Thomas Cook recruiting

[flyinthesky]

As a current TCX pilot, I have to say there are worse places to be. T&C's are good. Maybe not the best, but certainly far from the worst. Generally most guys are good to fly with. We still have a few old die-hards who seem to find it difficult to move on post MYT/TCX merger but they are in a minority.

If you are recruited to the airbus, then previous posters are correct that 330 is only available at MAN/LGW. If you do not have a 330 rating, then placement onto the 330 is on an as needed basis. Airbus F/O's are not automatically rated on the 330. Also bear in mind that LH is not the crown jewel it used to be. Bean counters don't want us lazing on beaches for days on end!

Time to command is certainly not short. There are minimal upgrades (if any) in the pipeline and whilst we do have a retirement bulge coming up, there will be c300 F/O's in front of you!

In terms of SFO rank, as long as you have 1500hrs and an unfrozen ATPL, you should be placed onto this payscale. That supposes that the company has nothing else planned. Most new joiners have had a couple of seasons as summer only prior to being given a permanent position.

Good luck to those that apply!

[Penworth]

Has anyone managed to successfully attach a CV or covering letter to their application? Everytime I try, it says an error has occurred and I need to restart the application.

[bluk]

I have managed. Pdf format and it works fine. Maybe they've got temporary problems. Try again later.

[Coffin Corner]

Penworth I could too mate, in MSWord format.

[Penworth]

Ah, thanks guys, must be just me then, will keep trying. Cheers

[timzsta]

I completed it all this morning. It accepted my CV in Word 2003 format no problems.

[757_Driver]

Any information avaialble on the rostering - days off, stbys etc?
I notice the advert says northwest. For someone who is in the south east and cannot move due to family and wife's career commitments what are the prospects for a) commuting and b) getting based in the south east (STN, LGW primarily)

[dbriglee]

Penworth!.
Same thing happened to me. If you read on with 'help uploading'it will direct you to an explanation of how to fix it. You need to add telex.thomascook (or whatever the website is) into your ''allowed'' list in internet explorer and it works fine

[Coffin Corner]

Mine took it in Word 2000 format too, I also used Firefox as a browser, maybe try that?

I am trying to get back "down sarf" eventually. Does anyone know how difficult it is to get a BHX/BRS/LGW base with Thomas Cook? Are these bases over subscribed?

Thanks

CC

[frozenpilot]

As far as basing goes Manchester is the significant base and they often run heavy so they can use crews there for the numerous 'W' patterns we cover during the summer. If it says Northwest I would bank on that, secondly Glasgow (usually undersubscribed) and then Newcastle very close behind. However, a third party is covering flights from NCL next summer. Gatwick is rumoured to be getting the 2 additions to the Boeing fleet, but there are a lot of summer contractors just offered permenant destined for any Southern bases. With BHX, BRS being small bases they are very difficult to get and there is no shortage of takers.

Rostering is pretty stable....... However a very busy program (most jets doing slot 3's) and ageing Boeing jets caused an awful lot of disruption to 757/767 Pilots rosters throughout last summer. I found from June-late October I had 3 days off together at best and usually 2 quality days. Lots and lots..... and lots of night Turkeys would also make commuting quite a drag. I would guess you may get a few days away from base, but you know you are workng during the summer!! It is what you make of it.

TCX is a great place to work, very nice people, very good T's and C's and some security.

Good luck.

[Coffin Corner]

frozenpilot

Thanks so much for the info. A couple of other questions if I may.

What is a typical working week for you guys in the summer (Airbus & Boeing), how many sectors per day etc?
Do you work standby days? If so how long do they give you to report after the dreaded phonecall?
How does your working month work in relation to getting days off at the moment? (do you finish on a late, start on an early etc? Or is that just Flybe?)
I've been told time to command is about 10-12years, is this about right?

Thanks again

CC

[Flaperon75]

I would guess from Frozenpilots post that he is on the Boeing fleet, as I'm not sure that I would agree that Glasgow and Newcastle are the number 2 and 3 bases in terms of size. Manchester is the biggest base, closely followed by Gatwick. If you are on the Airbus fleet you are more likely to end up down south as Airbus bases are Gatwick, Stansted, Bristol, Cardiff, East Mids and Manchester. Birmingham, Glasow and Newcastle are Boeing bases (+ Manchester and Gatwick)

I would guess that any new hires would be used initially to plug any outstanding gaps for next summer. As we speak about 50 contract staff from last summer who are being made permanent are being assigned bases based on their bid preferences. My best guess would be that after next summer you may be able move to a base of your choice. Certainly when I joined everyone was given first or second choice of base (although of course things may have changed!) They do certainly consider your preferences when assigning base.

I would say that during the summer you would expect to do 2 or 3 flights per week on the shorthaul routes, and expect another couple of standby's (where you have to be within 90 mins of reporting at crew room)

I agree with Frozenpilot that it is indeed a great place to work and T's and C's pretty good compared to most.

10-12 years to command is probably about right at the mo.

Any more questions pm me if you wish....

[Flaperon75]

Also - I wouldn't read anything into the fact that it says 'North West' on the job advert. I'm pretty sure this is just to do with the software used by the recruitment system and the fact that the Airline head office is based at Manchester. Bases will be allocated as required.

[SW1]

Any idea on how many people they are looking to recruit. Specifically for the Airbus fleet. Thanks

[Gi Dem Dub]

Hi Flaperon75,

Thanks for the infos.
Can you say how likely they might take non type rated pilots.
And if they do, what may be the deal regarding the type rating costs and the subsequent type of contract to expect. (seasonnal vs permanent)

cheers

[Flaperon75]

Gi Dem Dub - Good question! I don't have the answer to that. Not sure management do either until they have had a look at the applications they receive. I think they will only type rate people if they have to. If that happens I would expect them to bond people and offer perm contracts to keep hold of them.

[SW1]

Hi Flaperon,

Im rated already with experience ,to some extent, so hopefully that will put me in with a good chance. Are there many people leaving for new pastures?

[Flaperon75]

Not sure how many they will need. I think the plan is to have a few swimming in the pool in case fleet size changes late in the day as is sometimes the case. Also to plug any shortages at specific bases. But that's just my guess....
Not too many leaving tho there may be a trickle to BA, Virgin before next summer.

[Gi Dem Dub]

thx flaperon

[Iver]

Can someone discuss the LGW base? Is it true that newhires at this base would be assigned the Airbus and not the Boeing? What are reserve schedules like for newbies out of LGW? How much winter flying would a newbie expect (slow season)?

Also, do you get much jumping between fleets? Do Boeing pilots bid Airbus and vice versa?