60 Swiss pilots to move to China Airlines
 

Press release:

Sixty pilots of Swiss are to move to China Airlines according to a agreement reached between the two companies. A Swiss spokesperson confirmed a report of the "La Liberté" newspaper on Tuesday. The China Airlines offer applies to the pilots of Swiss predecessor Crossair, a regional subsidiary of the insolvent Swissair. China Airlines is looking for 40 pilots for 747 aircraft and 20 pilots for A330 and A340. Swiss has too many pilots due to the upcoming reduction of their fleet, effective with the winter schedule 2005/2006

RevMan2,
Although not confirmed, it's still rumoured the 6 RJ100s leaving BACX are going to Swiss. I thought these aircraft were replacing 7 Saab2000s. This doesn't sound like a fleet reduction more like a fleet replacement.

I could understand a fleet reduction if Swiss were getting rid of another fleet. What's happening with the Embraer145 fleet?

New Avros coming, EMB145 leaving Swiss, that's officially announced.
Swiss regional arm will become a single type fleet. And since there's no money for the Emb170/195 (remember, LX was launch customer), they keep on leasing Avros.

Still keep hearing the rumour that BACX are not renewing the leases on their Dash8s. If true, will the Swiss EMB145s be going to BACX on a dry-lease basis?

Also, can anyone confirm the following rumour: BACX are holding meetings with unions on Thursday followed by the long awaited announcement of Friday.

Swiss fleet to consist of A320 plus 24 RJ85/100 by Summer 2006 schedule. Embraer 145s to disappear by the end of WI 05/06and the Saab 2000s are gone by the end of SO 05

Of the initial 60, I'd reckon on about 15 maximum, remaining in China after 12 months, due to "cultural differences".

With 60 people that is all most a little swiss village. So believe that not many will leave due to cultural difference.

Nice thing with a small community is that you can close the door and and have a nice Swiss evening :ok:

So long as you all get on of course :}

Assuming a handful of the 200 and plus redundant Swiss pilots might leave Switzerland for Taiwan, they will be among the youngest, therefore the cheapest, which won't help the airline to save a lot of money. This "announcement" is just meant to distract the attention from the true problems: Swiss still loosing money, no negociations at all with the Main carrier pilots (former Swissair), no deal with the Pilotinos in sight (former Crossair), nor with the cabin staff organized with Kapers.

Kaptin M, your missing the point here completly, these are former Crossair pilots, which are very used to a multi culture approach in their former company. They will have no problem whatsoever to adapt to the system and are inherently not trying to push their system into the new company. May I remind you that Crossair instructors introduced the BAe 146 crews in (mainland) China.

You might base your statement on the experience of former Swissair guys in this part of the world, also CAL, who grew up in a closed system and are very fond of keeping it. This problem will surface in Etihad, where they are going to (as SFO, direct upgraded on A330).

Dani

Wishing all of them the best, and hopefully the large number heading over will be able to support each other.

The cultural differences I referred to, were more by way of actually living in China - the day-to-day stuff eg. the radio and television programmes, the packaging of retail goods, the food available, signage, etc - more than the work side of things. In fact, work will probably provide a certain form of "escape" for them.

Stick with it guys :ok: and Good Luck!

And of course........

A move to China Airlines doesn't necessarily mean a basing in China!

At least if that company wants to retain these folks!

Cheers ;)

Umm... just so you guys know, China Airlines does not fly anywhere in Mainland China. The closest they fly to China is Hong Kong. So most likely they will be based in Taipei, Taiwan, which is very westernized, very different from Mainland China.

OK. The 2000 will phased out in 3 weeks. Some Avros' will be added to the fleet though all Avros are suppose to be phased out in 2 to 3 years from now. If any EMB will be added, it will be the 195 (some preparations for that are underway). Anything less would make no sense.
Concerning the deal with China, 60 positions are up for grabs – not 60 Pilots are going. From those 60 possible I recon 30 tops will bit on. The story of China Airlines spokesperson going on record saying "We rather loose a flight than loose face" wasn’t taking well by the pilots. At any rate those that will go will be younger, unmarried pilots with little to hold them in Switzerland. If 10 will remain in China after one year Ill be impressed.

There were about 60 ANSETT pilots at CAL about 3 years ago, and they have a little Aussie community.

Now there are only a handfull left (I believe about 8)...

Time will tell.

Funny it's ex-Crossair, and not Swissair. Must be a fishy deal, then...

Oberst Klink

Not fishy, just cheap.

These younger pilots would want to be careful about getting type
ratings on new aircraft IN Taiwan....

Some countries do not recognise the rating as Taiwan is not an ICAO member and pilots who may wish to move on after doing a stint in CAL may find their documents useless when applying
to new airlines.

Also, there is Zero chance of getting a command if you;re going in on the right seat there. Read the many threads on CAL and EVA on this.You can stay there for years but you will go into
a pool and all Taiwanese pilots coming up behind you will overtake you in the pool.
They won't tell you this of course and pretend that a command is possible.

Really nice and friendly people, very westernized and it's just an hour from Hong Kong. It can be expensive to live in Taipei.

...and wont those Swiss pilots with that Swiss attitude go down like a ton of bricks with the Chinese!... you betcha!! ;)

It's so typical that these pilots we're talking about are from former Crossair.

What is wrong with that company (Swiss)? Why not cut down where cost can be saved, and not just be overrun by Aeropers.

Having worked for that company (Crossair/Swiss) for years, I'm glad, kind of enjoyed, to see that same **** is still going on, destroying the company once more. Also, for the pilots still left, most of them former Swissair, it's great to see them be a part of 'Lufthansa regional'.

Swiss' attitude will leave even more pilots unemployed, even 'Lufthansa regional' pilots.

Swissair pilots at China Air
 

I am ex Ba and have been with china airlines almost three years. If they can get by the hours of silence on the flight deck the lack of any training, only checking, even during conversion and the insane sheduling they will be OK. The Annsett guys were all good guys just looking for a way back into the airline scene as were the Cathay 49nrs they left as soon as other opertunities arose. China airlines is not the best airline to work for but I am sure there are worse.
Regards CALSAR