...hard decision.....help!!

[liftman]

Hi Guys,

Got a chanche to fly Swiss european or Cathay based Europe......really NO IDEA what to do!!!

I need information about lifestyle, expecially roster ,and enviroment of both company...i need to travel home when I am off....

I am not interested in aircraft, but in quality of life....

I am in a hurry, they wait for a final answer tuesday 15/12!!!!

I you want you can post PM........

Thank for help, I am going to make the most difficult choice of my life!!

[londonmet]

Originally Posted by aileron

er..........surely you should know the answer yourself. If you dont......i suggest you turn both jobs down and let someone who really knows what he wants get the job(s).

or maybe you should call your mommy....

That is probably up there with one of the most useless replies ever ever ever

What liftman was asking fitted in well with what this site is all about.

Have you had a bad day?

[Riker]

Originally Posted by aileron

er..........surely you should know the answer yourself. If you dont......i suggest you turn both jobs down and let someone who really knows what he wants get the job(s).
or maybe you should call your mommy....

Thanks for your contribution - JERK! You're really cool - do you feel better about yourself now?

Per the original question - do you prefer long-haul or short haul lifestyle? Fewer trips vs. more trips during the month. Do you prefer European flying or opportuntiy to visit HK/China and other parts of the world? Can you withstand many days away at a time (7 days)?

Personally, I'd take the Cathay offer (strong company, long-haul lifestyle with great aircraft) - but that's just me.

[Stuck_in_an_ATR]

Hah! Wish I had similar problem! I'd also go for Cathay. Maybe I am biased - I want longhaul and big planes. But I think lh quality of life is aldo better. Good luck!

[captplaystation]

Looking at the recent financial form of Swiss and some of the industrial relations issues vis a vis Crossair etc, I would say it is a bit of a no-brainer.

[coded_messages]

What Base in Europe?

[Coppi]

Manchester and Frankfurt.

[ray cosmic]

In your case I'd go for Cathay; seems more reliable in the longer term..

[whiteangel]

So Liftman,
One item to consider is what aircraft types that will be able to get experience on. Will you fly aircarft that will give you futher job opportunities or is it a 'end of stock' aircraft?

Which company did you decide for ??

[liftman]

CX position is B747 cargo as first officer based Frankfurt, Swiss is RJ first officer based Zurich....

I like both aircraft, maybe long haul is a little bit boring, but most important thing is expected roster,days off and chance of travelling home.......

I heard rumors that swiss european is by far from the ancient swissair and enviroment is not really relaxed.....anyone could confirm?

Other information?

Tks

[ROI1900D]

Just out of curiosity, what's your experience?

[Aussie]

From what i have read on here, if nothing else, go CX!

GOod luck, and let us know what you decide.

Aussie

[Lemper]

Originally Posted by liftman

I like both aircraft, maybe long haul is a little bit boring, but most important thing is expected roster,days off and chance of travelling home.......
I heard rumors that swiss european is by far from the ancient swissair and enviroment is not really relaxed.....anyone could confirm?
Other information?
Tks

Hi Liftman,

Been flying lond haul for 13 years now, and indeed, it gets boring.....at times, BUT, flying cargo is heaven! boxes don't bitch, shorter flight time sectors (heavy payloads), longer lay-overs, better hotels, more diversity in destination, no pax and no cabin crew to report you if they don't like your face.
I flew with the ex-crossair swiss pilots who had left Swiss for better opportunities. There are TWO Swiss's: The ex-swissair, manned by the Lords of the helvetic sky, and the ex-crossair, manned by the slaves, whom are now going all over the world for better jobs.
Does that help in your DMP?

All the best whatever you decide.

L

[Dani]

What is this Swiss European contract like? I know that there is only the PAS Aviation (based in Rotkreuz, Switzerland) contract for experienced FO. You will stay there for maximum a few years and then be replaced by the ab initio guys, who get started now. So you will find yourself without job in 2 or 3 years. You will not be part of the seniority list and have no right for upgrading.

Cathay is SFO (Senior FO, not Second Officer), right? This is a real career. Longhaul might be boring, but short haul (especially SWU) is very tight, they fly their b*tts of, that's why everyone is leaving. In Cathay you fly 2 or 3 times per month, the rest is off. Are you RJ rated already?

PM if you need more info.

Dani

[Thin Albert]

Never ever join Swiss European.
There is no lifestyle.You fly 850 hrs, lots of changes everyday.dont ask for holidays, you wont get them. At the moment company is buying pilots holidays backlog, because not able to give holidays.Its been like this for the last 3 years.
Since September 2006 around 40 pilots left.More to follow.
Starting salary 63000,-sfr a year, that gives you after taxes and health ins. around 3300,-sfr =2100 Euro or 1400 Pounds.
Any questions?
Cheers TA

[sisyphos]

some things to consider with cx:

- high failure rates during training + upgrading

- general "training" and checking environment can be extremely unpleasant

- based europe you fly exactly two routes : to h.k. and back

- no pay rise in many years, almost no union power, based h.k. you are getting payed in h.k. $, which is pegged to the us$ = minus 40% income compared to the euro within last years

- many roster changes, especially on the classic

- long patterns ( up to 10 days)

- freight only 12 months pay, no profit share, no chrismas bonus, no housing etc.

check out the fragrant harbour threads

[Trackzulu]

I'd go to CX (that's what I'll do in a few months ) . After a couple of years on the freighter you'll get the chance for a command (if you're up to!), or for a move to the pax fleet with much better rosters, you can also decide to go to HKG, there are many opportunities. Of course you won't be home every night, but is it going to be the case with Swiss?
At Swiss you could be stuck on the RJ for a while as the openings on the A320 are being filled by ex-SWR pilots who were laid off.
Then there's the salary at Swiss Even with a weak HKD, it's never gonna be as low as Swiss!!

[Dani]

Originally Posted by Trackzulu

At Swiss you could be stuck on the RJ for a while as the openings on the A320 are being filled by ex-SWR pilots who were laid off.

Don't even think of getting on an Airbus ever in SWU. SWU and SWR are two different companies. Hell freezes first before you ever get an A320 seat in SWU (Swiss European). You might get an Embraer 195 in a few years though.
Training in Swiss is also very unpleasant, if they don't like you they put you through torture until you make mistakes, then they fail you and say you are not able to fly. Ask all those Crossair pilots who went through the A320 cours two years ago - every single one was sacked or sent back to the regional sector. They all fly now heavy jets allover the world.

Dani

[Danou_71]

Originally Posted by Dani

You might get an Embraer 195 in a few years though.

You must be kidding!!! SWU will never see the 195!!! The future for SWU pilots is simple: more and more flights will be replaced with airbus from SWR and by other companies like "Hell"vetic and Cirr(c)us and the the Avro will be phased out in 2008... Of course the pilots will also be phased out as they will never get the chance to fly airbus for Swiss. Both of us knows it: CRX pilots are too stupid to manage the airbus. And you know it better than anybody else, don't you???

D_71

[Trackzulu]

Bottom line: Go to Cathay!