Old news and thankfully as we have learned, well wide of the mark

Does anybody know roughly the current time to command for a new-joiner at Virgin Atlantic?

Eight to nine years is what new-joiners can currently expect..

Scroggs

Scroggs mate, any news as to whether recrutiment will begin again soon?

Thanks.

Not sure whether they have started again but someone I know has been given a date of joining in March.

Although they could have applied a long time ago before Virgin stopped recruiting.

The word a month or two ago was that recruiting would re-open in March 07. I can't vouch for the accuracy of that, but it would seem to make sense. Part of the reason for the current hiatus seems to be to allow space in the training programme for the conversion and command upgrade of B744 pilots to the A340. The revised delivery schedule of the A346 has now only 2 being delivered in 2007 (to give a total of 19 A346s plus 5 A343s), which should ease the load on the training department somewhat. Though, with NBO and ORD starting by June, with probably a second HKG to come, they may find themselves short of aircraft again...!

Scroggs

RESULT!! :ok:

A bit of the current discussion but...

I have read through most(?) of the old thread and I'm missing one bit of info. I understand you get roughly 12days of a month but how long are those bits (I'm sure there are good and bad ones but...) minimum three or maybe even four at a time?

With Longhaul is there a general rythm as to when you depart and arrive back ie can you expect to get some extra time to commute on the day before or after the flight?

Very good thread!

Kilo-club,
all you can expect is the minimum time off, the day off pattern varies depending on the length of trip. 4 day trip normally has a minimum of 3 days off, 3 day trip normally has a minimum of 2 days off. These are minimum times off, with a 750 hr limit for the year you can normally expect more. This month 5 trips, 3 of them with 2 days off in between and I commute. No extra time is given to facilitate travel it is up to you to be there on time and suitably rested. The minimum time off between trips is not the norm, unless you are well behind on hours or there is a rostering cock-up!!

Virgin Recruitment
 

Information on PPJN dated 18th Jan 2007 states that Virgin are "Currently recruiting", however, on contacting the Company I was advised that this is not in fact the case; I must continue to monitor the website for future developements.

Slightly confused I'm afraid - can anyone shed some light on the matter?

:confused:

Thanks

PPJN, good as they are, are not updated by Virgin (or any other company) about the latest recruiting situation. They can only reflect what people report to them.

As you have found this thread, it really shouldn't be beyond you to read what has been written here. If you had, you would have discovered that your question had already been answered...

As a new starter at VS, I can add this:

I know of someone in the hold pool who starts in March and someone starting in May. Now obviously they will be joined by others on their courses.

I also know that 2 new FO's joined in January.

However, I know not of any outside recruitment having begun. Or indeed when it may begin.

It's bluddy good once you get in though :p Good Luck.

Thanks very much for the info, Stansdead.

I, like countless others I'm sure, are very keen for recruitment to recommence and even keener still to fly for VS.

Will keep watching and waiting...

Cheers now,

autoscan

Autoscan, you seem to have decided not to read through the thread!? As I have said in an earlier post, recruiting is likely to restart in March. The numbers needed in '07 will be considerably less than in '05/'06, as some aircraft deliveries have been deferred. The company is in something of a period of consolidation just now, though traditionally such periods have never lasted long!

Scroggs

And, as if to illustrate the point, as I was writing the above post it was decided at VS HQ that one of the A343s sublet to Virgin Nigeria would return to VS instead of to the lessor. Therefore, add one aircraft (and about 8.5 crews) to the tally for 2007!

Scroggs

I remeber one period of consolidation which went on for quite some time. It happened just after September 2001.

Joining VS soon and very excited! :D :D

Can anyone let me know in greater detail about the staff travel system, like how many tickets per year you get and who you can take with you. I also heard that in order to list you have to ring a premium number - is this correct?

Cheers

Coded

Coded
You can have for VS flights:
A - Spouse/Partner
B - 10 Immediate family (not uncles/aunts)
C - 1 nominated companion (can travel unaccompanied)
D - 3 accompanied companions (must travel with you or someone from A or B)
You can also take anyone away on a VS Flight on a Z fare if you are working the trip.
You get 7 free of charge tickets (still pay taxes). Unlimited Z tickets. Various J upgrades depending on how long in the company (starts with 2).
Yes you can ring the premium number and wait an hour or you can Fax or e mail it in.
Overall a damn good system - Hope that helps. :ok:

Many thanks for the info Humbug :)

Sorry Humbug, but do these benefits begin immediately, or is there a period before they kick in?

Also, could you please explain, (for the benefit of us uninitiated people) what the various fare codes mean, i.e. Z fares and J ? Thanks.

6 months before they kick in I'm afraid - but most of that will be training so unless you are a commuter the wait shouldn't be too painful.
J-Upper
W-Premium
Z fares are the way VS and many airline do their ID90 standby fare equivalent. Z for zones and charged by the zone. Google 'ZED fares' for more info. Cheers
;)

Good grief! If you're thinking of joining or are about to join then your efforts should be in getting as much info as you can on the aircraft type, the training and the routes, not the staff travel because if you fail the course then no staff travel, in fact no job!

That's a bit harsh isn't it?

The poor guy's just excited about joining a new company and a very good one at that.

I'm sure his maunuals and DVD's are smokin!


BR.

