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Korean Air

Old 18th Mar 2012, 00:28
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make a bee line for our meal ticket machines at the hangar room every breakfast, lunch and dinner time
Strange practice for pilots to go for meal tickets at the hangar!

Hey, we ain't losers but some of us do need to survive after being furloughed. On second thought, maybe I will give KAL a miss. Not worth the angst.
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Old 18th Mar 2012, 15:19
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Generation

I am sure alot of Pilots see the value of the 20/10 scheme as the highlight. There are many issues that would need a dramatic change in Management and two thirds of the Management changed for a Generation renewal. I know for a fact that there are good Guy´s in the operation but they have no way into the VP Level as they are not conform with the old style of the present Managers and that was and is one of the shortcomings for a change into a more modern style Leading Management. The Third Generation of the Cho Familiy get´s the foot closer into the door as well. Does that Youth have a new wind blown into the OCC Building? I fear not.

Heajangkuk hasn´t seen any other side maybe and therefore he worked for KAL only in his Aviation Career. He haven´t worked for any US or EU Carrier and is not able to compare by own expirience.

Bashing on others, pointing fingers, nice attitude as I remember, better blaming others first to draw the attention of the own dirt instead of pulling up the sleeves and cleaning the own doorstep first.

I did not join greedy nore did I left greedy but critical with a eye for what could be done better and also knowing there is no perfect world anywhere. I am sure I contributet my part at the time and that was enough for over ten years. I met good enthusiastic Pilots from Jeju and the Airforce. Unfortunatly some of them left KAL also for theire own sake, does that tell you something when National Pilots leave?

I did a SIM-Check yesterday and the Instructor told me that I look more relaxed and look younger then some years ago. People promised me that I sleep better at night after KAL. I enjoyed the flying here as there but the love for Aviation is back. I did my Single Engine Piston renewal last summer after I returned back home and I love to take a Plane again on a sunny day for leisure. Something I haven´t done during the time in Korea.
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Old 18th Mar 2012, 16:05
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haejangkuk
If we are a land full of losers (presumeably the West) why are all your people immigrating here in droves? Honestly why would you guys want to live with a bunch of losers? Clearly things are amazing in Korea.....
It's unfortunate you have such a bad attitude towards the expats at your airline but you know full well why they are there and need to be and that won't be changing anytime soon.
Why not change your attitude a bit, befriend these guys and learn a little for when you try to immigrate?
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Old 19th Mar 2012, 09:42
  #384 (permalink)  
 
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Can someone tell me how long I'm gonna have to stay there initially if I take the offer after joining? Been led to believe it is quite a while... If so, why?

Thanks
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Old 19th Mar 2012, 10:45
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Originally Posted by Fat Dog
Can someone tell me how long I'm gonna have to stay there initially if I take the offer after joining? Been led to believe it is quite a while... If so, why?

Thanks
If you leave within a year, you will have to reimburse the training cost.
After a year, you can leave whenever you want (3 month notice period.)
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Old 19th Mar 2012, 11:19
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You don't even have to give 3 months notice. The contract states, 3 month OR $5000.00USD payment in lieu of. (Notwithstanding that first year requirement as stated by Bus Driver) You can give them 10 seconds notice if you really want AND keep within the agreement. Don't expect them to ever hire you back though ... and that would be very understandable on their part.

Haejangkuk ... You do have a bit of a chip on your shoulders don't you? You're still using that silly little rant about the meal tickets. Get some better ammo.
I would like to ask you though, why do you think the Korean 'belles', (as you refer to them) are choosing the Expats? .. Are they looking for something a bit BIGGER? a FULLER life? .. maybe?

kimcheejones
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Old 19th Mar 2012, 11:45
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Thanks for the info but what I meant was - I understand that initially you have to spend a few months continuously there for 'training' - is this the case?
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Old 19th Mar 2012, 13:58
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You stay approximately 3 months in Seoul during training, Hyatt hotel at ICN. Decent hotel, staff are excellent. However, that 3 months is a very long haul ..........

It hasn't always been that way and there has been talk about a possible change, but don't count on it.

kimcheejones
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Old 19th Mar 2012, 16:01
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Guys any idea if they might drop the 1000 airline transport hour requirement to something smaller,I am currently 50 short all agencies say its set in stone,I hear they are very desperate for FO's on 737 fleet...?
BE
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Old 26th Mar 2012, 05:12
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NTR A330 FO

Hi all,

Can anyone currently at KAL shed some light on the training for A330 expat FO? Been browsing through older posts as well but not much info. I'm A320 rated and considering applying for NTR A330 FO position. How is the training like? And what is the sucess/failure rate so far? Is it as tough as expat captain as being mentioned on several threads?

Thank you,

Subria
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Old 31st Mar 2012, 13:39
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I see haejangkuk is continuing his/her tirade against seemingly all non-Koreans:

http://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/4...es-do-you.html

No further comment on that front from me. I'm just posting to say, in case it helps anyone in a similar position to myself, that KAL indeed did tell me where to go when it came to joining on a different fleet to that which I got assessed on.

Luckily for me, I managed to find a good job in Europe with a decent operator and so won't ever be sampling the delights that is a job with KAL (I have been informed once you say no, you never get invited again - can't say I'm too concerned on that one).
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Old 31st Mar 2012, 21:38
  #392 (permalink)  
 
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Quote:
make a bee line for our meal ticket machines at the hangar room every breakfast, lunch and dinner time
Strange practice for pilots to go for meal tickets at the hangar!

