Which job? EZ vs NOR vs ME3
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I don't know people in any of these companies, but I do know this!
I grew up calling the UK home and never wanted to move away from a certain part of the UK as I thought it was great.
Then I went to Spain and lived there for a while, I started to realise the UK wasn't all its cracked up to be and thought I would live in Spain for the rest of my life. Then the novelty wore off and I realised that Spain wasn't all its cracked up to be; the grass isn't any greener in Spain, just a different shade of brown (excuse the pun).
Then I figured something crucial out, life is what I make it, happiness doesn't depend on circumstances, it depends on how well I can command my emotions, it depends how well I can make the most of things instead of complaining to everyone on pprune about my lot.
Right now I have a bird, I'd like to marry her and have a family, so aiming for LOCO and being home everyday appeals to me.
But, maybe in ten years I'll take a fancy for a 777 and a break from home life.
To the OP, weigh up your options, decide what suits you and then make the most of it. I think I've summed up what most people in this thread have already tried to say.
I grew up calling the UK home and never wanted to move away from a certain part of the UK as I thought it was great.
Then I went to Spain and lived there for a while, I started to realise the UK wasn't all its cracked up to be and thought I would live in Spain for the rest of my life. Then the novelty wore off and I realised that Spain wasn't all its cracked up to be; the grass isn't any greener in Spain, just a different shade of brown (excuse the pun).
Then I figured something crucial out, life is what I make it, happiness doesn't depend on circumstances, it depends on how well I can command my emotions, it depends how well I can make the most of things instead of complaining to everyone on pprune about my lot.
Right now I have a bird, I'd like to marry her and have a family, so aiming for LOCO and being home everyday appeals to me.
But, maybe in ten years I'll take a fancy for a 777 and a break from home life.
To the OP, weigh up your options, decide what suits you and then make the most of it. I think I've summed up what most people in this thread have already tried to say.
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No airline is perfect, but Thomson seems to offer the best of both worlds in comparison to the 3 named airlines in this thread and Thomson are hiring again. Thomas Cook also offers similar mixed flying - another consideration.
If the contract situation could ever be figured out at Norwegian it could be appealing. Too bad they don't integrate the 787 and 737 flying like Thomson.
Norwegian is "supposed" to add as many as 30 A321LRs starting in 2018-2019 and that could offer interesting transatlantic flying - only time will tell if that happens and if they make improvements with their subpar contract.
If the contract situation could ever be figured out at Norwegian it could be appealing. Too bad they don't integrate the 787 and 737 flying like Thomson.
Norwegian is "supposed" to add as many as 30 A321LRs starting in 2018-2019 and that could offer interesting transatlantic flying - only time will tell if that happens and if they make improvements with their subpar contract.
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Must have been very recent. 6000 hours including wide body and was offered Parc or 2nd Officer early last year. Luckily others didn't feel the need to kick me in the teeth after 10 years experience.
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Well then you have struck gold! You are the first person I have heard of in about 10 years to be offered direct SFO employment with Easy with a UK base from day one. It's a shame they did not do this years ago they have lost a lot of good people and experience to other airlines.
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I agree that Thomson is an option you should look at but have you thought of flying private jets? There are some good packages with biz jet operators out there, 2 weeks on/ 2 weeks off
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In my opinion and personal experience, you'd be crazy to leave any good airline for a bizjet lifestyle. 2 weeks on/off - so what!? There are some very good jobs in corporate but they are rare, like hens teeth and very hard to find - deliberately! Most are well below par in terms of working conditions and job security. Jets get sold all the time by owners and moving around following a sold jet is a good way of wasting your life. The market in Europe will never recover to what it was 9-10 years back. There are well paid jobs out in Asia or ME but you either live there permanently or live out of a suitcase and commute. Oh the glamour! You are just a glorified aerial chauffeur - nothing more! Been there, done that, got the t-shirt and now chucked it! Working for any decent airline, with all the daily moans and groans, is much better way of spending your life. Most of my former colleagues are now with me in the airlines with no regrets. Every now and then I put my rose tinted glasses on and look back to those days, but when I take them off I again see it for what it was. Some people love the hobo lifestyle but I no longer do.
