Virgin Atlantic Master thread volume 2
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Right Here.
Posts: 497
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Morning,
Would any VS pilots care to comment or PM me on the current morale/lifestyle and recruitment process please?
Ive been waiting a while and my numbers just come up.
Cheers,
MAX
Would any VS pilots care to comment or PM me on the current morale/lifestyle and recruitment process please?
Ive been waiting a while and my numbers just come up.
Cheers,
MAX
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Manchester,uk
Posts: 283
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Airbus generally OK, Boeing being worked to death. No commands or prospects of commands, general feeling of lack of direction, some worries about the future, zero confidence in top management.
Just like everywhere else then.
Just like everywhere else then.
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 354
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Whats the general consensus about Open Skies. Something you can ride out or loss of revenue.
Is it also true that "saving a penny to lose a pound" has started with the abolition of the inflight beauty therapists.
Is it also true that "saving a penny to lose a pound" has started with the abolition of the inflight beauty therapists.
Join Date: Dec 1997
Location: Suffolk UK
Posts: 4,927
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This thread has gone a bit quiet.
Any Virgin flyers know whether there is any truth in the rumour of a possible pilot recruitment drive this summer? Personally, the large order for 787s makes me very excited!
Scroggs, anyone?
Cheers
ST
Any Virgin flyers know whether there is any truth in the rumour of a possible pilot recruitment drive this summer? Personally, the large order for 787s makes me very excited!
Scroggs, anyone?
Cheers
ST
The recruiting for the B787 and A380 (and possibly B777 if the 787 is delayed too much) won't begin in earnest for another 18 months or so, I would guess. As yet, there is no statement on how many of these aircraft will be additions to the fleet and how many will replace older frames, so the net requirement for new pilots is difficult to judge. The airline was also due to announce an additional order for aircraft to bolster/replace some of the LGW B744 fleet about now, but that seems to have slid to the right.
It's being reported today in some business sites that SRB and a team of Virgin executives is in Dubai right now trying to raise capital for a potential bmi British Midland buy-out. How serious or imminent this is I have no idea, but any move in that direction will have major ramifications for recruitment: ie, it will stop until all the manpower issues of any merger/takeover are resolved.
Interesting times.
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Doha
Posts: 227
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Evening Gents,
Just to confirm that is take home pay on a typical month? Based on how many hours? Am I right to assume that allowances down route are sufficient? And do you get "Cash-in-hand" before each flight or is it included in pay slips at end of month?
Have come to a cross-roads in my career and want to evaluate all options. Thanks in advance.
Cheers,
OW
Just to confirm that is take home pay on a typical month? Based on how many hours? Am I right to assume that allowances down route are sufficient? And do you get "Cash-in-hand" before each flight or is it included in pay slips at end of month?
Have come to a cross-roads in my career and want to evaluate all options. Thanks in advance.
Cheers,
OW
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Up In The Sky...
Posts: 328
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yep about £3400 take home after pension, company contribute 15%. Flying a lot at the mo, but max is 750/yr.
Allowances are mostly paid down route in cash, although that is all changing as we are getting a card that the allowances will be paid onto.
MG.
Allowances are mostly paid down route in cash, although that is all changing as we are getting a card that the allowances will be paid onto.
MG.
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Vs Payscale question
Leaving the mob this year and trying to compare Virgin and BA's salary over a potential 30 year career.
On promotion to captain do you start at the bottom of the captain payscale or do you slide sideways onto captain year x, depending on number of years at the company? I believe the latter is the practice at BA.
How many paypoints are there on the fo and captain payscales at Vs?
Is the retirement age at the moment 60 or 65?
Thanks in advance,
Woolfgang
On promotion to captain do you start at the bottom of the captain payscale or do you slide sideways onto captain year x, depending on number of years at the company? I believe the latter is the practice at BA.
How many paypoints are there on the fo and captain payscales at Vs?
Is the retirement age at the moment 60 or 65?
Thanks in advance,
Woolfgang
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Doha
Posts: 227
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for the info MG.....most appreciated. Just trying to figure out if leaving a command overseas a year or so down the road for an FO position (not necesarily with Virgin) on the same money, albeit back in the UK, makes sense for me and the family.
Regards,
OW
PS. Like WG, am intersted in knowing retirement age at Virgin
Regards,
OW
PS. Like WG, am intersted in knowing retirement age at Virgin
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: London
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Wolfgang,
There are 16 F/O increments and 14 Capt increments, all at 2.5%. As a year one Capt, yes you do move to the Capt year one scale regardless of years spent in the right seat, and i would plan on about 10-12 years to promotion.
As things currently stand F/O pay starts at 3300 ish take home per month. I am a year 3 year Capt and take home roughly 5500 but this can vary +/- 300 quid depending on hours flown.
Hope this helps
There are 16 F/O increments and 14 Capt increments, all at 2.5%. As a year one Capt, yes you do move to the Capt year one scale regardless of years spent in the right seat, and i would plan on about 10-12 years to promotion.
As things currently stand F/O pay starts at 3300 ish take home per month. I am a year 3 year Capt and take home roughly 5500 but this can vary +/- 300 quid depending on hours flown.
Hope this helps
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: London
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Oops forget to mention, that following the age changes we can now work to 65 in the L/H seat, although personally i hope to be financially ok to take my pension at 60. Fingers crossed.
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
4 Engines,
Thanks very much indeed for your reply. That is extremely useful information.