Hey, we ain't losers but some of us do need to survive after being furloughed. On second thought, maybe I will give KAL a miss. Not worth the angst.
Babablackship...the expat pilots do not go to the hangar for free meal tickets! There is an office place which was part of the former flight operations despatch center which was converted to a " hangar room " where pilots have company issued coat hangers to keep their jackets, uniforms and overcoats. The comany is such a cheapskate entity that they do not even have locker rooms or mail boxes for pilots, only cheap pvc/nylon type " coat hangers " that you probably can get from some dollar tree shops!

Now, haejangkuk is probably one of the newer Korean pilots who are quite fluent in English and would have listened in to some of the irresponsible remarks made by el cheapo expats with loose lips. Hence his angst against the foreign pilots. I don't blame him entirely; as of the late we have many expats with strange habits, dodgy credentials and odd ethics being hired. We do have some with " parker penned " credentials ingratiating themselves to KAL management, so thankful to be in the big league. Some of us are seriously looking to jump ship not because of the Koreans ( we have already factored in the Korean malaise when we first joined ), but for fear that these dodgy expats are going to screw things up really bad for the foreign pilot group.
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Old 1st Apr 2012, 18:49
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Some of us are seriously looking to jump ship not because of the Koreans ( we have already factored in the Korean malaise when we first joined ), but for fear that these dodgy expats are going to screw things up really bad for the foreign pilot group
Righto Polo. Some years ago when I was there, the expat pilots actually caused more safety related incidents than the Koreans! We were actually becoming a bigger problem than the solution to the safety woes. However right at the time when I left, things did improved and there were no serious prangs with foreigners involved.
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Old 3rd Apr 2012, 16:01
  #394 (permalink)  
 
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Well, I've now been at KAL for almost a year and find things quite nice.
Just finished a recurrent sim and it went mostly well. The line flying has been nice and have yet to run into a 'hostile'.
Yep, I get my meal tickets (it's a free meal) and I 'try' and get along with the locals.
It's their airline, their customs......we're visitors and if you just try and get along, things seem to be fine.
Before the flames fly.....I've been doing the expat thing now for over 20 years so I do have a 'bit' of knowledge on how things work.....
On the other hand......if you insist on doing it 'your' way or your old airlines 'way', chances are that isn't going to work. It wouldn't work if the shoe was on the other foot so why would it here??
Just my .02 cents......
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Old 4th Apr 2012, 03:53
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Well I have to agree with oldgrunt. I have been a similar time at KE and share similar experience/views. I would have to say the Korean FO’s I fly with are by all accounts generally well spoken and have good skills. In fact I have to sympathize as many flights are crewed heavy therefore the opportunity for a TO AND LDG is not as common as one may expect in other carriers - hence not easy to gain valuable hands on experience. And as we all know with flying experiences the final exam often comes first and then the lesson! I have to ask myself (regardless why we believe we are here) if I was in “my” national carrier as an FO with 10+ years and then 400 Korean Capt's joined as DEC - I tend to think most of us would be very pissed off. Not sure what the Korean FO's (or Capt’s) say behind my/our back but to my face they are polite and very professional. Again just reporting as I see it on my coal face!

Rosters have been as I expected. Busy but not as fatiguing as other jobs I have had or ex colleagues report. I am shortly to start KAL’s options system (10 days on and 8 days off - in/out of my home town). I don’t get that opportunity every day of the week. If KE can make it last long term they may have a long term employee. YES the pay is not fantastic (low USD not helping) but overall a respectable gig. Don’t shoot the messenger just reporting as I see it.

There seems to be some growing opportunities in China which hopefully may match KE for roster basing’s but with much improved pay. Watch this space.

Safe flights.
BW
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Old 6th Apr 2012, 01:00
  #396 (permalink)  
 
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Oldgrunt wrote :
Yep, I get my meal tickets (it's a free meal) and I 'try' and get along with the locals.
Oh dear el cheapo...with you expats lining up for the free meal coupons, the company will never ever increase your per diem in ICN! Come on, have a little bit of class as well as common sense. Small wonder old timers like polochristo is looking to jump ship.
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Old 7th Apr 2012, 16:45
  #397 (permalink)  
 
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Have a 'little class'??
How is doing what was shown to me by my leasing company as well as almost all of the people here (some more than 20 years) showing a lack of class??
Common Sense?
Your reply certainly shows a lack of that......
Flame back my friend but show a little class, yah???
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Old 7th Apr 2012, 22:32
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Ace...forget it, any time the foreign pilots are to ask for increase in per diem at ICN all the flight administration has to do is just to pull up footage from the security cameras at the hangar room and show that the el cheapos are all going for the 3300 won meal tickets! They may just cut off the per diem at ICN totally. Real imbeciles!
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Old 7th Apr 2012, 23:55
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Hey Chuck, are you kidding me?! 3300 wons or is it 33000 wons? 3300 wons is about US$3...what can you get for that amount in an expensive city like Seoul? Or is pricing different in ICN as I heard that it is a free trade zone?

If it is 33000 wons, then one can at least have a decent meal.
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Old 22nd Jun 2012, 15:09
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Hey guys ,

I would like to have some feedbacks about FO's on their 737 sector ? how's the life in Seoul , commuting , general ambiance .
Saw the advert on the Korean website and Ristworth also , so trying to have an idea as the only testimonial are from captains on their website .

Cheers
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