience, Devine Wind?

Based on 4 posts since 2009

[atlanticjet]

Hahahahahaha, now that's a good one. Why are we even comparing AJX to the sand-land carriers ? Absolutely nothing in common, with AJX on top through and through !!!!! Ok, now back to my beer ! Hahahaha.......