Royal Brunei Airlines
Join Date: Sep 2016
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Anyone can confirm if the terms and conditions on offer by Royal Brunei remain the same as for 2014?
If I stand correct, expected salary would be around BND 165,000 per year plus housing, education and insurances.
Thank you.
If I stand correct, expected salary would be around BND 165,000 per year plus housing, education and insurances.
Thank you.
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Perth
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For those people looking for info on RBA.
As others have alluded to the package is significantly below the going rate for a contract A320 Captain in Asia. The package has not increased significantly for many years and has been left well behind the going rate over time. Any increments (2.5% last year) are only applied to the basic salary so make very little difference.
In the past people accepted the lower pay because you could expect to fly 50 hours per month and with a reasonable amount of leave (more on that later) you could have a pretty good family lifestyle.
Unfortunately those days are over and you can expect to fly 70 plus hours per month. Those 70hrs a month require a lot of duty hours to achieve because of overnight split duties, nature of the route network, inefficient rostering etc.
The way the roster is written seems to be designed to give the pilots as little free time as possible. You will get 8 days off per month. Generally expect to start on an early and finish on a late. Another favourite is a SBY duty until 2300 before a day off. It is normal to have single days off in the roster.
The lifestyle in Brunei is not for everyone.
It is a very quiet place, a dry country so no Bars etc at all. A relatively small expat community (and getting smaller) that some people may find a little bit claustrophobic. Spouse's will not be able to work, about the only exception being teachers. It is also a very long way from the UK/Europe, especially when RBA starts messing with your contract leave tickets.
Brunei relies on oil and gas for 90% of its income. With the low oil price there has been a noticeable reduction in spending by the government, whether they will continue to pour money into RBA is anyone’s guess (RBA has never made a profit, it's just the size of the loss that varies)
The website mentions a "generous" amount of leave. 48 days sounds ok at first glance but there are a few things not obvious from the outside. Firstly those pilots already here get 56 days, HR are trying to effectively introduce a "B scale contract". The leave days are not working days. If you take a week’s leave that will be 7 days from your entitlement and you will lose 2 days off in that month (down to 6 from 8). Don't expect to get days off before or after leave.
The package is made up of a few parts as listed (all in BND) approximate figures per month.
Basic salary. $6500
Supplementary allowance. $3000
Expatriate allowance. $1700
Duty pay - variable approx. $800
RBA will pay an Education allowance of up to $800/mth per child 5yrs and over. This will only cover a little over 50% of the school fees at the international school (if you can get a place)
Housing allowance provides for a reasonable 3/4 bedroom detached house.
My advice for anyone considering joining RBA.
Do your due diligence. If you are offered a contract, insist on RBA flying you to Brunei for a good look around. Speak to the pilots/spouse's already here and decide if your family will be happy living here. It's too late once you are here to question the contract/conditions, staff travel, cost of living, school fees etc. It will suit some people but don’t turn up thinking it will be like living in the UK/Europe.
For type rated A320 Captains there is a big shortage worldwide. I would suggest that you are in a strong position to insist on the same contract (leave) as the rest of the RBA pilots.
Bob
As others have alluded to the package is significantly below the going rate for a contract A320 Captain in Asia. The package has not increased significantly for many years and has been left well behind the going rate over time. Any increments (2.5% last year) are only applied to the basic salary so make very little difference.
In the past people accepted the lower pay because you could expect to fly 50 hours per month and with a reasonable amount of leave (more on that later) you could have a pretty good family lifestyle.
Unfortunately those days are over and you can expect to fly 70 plus hours per month. Those 70hrs a month require a lot of duty hours to achieve because of overnight split duties, nature of the route network, inefficient rostering etc.
The way the roster is written seems to be designed to give the pilots as little free time as possible. You will get 8 days off per month. Generally expect to start on an early and finish on a late. Another favourite is a SBY duty until 2300 before a day off. It is normal to have single days off in the roster.
The lifestyle in Brunei is not for everyone.
It is a very quiet place, a dry country so no Bars etc at all. A relatively small expat community (and getting smaller) that some people may find a little bit claustrophobic. Spouse's will not be able to work, about the only exception being teachers. It is also a very long way from the UK/Europe, especially when RBA starts messing with your contract leave tickets.
Brunei relies on oil and gas for 90% of its income. With the low oil price there has been a noticeable reduction in spending by the government, whether they will continue to pour money into RBA is anyone’s guess (RBA has never made a profit, it's just the size of the loss that varies)
The website mentions a "generous" amount of leave. 48 days sounds ok at first glance but there are a few things not obvious from the outside. Firstly those pilots already here get 56 days, HR are trying to effectively introduce a "B scale contract". The leave days are not working days. If you take a week’s leave that will be 7 days from your entitlement and you will lose 2 days off in that month (down to 6 from 8). Don't expect to get days off before or after leave.
The package is made up of a few parts as listed (all in BND) approximate figures per month.
Basic salary. $6500
Supplementary allowance. $3000
Expatriate allowance. $1700
Duty pay - variable approx. $800
RBA will pay an Education allowance of up to $800/mth per child 5yrs and over. This will only cover a little over 50% of the school fees at the international school (if you can get a place)
Housing allowance provides for a reasonable 3/4 bedroom detached house.