Exciting times ahead, not sure where i'll be in 9 months but I'm already looking forward to it...
cheers,
Woolfgang
Thanks very much indeed for your reply. That is extremely useful information.
Exciting times ahead, not sure where i'll be in 9 months but I'm already looking forward to it...
cheers,
Woolfgang
Join Date: Dec 1997
Location: Suffolk UK
Posts: 4,927
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As things currently stand F/O pay starts at 3300 ish take home per month. I am a year 3 year Capt and take home roughly 5500 but this can vary +/- 300 quid depending on hours flown.
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: London
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes well put Scroggs.
I put 6% into the co. pension scheme, in order to get the max from the company at 15%. Naturally, your take home can vary considerably depending on individual contribution levels.
I put 6% into the co. pension scheme, in order to get the max from the company at 15%. Naturally, your take home can vary considerably depending on individual contribution levels.
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: uk
Posts: 516
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Realistically though, because all VS Pilots would pay tax at 40% nominally, the pension contributions are good way of getting that Tax relief.
All contributions are before tax, so the contributions you actually make seem far smaller(in terms of the amount deducted) than they would be if they were after tax.
Most people pay their 6% or more. I have NEVER met a VS pilot who is not in the pension one way or another.
I pay 10%, VS pay 15%. I am a year 2 FO and take home £3500 on average. Not a vast sum, granted, but it's enough because it is not hard work.
All contributions are before tax, so the contributions you actually make seem far smaller(in terms of the amount deducted) than they would be if they were after tax.
Most people pay their 6% or more. I have NEVER met a VS pilot who is not in the pension one way or another.
I pay 10%, VS pay 15%. I am a year 2 FO and take home £3500 on average. Not a vast sum, granted, but it's enough because it is not hard work.
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: UK
Age: 50
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Is this one of the longest running threads on Pprune?
Just got an email a couple of days ago calling me in for interview!
Couple of questions please....
1. Carmen - has it settled down? How does it work and are people generally content with it?
2. Job position seems to be LHR, I am -400 rated so guessing -400 at LHR (although I have recent A320 rating on my licence). What sort of work are those guys doing - routes/trips lengths/mainly 2-3 crew? Are there any 4 crew trips in VS?
3. What are the "positioning issues" the Jumbo guys have to deal with?
4. Allowances - much talk above of take home....when is the new card coming in for expenses and how will that work? What are the expenses, and typically what do they amount to each month?
5. If successful, am I likely to be placed in the pool?
6. Training - as a rated entrant what sort of course will I have to face? Where is it run?
Thanks guys,
Any top tips and points regarding current issues in VS would be apprieciated via PM!!
MS
Just got an email a couple of days ago calling me in for interview!
Couple of questions please....
1. Carmen - has it settled down? How does it work and are people generally content with it?
2. Job position seems to be LHR, I am -400 rated so guessing -400 at LHR (although I have recent A320 rating on my licence). What sort of work are those guys doing - routes/trips lengths/mainly 2-3 crew? Are there any 4 crew trips in VS?
3. What are the "positioning issues" the Jumbo guys have to deal with?
4. Allowances - much talk above of take home....when is the new card coming in for expenses and how will that work? What are the expenses, and typically what do they amount to each month?
5. If successful, am I likely to be placed in the pool?
6. Training - as a rated entrant what sort of course will I have to face? Where is it run?
Thanks guys,
Any top tips and points regarding current issues in VS would be apprieciated via PM!!
MS
Join Date: Dec 1997
Location: Suffolk UK
Posts: 4,927
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
1. No, it hasn't. We still have several rostering issues. They are being dealt with, but progress is slow. You've alluded to one of the issues in another point.
2. All VS pilots are based at LHR, period. Your ratings are not particularly relevant to which type you may end up on; you could go to either - though the B744 does need a few extra bods at the moment.
3. There is quite a lot of positioning to and from flights for the B744 guys. Some is to and from MAN for those schedules, some is to, from and around the Caribbean for the tortured scheduling plot for that region. It is becoming an issue, exacerbated by the shortage of pilots on that fleet.
4. The new card is in now. No difference to the amount of money received (around £400-£500 a month, tax free). HMRC may have further news on that front for all airline employees soon!
5. Yes.
6. Most courses are at The Base, Virgin's training facility in Crawley, though Airbus pilots will do some or all of their course in Toulouse. The B744 (and some A340) simulator phase is at Burgess Hill. The kind of course you'll do is a complicated issue depending on your ratings and currency, and one I'm not really qualified to comment on. Whatever it is, it'll take between 3 and 5 months including line training.
Scroggs
2. All VS pilots are based at LHR, period. Your ratings are not particularly relevant to which type you may end up on; you could go to either - though the B744 does need a few extra bods at the moment.
3. There is quite a lot of positioning to and from flights for the B744 guys. Some is to and from MAN for those schedules, some is to, from and around the Caribbean for the tortured scheduling plot for that region. It is becoming an issue, exacerbated by the shortage of pilots on that fleet.
4. The new card is in now. No difference to the amount of money received (around £400-£500 a month, tax free). HMRC may have further news on that front for all airline employees soon!
5. Yes.
6. Most courses are at The Base, Virgin's training facility in Crawley, though Airbus pilots will do some or all of their course in Toulouse. The B744 (and some A340) simulator phase is at Burgess Hill. The kind of course you'll do is a complicated issue depending on your ratings and currency, and one I'm not really qualified to comment on. Whatever it is, it'll take between 3 and 5 months including line training.
Scroggs