Whooaa there boy... :)

Prep has been done and is still ongoing :) By the way what if I am already current on type :) and know many of the routes already :)

Peace :D

Don't bite, CM. I'll explain all this stuff to you when we next meet. SRJ is not your most positive source of info about VS, for reaons I totally understand.

Scroggs

At the risk of incurring the wrath of any SRJ types :rolleyes: out there I was hoping somebody would be able to point me in the direction of some pay scales for Virgin. I join the Airbus fleet within a couple of months (and really, really, really looking forward to it!:ok: ) and have followed the other pay threads through but can find no recent info. Also some of my muckers in my present company (having just been bought out) are looking at some serious maths to see whether it is worth jumping ship or not!
Any help appreciated:)

Can somebody please explain me how the VAA recruitment actually works?

I have been on the list for over 4 years now.

I have a JAA ATPL and current JAA Class I medical

I have 2200hrs A330 and 2600 Hrs A320

I am a EU citizen with right to live in the UK ( passport from just across the channel DVR-KOK)



But NEVER EVER did I receive any reply from the recruitment department. Not a negative nor a positive reply. I have updated my resume every 6 months just like they ask etc...


Can somebody please tell me whats going on? I really would like to know what is going on.

I am getting the feeling that I am being ignored because I am no UK citizen nor do I have a UK issued ATPL ( its the same but virtually impossible to obtain if not working for a UK carrier or when not living in the UK)

All info more than wellcome...

There are many non-UK pilots in Virgin, though I'm pretty sure all will have converted to a UK-issued ATPL on or before joining VS. Why you haven't received a reply I can only guess is down to the sheer numbers of well-qualified people applying to Virgin. I can only suggest that you mail them at [email protected] to ask for confirmation that they have your application.

A thought: have you ever completed the online application procedure? I'm pretty sure that is now the primary (only?) way to get your application accepted. If you haven't done it, I suggest you do.

Big Junglie, I think PPJN has the current pay rates at Virgin. At worst they'll only be a few months out of date. Roughly speaking, on joining you will be on around £59k pa including variable pay.

Thanks scroggs, Ill give PPJN a go.... all that and £59k:) All I have to do now is pass the course:D

Bigjunglie,

As scroggs says, that's about right.

I joined in Nov 2006 on £44500 basic. In january 2007 this rose by 2.5%.

This year FO's get about £16 per hour in variable pay, which adds the extra £13000 or so, based on 750 hours a year.

You can also add all your allowances downroute into the mix, which are NOT included in Scroggs' total.

Could anyone who currently works at virgin post on a typical roster at virgin. ive read scroggs roster for the A340, id also like to hear a typical roster on the 744.

Hi Stans :)

With regard to allowances down route do you usually get any left over?

CM,

Depends on how much you can drink ;)

Seriously though, the allowances are pretty generous and based on the cost of subsistance at each individual place we stay. Since the hotels we stay in are generally of a quite nice standard....the meal prices are reasonably expensive and this is what the money is worked out on.
Venture outside and you instantly reduce your outgoings whilst retaining the same income so to speak! In a year and a half with the company, I have never been short of money whilst away and have quite frequently brought some home. That includes trips where I have done all sorts of activities from skiing to skydiving!

Norton2005
You can generally expect to do 4 to 5 trips per month on the 747, you will get very used to orlando and the caribbean but in a nutshell:-
LGW-MCO
2 days off
LGW-LAS
3 days off
LHR-JFK
2 days off
LGW-ANU
2 or 3 days off depending on trip length
MAN-MCO
The 747 fleet is spread accross LHR,LGW and MAN so if you are a commuter MAN is popular but it all depends on personal circustances.. one of the downsides of the boeing fleet is we generally have to do an extra trip each month to get the same amount of flying hours in as the airbus because our destinations tend to be closer.
hope that helps
cheers
fc

sgnr..
 

Go down to Crawley with your CV and and knock on the door.
Rgds

Thanks for the info stansdead, can anyone put a £/annum figure on the downroute allowances, some of the Cpt's in my present company need to do some damage limitation if they jump ship to the RHS!! Personally, I'm happy either way:ok:

Allowances average around £80 per day - or, rather, night. Most months you would probably have around 5 to 8 nights in hotels downroute (out of 15 to 19 days away from home). Therefore you can expect around £500 or so a month in allowances.

Rosters were covered several times in the original Virgin thread. A sample 744 roster is here. You'll also find more info about pay and allowances towards the end of that thread.

Thanks for posting those Virgin rosters on PPRUNE, very interesting. I always held Virgin as being a lifestyle airline, but looking at those roster's I would prefer my roster of 5/3/5/4. A long haul lifestyle i.e. being away from your loved ones should be rewarded with a lot more time off at home. 2 or three days is just enough to recover from Jet lag, empty you suit case before dragging your self away again.

:cool:

easyprison,

If lifestyle is what you are looking for then get away from 5/3/5/4.
Whats the good of being at home with your loved ones if you re shattered because you have to do 5 earlies in a row?

I used to do it, dont know how I ever did it, the fixed pattern roster is not flexible you cant request RDOs if you need a day off outside your pattern, you have to go to bed before your kids otherwise you go to work tired....

For sure by doing longhaul you wont be at home every night but when you are at home on average 15 days off a month on the 340 for me you will be able to spend QUALITY time with your loved ones or is it the command thats keeping you there, all of us that moved over (including skippers) no of us regret making the move.