Royal Brunei Airlines Mass Sackings
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Royal Brunei Airlines Mass Sackings
Royal Brunei Airlines recently made all but a handful of expat pilots redundant.
The facts
Many horror stories of the bully Chief Pilot who likes to stamp his authority by shouting and posturing. Last year calling crews mid-flight and demanding that the Captain's rest is interrupted so he can be bawled at for leaving some cargo behind in favour of taking extra fuel for weather.
Such a shame to see a once great airline go down this path, even more of a shame for all of the families involved, for the careers they've so brutally ended and for the kids who've only known Brunei as their home to now be uprooted and kicked out of the country.
Unfortunately the airline is only going in one direction and now with the majority of experienced pilots leaving the airline they will be very vulnerable going forward.
The facts
- Roughly 75% fired including 787 and 320 FO's and Captains.
- Seniority not taken into account when decisions made about who was going to stay or go. Airbus trainers kept and a certain social group of Irish pilots who are in a clique with the Irish head of HR and another Irish SVP all kept.
- Company changed contracts in April which took away bonuses meaning the pilots got just 3 months pay instead of 3 months plus bonus. (SIA gave 1 months pay per year of service!)
- Company put pilots on forced leave in April and May, some pilots went into a negative balance and are now being charged for the leave out of their final payment.
- Many pilots have been with the company 20+ years, no recognition by the company whatsoever for their loyal service over the years, no compassion, no empathy.
- Lots of Australian pilots and their families stuck in Brunei and unable to travel to Australia due to travel restrictions and the company completely washing their hands of them after their last day.
- Now the company are asking pilots to pay for their own flights home.
- Shipping not being paid, some pilots have big allowances as they have been in the country for so long and now have families to repatriate. The company are now only prepared to pay a portion of their entitlement.
- Pilots forced to fly despite being made redundant - some pilots are hoping they may keep their jobs or be called back so the airline is currently flying around with pilots who will be unemployed in a few weeks.
- Company have changed their own manuals to fit their cost saving agenda and have changed the requirements for pilots who haven't flown in the last 120 days. Previously they needed 4 days in the sim and a line check. Now just a 1 day LPC, a day in the classroom and then back on the line despite some who haven't flown for 6+ months.
- The Bruneian DCA who oversee's the airline is in no way independent so will happily sign off whatever they are told to.
Many horror stories of the bully Chief Pilot who likes to stamp his authority by shouting and posturing. Last year calling crews mid-flight and demanding that the Captain's rest is interrupted so he can be bawled at for leaving some cargo behind in favour of taking extra fuel for weather.
Such a shame to see a once great airline go down this path, even more of a shame for all of the families involved, for the careers they've so brutally ended and for the kids who've only known Brunei as their home to now be uprooted and kicked out of the country.
Unfortunately the airline is only going in one direction and now with the majority of experienced pilots leaving the airline they will be very vulnerable going forward.
With the oil running out and current COVID situation there won’t be a need for, or money to fund an airline of this size anyway. Going forward, a few A320s to cover regional destinations such as SIN/BKK/HKG etc is all that will be required.
The airline was simply the Sultan’s vanity project, trying to mimic the Middle East 3 from an unfavourable location with no alcohol service it was never going to be a money maker.
Unless HM is prepared to keep pouring the dollars in, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the B787s disposed of and long haul routes operated as codeshares with other airlines such as CX and SQ in the post COVID consolidation.
It’s a shame as it was a nice little boutique airline back in the early 2000s with decent conditions and routes for the pilots. Suitable for someone who wanted a quiet life in a small operation rather than Dubai and EK.
The airline was simply the Sultan’s vanity project, trying to mimic the Middle East 3 from an unfavourable location with no alcohol service it was never going to be a money maker.
Unless HM is prepared to keep pouring the dollars in, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the B787s disposed of and long haul routes operated as codeshares with other airlines such as CX and SQ in the post COVID consolidation.
It’s a shame as it was a nice little boutique airline back in the early 2000s with decent conditions and routes for the pilots. Suitable for someone who wanted a quiet life in a small operation rather than Dubai and EK.
Cunning Artificer
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: The spiritual home of DeHavilland
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I know there is no point in reminiscing, but RBA (and Brunei) was at it's best in the 80's and 90's, and around Mike Fox time