As to the original poster, in many respects I can't believe the question is being asked. Only you know what your personal circumstances are, none of us do. 10-12 years ago I wanted to fly planes and travel the world. Flying was everything. Now I still want to fly planes but there is definitely more to life. Seeing family, friends and coming home most nights are my priorities. In other words a life outside aviation!
As to the original poster, in many respects I can't believe the question is being asked. Only you know what your personal circumstances are, none of us do. 10-12 years ago I wanted to fly planes and travel the world. Flying was everything. Now I still want to fly planes but there is definitely more to life. Seeing family, friends and coming home most nights are my priorities. In other words a life outside aviation!
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Hello Kyle...
I know quite a few who left one of the ME3 for a bizjet, and no they are not crazy.
Obviously I would not go on a citation 2 or similar, as I know it would be a ****ty contract. A Gulf, Global, Falcon, it all depend on the contract...
I have flown for 6 different airlines and one biz jet operator, obviously the most fun was with the biz jet.
Try to fly 100 hours a month like me, and it's just a matter of time when you will be looking for a new gig.
I'm evaluating a few different options and yes biz jet is one of them.
I would consider EZY but on part time only...
and 2 weeks on / 2 weeks off ...so what... are you kidding???
I know quite a few who left one of the ME3 for a bizjet, and no they are not crazy.
Obviously I would not go on a citation 2 or similar, as I know it would be a ****ty contract. A Gulf, Global, Falcon, it all depend on the contract...
I have flown for 6 different airlines and one biz jet operator, obviously the most fun was with the biz jet.
Try to fly 100 hours a month like me, and it's just a matter of time when you will be looking for a new gig.
I'm evaluating a few different options and yes biz jet is one of them.
I would consider EZY but on part time only...
and 2 weeks on / 2 weeks off ...so what... are you kidding???
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nicosnoko,
You prove my point! If flying is everything to you, then the very best corporate jobs will probably tick your boxes. For me there's more to life than flying, spending time with the family, catching up with friends and doing other 'normal' things is much easier on a decent airline roster. Job security is far higher too!
About 10 years ago at Hamburg I bumped into a VIP 777 crew. It was privately operated and they were knackered and operating longhaul on minimum rest repeatedly. The owner didn't give a monkeys about them. They were simply glamourised aerial chauffeurs literally slaved to their machine. One of my ex colleagues used to fly a Global Express for a conglomerate. He was well paid, stayed in 5 star hotels, and always flown out in business class to link up with the jet but he left that life to spend quality time with his family which he couldn't do on the Global. He's now with me on the 320.
If you are divorced, single or just hate being at home, then a corporate lifestyle is the best form of escapism you can have!
Good luck!
You prove my point! If flying is everything to you, then the very best corporate jobs will probably tick your boxes. For me there's more to life than flying, spending time with the family, catching up with friends and doing other 'normal' things is much easier on a decent airline roster. Job security is far higher too!
About 10 years ago at Hamburg I bumped into a VIP 777 crew. It was privately operated and they were knackered and operating longhaul on minimum rest repeatedly. The owner didn't give a monkeys about them. They were simply glamourised aerial chauffeurs literally slaved to their machine. One of my ex colleagues used to fly a Global Express for a conglomerate. He was well paid, stayed in 5 star hotels, and always flown out in business class to link up with the jet but he left that life to spend quality time with his family which he couldn't do on the Global. He's now with me on the 320.
If you are divorced, single or just hate being at home, then a corporate lifestyle is the best form of escapism you can have!
Good luck!
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Thanks Kyle, I agree with you, some of the corporate jobs can be a nightmare, especially if you have a family. but not all of them.
Of course the best one are, well, extremely hard to find but not impossible. It's all about the right connections i guess.
I will keep looking for one, I might never find it...
One thing i'm pretty sure, I cannot keep flying 95 to 100 hours a month.
And where I would like to live there are not so many options...
Stay ME3 ... NOT
Commuting contract
Low cost EU (not on full time contract)
Corporate...
Of course the best one are, well, extremely hard to find but not impossible. It's all about the right connections i guess.
I will keep looking for one, I might never find it...
One thing i'm pretty sure, I cannot keep flying 95 to 100 hours a month.
And where I would like to live there are not so many options...
