DHL conditions

[me109]

Hi all , was just wondering what the pay and conditions are like at DHL UK . I am currently flying 737 for a certain UK low fares company .
Last year I didnt have the required 3000 hrs forr DHL , however I am going to try again within the next few weeks .
Any info would be very much appreciated .

[Redstripe]

have sent u a pm

[rotafix]

wouldnt bother if i was you as it is not a happy ship, typical reasons management not interested in work force just their bonus.

[Mr Angry from Purley]

rota

So why is it not a happy ship then, only 11 Pilots left in 2005 which is a very low turnover. Why dont you make it no 12!

[Daysleeper]

So why is it not a happy ship then, only 11 Pilots left in 2005 which is a very low turnover. Why dont you make it no 12!

Its a depressingly low turnover at 6%

Come on, how are we supposed to argue the case that we are dreadfully treated if people insist in hanging around. Don't people have somewhere better to be? I dunno.......




Pay is pretty much as is on

PPJN
Its a bit less in year 1 for non typed FO's

Unfortunately due to people insiting on not leaving there is not much recruitment going on and its a fairly long wait for command now. But if you dont mind not doing much flying (c300 hrs year) are OK with nights and want to see lots of European hotels then its the place to be.

[Min Drag]

Stable roster 2-3 months in advance, hours low but time at home good, salary pretty competetive with all things considered but overall quality of life very good. When you are away you're looked after well, the hotels are about as good as it gets (save Italy!) - the operation is very slick & impressive.

Like most places T's & C's could be better, pension pretty hopeless but as far as the "happy ship" comment goes - that's verging on b**lox.

MD

[Daysleeper]

the hotels are about as good as it gets (save Italy!)

Its a fairly damning condemnation of the Italian hotel industry that the hotels we stay in often ARE the best avaliable. I know not why Sheraton/Hilton/SAS etc don't have more places there, it's probably politics

[The Big Easy]

What is the expected time to command with DHL? Do they recruit for any other bases other than EMA?

Thanks
TBE.

[neil armstrong]

DHL air only has a EMA base , EAT (belgium) only has a BRU base.
Time to command is a couple of years as far as i know.
A happy ship!! i think it is ,as long as you stay away from all the Bu****it.

Neil

[Daysleeper]

Time to command is a couple of years as far as i know.

ah Neil if only, try a minimum of 5 years, though its more like 10 right now. The usual caveats apply if we expand it gets shorter and vice versa

[rotafix]

stop kidding yourselfs, there is a low turnover, only because," it suits at the moment." loads have been, and still are looking, its all just a matter of time. if those in charge would get their heads out of the clouds for one minute, then things may improve, but who cares so long as they are happy.

[robiemartin]

Are DHL and EAT both owned by DPWN? I'm working for ABX, sounds like our schedules are much the same. We were spun off (foreign ownership) when DP bought Airborne a couple of years ago. I've been curious how many air carriers they own.

[Pilot Pete]

Re: DHL conditions

Time to command is a couple of years as far as i know.

Only if you have the hours on entry and vacancies arise or they expand. More likely is that guys who get some command hours will leave and open up a vacancy.

At about 300hrs a year it will take you an extremely long time to get the hours to have a shot at command, especially if you join with less than 1500hrs.

I did 6 months with them as a tyoe rated direct entry F/O after 9/11 and they are a good employer. They do put you in good hotels and generally look after you, BUT, it is not for everyone.

Night freight is night freight, no matter how you look at it or what you are flying. You will spend as much time hanging around in a smokey portacabin (crew room) as you will flying, in the depths of night. There is no food provided and the only hope is to take soemthing with you or chance your arm with the 'salmonella sandwich machine' in BUB crewroom!!

You are away from home for a 'trip' around various European cities for about 6 nights with one night off in the middle to make it legal. If that's in BUB then the Hairy Canary is great fun and you get hammered with a load of other pilots, BUT, the novelty soon wears off and if you are anything like me you would rather be at home with the choice of doing the same down your local or staying in with the missus for soem 'recreation'.

Your 'trip' may involve being with the same pilot for the whole week, which again can be pretty tedious, even if they are alright. Also, staying in good quality hotels means you have to pay 'good quality' prices for dinner or venture out to eat; great in summer, but not so much fun in Helsinki when it's -30c outside. Plus the novelty of staying in some of Europe's finest cities again pales when you are there for the thirtieth time that year. Another gripe I had was that you have to live out of your suitcase, checking into a hotel when you finish work in the morning and checking out again that evening, taking all your gear and going to work again. Your roster may have you in that hotel and flying out of that hub for your whole tour, but in reality it means nothing and you never know where you might end up on the network, hence it is extremely tiresome to check back into the same hotel and unpack in another room on three consecutive mornings!!

I found them to be a good employer, but the lifestyle was just not for me. I felt that when I went to work my life went on hold and I just existed until I returned home and then I was knackered with jet lag for a couple of days due to constant nights. When I was there I had no complaints about time off; I was getting on average 4 to 5 days at home before going back to work, but bear in mind the previous comment about jet lag. I know that the days off seemed to vary from pilot to pilot and personally know of guys who were only getting 3 off at a time......not good.

So, I have no axe to grind against DHL, they were very fair and as I have said, a good employer, but you really have to be suited to the lifestyle because if you are not it is soul destroying. If you have a family think long and hard before accepting an offer. Most of the guys who joined when I joined have since moved on, like me.

Best wishes

PP

[ABO944]

Re: DHL conditions

Am I correct in saying, DHL are only taking on pilots with 1500 hours plus at the moment?

Pilot Pete:- Sounds like the job / hours would suit me to a tee, but unfortunately dont have the required hours!

Does anyone know if they will take on lower hour chaps again in the near future??

Thanks