My advice for anyone considering joining RBA.
Do your due diligence. If you are offered a contract, insist on RBA flying you to Brunei for a good look around. Speak to the pilots/spouse's already here and decide if your family will be happy living here. It's too late once you are here to question the contract/conditions, staff travel, cost of living, school fees etc. It will suit some people but don’t turn up thinking it will be like living in the UK/Europe.
For type rated A320 Captains there is a big shortage worldwide. I would suggest that you are in a strong position to insist on the same contract (leave) as the rest of the RBA pilots.
Bob
Join Date: Mar 2006
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With those conditions and the way the market is for experienced and qualified pilots, I don't see many applying.
With luck the pay will be even lower...
HR are trying to effectively introduce a "B scale contract".
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Bandit Country
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Pulled out of the application process last week. Heard nothing from HR after trying on several occasions to contact them re confirming T&C's, they seem like an utter shambles. As an ex-spotty driver, none of my friends/colleagues will be moving to the other side of the world for this pile of poo. B Scale indeed.........
Another airline on the list where the good days are in the past, along with Air Niugini, Cathay and Emirates.
If you're in already and on the B787 probably not too bad for the moment. However the airline wants local pilots not expats so don't expect to move fleets. The oil price is a serious issue for the country as without oil it would be simply jungle, like the rest of Borneo.
Not a career airline anymore but not paying enough for a contract job. Hong Kong Airlines have a better package and are cancelling flights due to lack of A320/330 pilots.
If you're in already and on the B787 probably not too bad for the moment. However the airline wants local pilots not expats so don't expect to move fleets. The oil price is a serious issue for the country as without oil it would be simply jungle, like the rest of Borneo.
Not a career airline anymore but not paying enough for a contract job. Hong Kong Airlines have a better package and are cancelling flights due to lack of A320/330 pilots.
Join Date: Jan 2006
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Coincidentally
Another airline on the list where the good days are in the past, along with Air Niugini, Cathay and Emirates.
If you're in already and on the B787 probably not too bad for the moment. However the airline wants local pilots not expats so don't expect to move fleets. The oil price is a serious issue for the country as without oil it would be simply jungle, like the rest of Borneo.
Not a career airline anymore but not paying enough for a contract job. Hong Kong Airlines have a better package and are cancelling flights due to lack of A320/330 pilots.
If you're in already and on the B787 probably not too bad for the moment. However the airline wants local pilots not expats so don't expect to move fleets. The oil price is a serious issue for the country as without oil it would be simply jungle, like the rest of Borneo.
Not a career airline anymore but not paying enough for a contract job. Hong Kong Airlines have a better package and are cancelling flights due to lack of A320/330 pilots.
Funny you mention that Mm, I have a selection with them in a fortnight. From us in the "M" Brigade, it definitely has the T&C's that we are after. Anything less (which is what RBA and the likes are offering) is just an insult!!
T
Join Date: Feb 2014
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Bingbongbob has very good advice.
In addition all new-joiners should familiarize themselves with the 'Dunning-Kruger effect' as part of the orientation process.
In addition all new-joiners should familiarize themselves with the 'Dunning-Kruger effect' as part of the orientation process.
Join Date: Apr 2002
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Does anybody know what is happening in RBA these days? I know that they are still advertising for experienced crew, but how many captains do they need? Are they having any luck with employing more captains on the new (less leave) deal? Is it worth hanging on for an improvement to the T&C's?
Last edited by wycjol; 27th Apr 2018 at 22:00. Reason: Spelling
Join Date: Aug 2011
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My advice is to avoid this "company" at all cost 
Join Date: Sep 2007
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Lets quickly summarize, last year they required a UK EASA ATPL only, and now that requirement has gone. I guess that should tell you how successful the recruitment is going....
They’ve had an advert for A320 Pilots in Flight International at least 3 times in the last 12 months. It was a good gig about 15 years ago on the B767 but those days are over. Long term outlook for Brunei isn’t brilliant when the oil runs out. Expat days may be numbered as locals are trained up.
Join Date: Aug 2015
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an endemic cancer purveys
Resignations from Flight Operations:
Executive General Manager (times 2 withiin 6 months).
Chief Pilot (allegedly resigned before removed)
Flight Safety Officer
B787 Training Manger
A320 Training manager
Any decent Aviation Authority would have considered suspending the AOC by now. Fortunately for these buffoons the DCA and RB belong to the same entity.
CEO appears to be more interested in property development and branding than running an airline. There seems to be no intention on his part to sort any of these problems out. He really seems either not to care or he has his head firmly up his ass. In any event he does not appear to have the balls to face the pilots.
"Ignorance can be cured but stupidity is for ever"
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Royal Air Brunei
Hello everyone, newbie here. I have been trying to read up on the forums, but cannot find a direct answer. I have an interview with RBA this month, anyone here know the details, what kind of questions you can expect and what the sim check will look like for a non type rated FO.
Regards
Regards