Stay ME3 ... NOT
Commuting contract
Low cost EU (not on full time contract)
Corporate...
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Snapper 5, when you have quite finished talking out of your ar*e.
Nice goes to the A380 shortly with EK, we have plenty of challenging airports on the big bus and even a "nice 10 mile ILS" can be tricky in monsoon or windshear conditions.
Now, I am no expert but I have worked for 2 out of the 3 companies mentioned here and have been a trainer in both of them. I know what lifestyle my young family prefer.
I wouldn't touch Norwegian with yours, I would consider easy only with a permanent UK/French/Italian contract and a place on the waiting list out to somewhere north and I wouldn't join EK on the light twin fleet.
OC Piztoff, the best thing you can do is actually talk to people who have and continue to experience the companies you mention and then make the right decision for you and your family.
(There is life beyond Cumbernauld
)
Nice goes to the A380 shortly with EK, we have plenty of challenging airports on the big bus and even a "nice 10 mile ILS" can be tricky in monsoon or windshear conditions.
Now, I am no expert but I have worked for 2 out of the 3 companies mentioned here and have been a trainer in both of them. I know what lifestyle my young family prefer.
I wouldn't touch Norwegian with yours, I would consider easy only with a permanent UK/French/Italian contract and a place on the waiting list out to somewhere north and I wouldn't join EK on the light twin fleet.
OC Piztoff, the best thing you can do is actually talk to people who have and continue to experience the companies you mention and then make the right decision for you and your family.
(There is life beyond Cumbernauld
)
"you may as well drive a train or a bus as work for a loco... I personally would rather stack shelves in Tesco than fly for Easy, Jet2 etc "
Well, I tell you what, I used to stack shelves at Tesco in the 1990's and I doubt its changed very much and I can tell you I much prefer my LHS position in a LCC flying (operating?) an A320 around Europe.....
Well, I tell you what, I used to stack shelves at Tesco in the 1990's and I doubt its changed very much and I can tell you I much prefer my LHS position in a LCC flying (operating?) an A320 around Europe.....
Moderator
Interesting discussion. I am a training captain with easyJet (my 5th airline) and have not worked for NOR or EK. I have, however, trained a number of pilots who came direct to us from the other two. You could reasonably argue that the fact they came to us means they are not 'typical' and therefore will be biased against their previous employers. All I can tell you is that they all seem glad they came to easyJet. We are not perfect, but it is a pretty good option. Others have knocked the existence of unions at easyJet- my observations would lead me to the view that their presence has been a massive overall benefit to our pilots. The advantages of easyJet are job security, quick promotion, rosters issued on time, fixed-pattern rosters at larger bases, modern aircraft, good training, good safety culture, great colleagues and relatively little time away from home. The disadvantages are historically unstable rosters in the summer (this year is supposed to be different, but no one is holding their breath!), long 4-sector days and lots of hard work. One or two people who have come from Monarch and the like have felt almost overwhelmed by the intensity of the operation. The pay is pretty good in the U.K., France, Germany and Italy but not so good in Spain and Portugal. The dreaded flexicrew will be gone by the end of the year. If you have a job offer at BA, take it and if you are desperate for long haul easyJet is not the place for you. Thomson is ok but you will wait a long time for promotion. There is no perfect job but each of the companies mentioned can be good if you go in with the right attitude. Good luck!
I came to EZY from NAI (also my 5th airline) and I think COMB sums it up perfectly. Secure job with proper direct employment pension etc. Having union representation is most definitely a plus. Preofessional, friendly working environment. EZY isn't perfect but it's certainly alone whole lot better than the last two airlines I've worked at.
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There are numerous labor rights and labor principles gained with direct employment.
The multijurisdictional divisions of Norwegian’s atypical employment (airline unemployment) regime, permits one group to be at odds with another.
Norwegian is keeping up appearances of a 100% united family, however, it is apparent the Mrs. Bucket 787 high flyers are very much divided from their Onslow, 737 string vest relatives.
The multijurisdictional divisions of Norwegian’s atypical employment (airline unemployment) regime, permits one group to be at odds with another.
Norwegian is keeping up appearances of a 100% united family, however, it is apparent the Mrs. Bucket 787 high flyers are very much divided from their Onslow, 737 string vest relatives.
