Virgin Recruiting
Join Date: May 2018
Location: LaLaLand
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Can anyone tell me how commutable the FO roster is? Airbus rated, so likely I'd end up in Airbus fleet? Also if you do happen to live outside the UK, are your various insurances only valid if living in the UK?
Finally, is c.£86,000 about right all in for a SFO?
Finally, is c.£86,000 about right all in for a SFO?
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Utopia
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Anecdotally, from a friend, living in Europe, he is struggling with the commute with just two days between trips sometimes, and looking to leave, having been on the 787 in VA for only about nine months. Not sure if this is the norm, or just bad luck?
Join Date: Feb 2005
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Mate of mine has aged horribly in the last five years since he started commuting having joined VS. Trip two days off trip two days cycle ad Infinitum. This is 330/350 fleet. Doesn’t sound like much fun.
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: the land of chocolate
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how far is his commute?
Join Date: Jul 2023
Location: United Kingdom
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Welcome to virgin 2.0
yes that the norm now. Everyone is permanently tired.
Join Date: Apr 2010
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I appreciate there’s reciprocal traffic, but definitely a few VA guys left for Jet2 recently, citing fatigue/lifestyle and company attitude as the main issues. Some even within a year of command. Says it all really.
Join Date: Jul 2023
Location: United Kingdom
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Not just Jet2, I hear it more and more that people are looking outside. Even a few newly promoted Captains are fed up and looking for DEC outside.
I’ve got 7 years to retirement and to be fair if the ex wife hadn’t left me with a mortgage at my age I’d have taken the payoff in 2020.
The problem with Virgin is we have a lot of selfish crew that will grab any overtime they can to line their pockets without thinking of the consequences to crewing levels.. and it’s not the happy friendly place it was when I joined back in the 00’s where people would help out each other.
I’ve got 7 years to retirement and to be fair if the ex wife hadn’t left me with a mortgage at my age I’d have taken the payoff in 2020.
The problem with Virgin is we have a lot of selfish crew that will grab any overtime they can to line their pockets without thinking of the consequences to crewing levels.. and it’s not the happy friendly place it was when I joined back in the 00’s where people would help out each other.
Virgin seem to be recruiting for courses into 2024 so one would expect that people picking up overtime isn’t cutting the numbers too much?
Lets just hope the golden three comes good.
You want know what happens when pilots don't take that DOP for overtime? The overtime payment usually goes up, thus enticing more pilots to say yes. Eventually, even the goody-two-shoes ones accept. Failing that, the Airline cancels flights, which results in EU261 claims and probably the end of your job. Airlines would much rather offer DOPs than hire 25% more pilots. That's a lot of redundancy payouts for when the next (delete as appropriate) pandemic,terrorist attack,financial crash,volcanic eruption occurs.
Last edited by RudderTrimZero; 26th Jul 2023 at 09:48.
Join Date: Jul 2023
Location: United Kingdom
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You would think so, but some months people are getting 5 trips the next 3.. I flew with someone the other week that had picked up two extra flights each month for the last 6 month with out burning his leave.
I see Virgin pilots have overwhelmingly voted yes in an indicative ballot for discontinuous strike action over the changes imposed on them and their work practices after covid.
Good luck to Virgin pilots. It’s time management started listening to the very real concerns re fatigue and a work life balance.
Good luck to Virgin pilots. It’s time management started listening to the very real concerns re fatigue and a work life balance.
The problem with Virgin is we have a lot of selfish crew that will grab any overtime they can to line their pockets without thinking of the consequences to crewing levels.. and it’s not the happy friendly place it was when I joined back in the 00’s where people would help out each other.
Based on your retirement age, my guess is you don’t have student debt weighing you down, training loans to repay, fledgling kids at home etc. You do you, don’t throw stones at over people.
Nothing quite as laughable as someone near the top of their payscale and seniority list hammering junior pilots for stuff like that.
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: miles from home
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Utter garbage. You want people to stop doing overtime, get your union to ban it through collective action. Going after individuals for doing overtime at their agreed rate in line with their contract is what’s selfish.
Based on your retirement age, my guess is you don’t have student debt weighing you down, training loans to repay, fledgling kids at home etc. You do you, don’t throw stones at over people.
Nothing quite as laughable as someone near the top of their payscale and seniority list hammering junior pilots for stuff like that.
Based on your retirement age, my guess is you don’t have student debt weighing you down, training loans to repay, fledgling kids at home etc. You do you, don’t throw stones at over people.
Nothing quite as laughable as someone near the top of their payscale and seniority list hammering junior pilots for stuff like that.
Join Date: Nov 2022
Location: Birmingham
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people have VERY short memory’s , the way Virgin and other certain airlines treated pilots during covid was terrible , I’m sure that amongst other reasons is a factor.
I feel if lots of airlines start getting cheap labour from Europe into uk airlines it will not end well for us ….
We urgently need to get a handle on this as pilots through whichever means. There needs to be a way of ascertaining when an airline has a right to hire foreign/cheap labour. They can pull the wool over the UK governments eyes by saying there is a pilot shortage, all-the-while not even increasing salaries by 5%.
Virgin has about 40 aircraft in its fleet right now. How many pilots does it have?
Virgin has about 40 aircraft in its fleet right now. How many pilots does it have?
We urgently need to get a handle on this as pilots through whichever means. There needs to be a way of ascertaining when an airline has a right to hire foreign/cheap labour. They can pull the wool over the UK governments eyes by saying there is a pilot shortage, all-the-while not even increasing salaries by 5%.
Join Date: Dec 2012
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