Norwegian B737 Pilot selection (Updated)

[Fat Dog]

So when does the LGW base open for the summer?

Any updates on LHS recruitment? Seems to have gone quiet again...

[737 Jockey]

Fat Dog,

I believe LGW base is starting April.

As for DEC recruitment, you need to email Bjorn Hansen, details on the website. It's kinda old school, in a good way though.

Good luck!

[nrn]

Hi all,

Could anybody explain the contracts for me please.
I understand that you will start as a contractor but after 24 months you will get a permanent contract? Doest that permanent contract mean you would be on 5/4 and get a pension?

How does the basing works?

[LeftHeadingNorth]

No one on a contract has been offered a permanent position other than in Norwegian core (all Scandi folks as far as I know). The company is reluctant to making a base "permanent" after 24 months and is trying (successfully...) to wriggle out of the signed policy agreement. There are in other words no guarantees whatsoever...
You will be based where you are needed (you can of course request a base of your choice but it is, as always, entirely up to the company to put you where they see fit). To sum up: You are, again, a contractor with little or no rights

[nrn]

So you would say it would be a no go?

I have emailed with Bjorn and he said after the 24 months one would be given a permanent contract in the country where he is based. Would you say that this is not true?

Also how is the tax/social security in Norwegian? Does the contractor have to have a Ltd somewhere?

What is the advantage of the "permanent" contract? I saw the ppjn chart and are the figures in NOK only for the "core" people and not the permanent guys?

[ekpilot]

Bit like the Chinese airlines' deals - what you sign up for is not what you get. HEL contract jobs should have been permanent positions by now; Ask Bjorn - any Bjorn - what happened...

[LeftHeadingNorth]

Again, no one on a contract has been offered the new permanent deal. It just does not exist at the moment. Contractors have been offered positions within core but that's it. As ekpilot said, HEL should have been permanent but so is not the case. You get what you sign up for. There are no such things as "promises" in aviation. What is in your contract is what goes. As for the tax situation, I believe the contract agency you sign with will pay social taxes in the country where you are based. So you do not have to set up your own tax scam company just yet

[nrn]

But what is the difference between core and permanent then?

[LeftHeadingNorth]

The permanent contracts you are referring to (or so I understand) are entirely new and will be negotiated at each base that has been around for more than 24 months. Or so was the intention at least when the company signed a letter of understanding (!!) with the union last year. The purpose was that pilots should be able to be permanent but with tailored salary packages for each country (even we understand that you cannot be paid the amount you get in OSL when based in AGP). Much to our "surprise" the company had little or no intention of following that agreement blaming various reasons for not making a base permanent which is why the union has a law suit against them.

To sum up: You have the core contracts for scandi folks (or ppl based in Scandiland which is 99% scandis)

You have the contracts with various agencies (they look more or less the same from what I understand).

Hope this makes it somewhat more transparent!

[nrn]

Thank you very much this makes a better picture for me.

[LNIDA]

The majority of contractors are happy with the deal and what is permanent these days? my understanding is that the plan is that NAS will establish companies in the countries that they operate and you will become an employee of that company, the company is growing very quickly and have an ongoing need for pilots for the foreseeable future, the money is excellent and the company culture is the polar opposite of Ryanair, they will genuinely do what they can to accommodate you, but they have a business to run, you will not be based in Norway,Sweden or Denmark so don't worry about core.

Basing is fluid due to the nature of the Nordic winter market, so a lot of people will get moved to LPA/TFS over the winter, but as the business expands this will become less of a problem.

[nrn]

does that company give you a stable roster and a pension or is it basically another name for the contractor contract

[LNIDA]

nrn

Not sure what one has to do with the other?

My experience is that the roster is stable, of course stby days mean you may have to work! the only time things get badly messed up is when OSL or ARN get a major snow storm, but that true of most airlines hubs.

There is no pension at present for non core staff most of whom are contractors

But you do get crew food, free commute e-tickets and they are tickets, not just going through crew security in uniform pretending to be duty staff then boarding with the paxs and ID travel for nominees and ID travel for anyone you care to take if your travelling.

[captplaystation]

The crunch will come if/when "permanent" contracts are offered in say Spain (given that the 2 year period has been "ignored" in HEL, not a foregone conclusion ) At this point it will become evident whether the renumeration package offered is meant to reflect core conditions with an equivalency adjustment for the variation in cost of living, or. . . whether what is offered is loosely based on the "local" market I.E a plummet towards those "enjoyed" by our colleagues in Vueling.

If we look at the T's & C's of the Spanish based Cabin Crew that may be taken as an indication of the likely outcome ( that we would be wise to take heed of. )

I guess LGW guys can look to easyjet to see what the future holds for them financially.

The establishment of bases in Spain /Bangkok etc is for what ? to be cheaper.

Don't expect miracles.

[nrn]

does anybody knows if they are activly recruiting at the moment?
A guy in my crewroom said: "Just give them a call" but on the website it talks about the equal oppurtunities employer so I am not sure if it is wise to do so.

[skymateo]

I have a major question :

since the end of june 2012, we are supposed to pay the social charges where we are based (that's the current big problem in another very well known low fares airline with the new contractors, or contractors who sign the contract for another few years, or are changed base).

Say you end up in the right seat in Norwegian in Spain... Will you have to pay 40% of social security in Spain, on top of the income tax, or does the contract somehow avoids this ? We're talking almost half the salary here

[737 Jockey]

Nrn, give them a call. It's the only way in.

[LNIDA]

Skymateo

In Spain the contractor pays around 7% social insurance the rest is paid for by the agency/Norwegian, there are no "shell" ltd companies.

Some rumours about a further UK base of late. Manchester seen to be favourite

[Kirks gusset]

LNIDA, there is a difference between " social taxes" that provide for basic health services, fire brigade, pensions etc and " employment taxes" that are at a much higher rate. The contractor must pay the " employment taxes" at the appropriate rate based on where the majority of their duties start and they are normally responsible for their accommodation. If you are UK based this will work out to about 40% and in Spain about 37%. I understand from NAS that the agency that employs you pays the 7% social tax but that you must provide a ' tax certificate" showing the employment taxes being either paid, either at you home base or in another country in which case only " differential tax" between your operating base and the country you pay tax in is collected. In short, this is not a " tax free" job and NAS are keen to avoid the mess the RYR pilots got into which may come back to haunt the company.

[nrn]

okay and if one would call them is it better to wait a couple of weeks or just go for it. It has almost been two weeks now for me.