Do YOU work for a great company!
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Join Date: Oct 2001
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Do YOU work for a great company!
We all on these forums spend an awful lot of our time whining about the BAD companies/ agencies, many of us whinge, fewer are prepared to do much about it. HOW ABOUT A CHANGE OF EMPHASIS DO YOU WORK FOR A GREAT COMPANY? How about a little free advertising for the Great guys out there. The Great Managements, great t's and c's etc etc.
Surely there must be companies out in the world that are a sheer joy to work for!!! Sensitive to their staff and passenger needs , a fun even joyful experience to get to work at 0300 on a november wet monday morning!!!!
LET US BRING A LITTLE JOY TO THIS WEBSITE FOR A CHANGE!
Surely there must be companies out in the world that are a sheer joy to work for!!! Sensitive to their staff and passenger needs , a fun even joyful experience to get to work at 0300 on a november wet monday morning!!!!
LET US BRING A LITTLE JOY TO THIS WEBSITE FOR A CHANGE!
Join Date: Dec 2008
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Well, seriously, what did you expect? Most modern employers in the airline industry are pretty poor when you compare them to other walks of life. Although there are obviously worse ones out there. Irrespective of your current t&c's, which may be anything from generous to appalling, most operators operate on a knife edge of profitability which leads them to reflect that in the way they treat their staff. Pilots are normally treated better than other staff, but we are far from immune from the cold commercial reality of 2013. When you see whining on pprune, it often reflects the degradation of our work environment, as well as the incremental de-professionalisation of how we are regarded by the rest of the world, as well as a general reduction in what we get in the pay check.
Maybe a better question is to ask if anyone works for an airline where, in general and over a sustained period of time, they feel 'things' have improved.
Sadly, I still can't think of one. It would be nice to hark back to the days of state flag carriers and the luxurious lifestyles of our predecessors, but they are long, long gone and will never return.
Maybe a better question is to ask if anyone works for an airline where, in general and over a sustained period of time, they feel 'things' have improved.
Sadly, I still can't think of one. It would be nice to hark back to the days of state flag carriers and the luxurious lifestyles of our predecessors, but they are long, long gone and will never return.
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Nelson15, Yep, I believe we are "not alone" & certainly in aviation don't expect too many responses. I joined a company that I believed (20mths ago) could have given me the opportunity to answer the OP positively . . .but, regretably, it is all going to a piece of 
like all the others. Norwegian Air Shuttle (as you asked)
Edited to say, the events of last night may allow me to revaluate whether the glass is half-full, or half-empty
like all the others. Norwegian Air Shuttle (as you asked)Edited to say, the events of last night may allow me to revaluate whether the glass is half-full, or half-empty
Last edited by captplaystation; 4th Nov 2013 at 10:17.
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Fine ill go ..
Work for one of the 'better' regional airlines in the US.
F/O CRJ 700
Make about 50/60K a year.
Bid mostly 3-day trips.
17 days off this month.
Fly around the world for free on almost all US airlines.. ZED agreements with 25 or so foreign airlines. As do my parents.
Bought a house at 27 driving distance from several ski resorts.
Give a pilot a bag of gold, he will complain how heavy it is.. I'm not rich and run out of money every month. But I'm healthy and happy and have it pretty good..
Work for one of the 'better' regional airlines in the US.
F/O CRJ 700
Make about 50/60K a year.
Bid mostly 3-day trips.
17 days off this month.
Fly around the world for free on almost all US airlines.. ZED agreements with 25 or so foreign airlines. As do my parents.
Bought a house at 27 driving distance from several ski resorts.
Give a pilot a bag of gold, he will complain how heavy it is.. I'm not rich and run out of money every month. But I'm healthy and happy and have it pretty good..
Join Date: Jan 2009
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"Please watch your mouth, unless your opinion on how other people get into the industry is invited."
Don't throw your toys out of the pram like that please, it's just a tidbit silly. You've got some surprises coming for you if you find a job with that attitude.
Don't throw your toys out of the pram like that please, it's just a tidbit silly. You've got some surprises coming for you if you find a job with that attitude.
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Sorry, I didn't express myself more clearly. Most employers are little different to airlines in the way they treat their employees these days. But, on a like for like basis, in terms of the status of our particular job, airlines have become poor employers in comparison to those of other professionals. Few, for example, expect you to go into debt to the tune of 100k plus to get the job in the first place.
A then (then being when I was about 20) and now (being 55),
Top 1 percentile salary - lucky to start on a living wage.
Decent Final Salary Pension - useless money purchase scheme or none.
Not dangerously overworked - Pilots falling asleep at work.
Station security - largely you go where they tell you.
Job Security - Zero Hours or Summer Contracts
Being Fed and Watered on Duty - Lucky if you get water supplied
Proper Hotac when rest is needed. - Premier Inn
Positioned by Taxi - Positioned in a Self Drive Car.
These just came off the top of my head, and if you never had the good times in the first place, many wouldn't even notice that they were gone. The fact remains though, that if we don't draw a line in the sand there will soon be a third column where the degraded 'now' will become the longed for nirvana of yesteryear.
And none of this is to say that you can't lead a happy life, just a slightly more frugal and tired one!
A then (then being when I was about 20) and now (being 55),
Top 1 percentile salary - lucky to start on a living wage.
Decent Final Salary Pension - useless money purchase scheme or none.
Not dangerously overworked - Pilots falling asleep at work.
Station security - largely you go where they tell you.
Job Security - Zero Hours or Summer Contracts
Being Fed and Watered on Duty - Lucky if you get water supplied
Proper Hotac when rest is needed. - Premier Inn
Positioned by Taxi - Positioned in a Self Drive Car.
These just came off the top of my head, and if you never had the good times in the first place, many wouldn't even notice that they were gone. The fact remains though, that if we don't draw a line in the sand there will soon be a third column where the degraded 'now' will become the longed for nirvana of yesteryear.
And none of this is to say that you can't lead a happy life, just a slightly more frugal and tired one!
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I don't know a single person in aviation who has had a different career beforehand that wants to go back to it. On the other hand I hear many people saying they want to get out - but they have usually had no experience of real life and work before. A 25 year old FO even told me once that he wanted to go and work in the City of London because it was less stressful. I couldn't help laughing. I mean, I know the guy was just naive, but really? Less stressful?
I love my job, it's taken a lot of hard work to get where I am. I fly a wide body on a wide variety of routes and for the actual amount of "work" that I do, I am handsomely rewarded for it. Many of my non-flying colleagues would love to do what I do and I remind myself of that quite often. Yes it's not perfect and there are things that I would change about it, but net result = I am happy.
I love my job, it's taken a lot of hard work to get where I am. I fly a wide body on a wide variety of routes and for the actual amount of "work" that I do, I am handsomely rewarded for it. Many of my non-flying colleagues would love to do what I do and I remind myself of that quite often. Yes it's not perfect and there are things that I would change about it, but net result = I am happy.
I used to work for a great company in the 1980s called Orion Airways.
Since then it's been a progressive spiral downwards!
I quit 3 years before I needed to and now work for the greatest company ever......ME!
Since then it's been a progressive spiral downwards!
I quit 3 years before I needed to and now work for the greatest company ever......ME!
Join Date: Sep 2011
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I think this is a good opportunity to realize that we ( at least I) get to do what I love and make a living out of it.
I work for a great company, I'm 24 and have flown the Fokker 50 and currently the A320 family, I did not pay to fly , and I get to fly to a lot of places. The layovers are good, and the salary is also good, do I wish it was any better? Sure, but we all do.
I'm moving to the heavy probably a year from now and expect to fly the heavy a lot.
We do work a lot over here , but I think every body all over the world also does, although management could be a bit better minded towards us , I think I got it pretty good over here.
Sure there are a lot of things we could complain about but I realized that I have a good job , there might be better ones out there , but this is the one I like.
I work for a great company, I'm 24 and have flown the Fokker 50 and currently the A320 family, I did not pay to fly , and I get to fly to a lot of places. The layovers are good, and the salary is also good, do I wish it was any better? Sure, but we all do.
I'm moving to the heavy probably a year from now and expect to fly the heavy a lot.
We do work a lot over here , but I think every body all over the world also does, although management could be a bit better minded towards us , I think I got it pretty good over here.
Sure there are a lot of things we could complain about but I realized that I have a good job , there might be better ones out there , but this is the one I like.
PPRuNe Secret Agent!
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Worked for a great little company with Fireflybob called Excalibur! That was in the early 90's! Approaching my 23rd year in UK airlines, 10 years flying professionally and as many airlines on my CV - I can officially use the phrase "ahhhh...the good old days..."
It was all so much better....
But I'm actually generally happy with my lot...mainly because I've seen the best and worst all this has to offer - and I enjoy giggling at it all!! Take it seriously?!? Mmmm...
I would not wish to be starting out now as a cadet/low experienced pilot...it's pants! But the entertainment value emmense and wouldn't want to do anything else!
It was all so much better....
But I'm actually generally happy with my lot...mainly because I've seen the best and worst all this has to offer - and I enjoy giggling at it all!! Take it seriously?!? Mmmm...
I would not wish to be starting out now as a cadet/low experienced pilot...it's pants! But the entertainment value emmense and wouldn't want to do anything else!
Worked for a great little company with Fireflybob called Excalibur! That was in the early 90's! Approaching my 23rd year in UK airlines, 10 years flying professionally and as many airlines on my CV - I can officially use the phrase "ahhhh...the good old days..."
Agree 100% with your other comments too!
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things were better 25 years ago, but I do work for darn good company. part of the problem is that upstart carriers cut costs by cutting standards of living for pilots (money, days off etc)...so our line had to cut to compete.
if you work for a crap carrier, fine...but you are part of the problem in pulling everyone else down.
I could have done slightly better, but I could have done much much worse.
so, I consider myself lucky.
if you work for a crap carrier, fine...but you are part of the problem in pulling everyone else down.
I could have done slightly better, but I could have done much much worse.
so, I consider myself lucky.
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As an engineer ( not hands on but in the office) I work for a helicopter operater out of Aberdeen have been a contractor for over 30 years I am now an employee and really loving it yes money is far lower but I am 55 and the pension, holidays and the private medical are a huge bonus so for me it has been great and will stay with my new employers until retirement but who knows when that will be lol