wow, things sound really bad at eastern!

When I first joined the company years back, the money was ok, expenses were paid on time and people were reasonably happy, we evern had a couple of pay rises (below inflation), an christmas bonus and bottle of wine sent for easter etc

Tracy was the crewing manager and was brilliant at helping people with days off and getting things done, but she ran the crewing dept by herself as the rest were a load of idiots who didnt have a frickin clue.

I was their for 3 years and left to fly jets, and oh boy am i glad i did!

I think if Ricky Lake actually knew how his airline was being run, im sure he would be shocked!

I wonder if they binned that little gobby baldy welsh guy it would be an ok place to work?

Latest rumours:

Abz will close as a jetstream base. Jobs been offered internally for all types. So it could mean a few jobs for new starters soon depending on what happens with crews been shifted around.

For any low houred new starts might be a start up on the ladder. It's crap but it's better than the dole, just.

The e135 offer I got wasn't!

Left, I know a few who said no to either seat

Anybody know if Mat Herzberg (Ops manager) is still there??

Oh Yes, Matthew is still about, every pilots friend, though not in the front line quite as much these days.

I'm just really surprised that Flybe havn't put serious effort into Aberdeen. - Double pronged approach - A recruitment roadshow at the Thistle, and a couple of east coast routes would prob90 fatally wound Eastern.

Isn't he just!. Pilots, engineers and crewing, unless you worked in Ops, he didn't like you!!

Maybe a pilot ran off with his girlfriend :)

Or perhaps he is a failed pilot.

Either way he has the inter-personal skills of a rabid dingo with pms. Still that means he fits in well at Eastern, I think he tries to follow in the owners footsteps.

Clueless is a term that sums up the office at Humberside.

There certainly doesn't seem to be much strategic planning of crew movements. Maybe if as much effort was put into that as there seems to be in chaos managing the schedule minute by minute, Lake could afford to give the crews a payrise with the money saved on hire cars and hotac.

Pennypinching - crew positioning to Stockholm for charter, fly to Stockholm? No, fly to Gothenburg and get the train!

Sounds like Eastern are trying to build up the charter side of their business. They already have some very high profile customers including premier football teams and rock bands.

Ironic that such well paid people are being flown around by demoralised over worked crews who are probably some of the lowest paid in Europe.

Anyhow back on topic, update your CVs another Embraer soon to be delivered and some of the guys who have been doing other jobs in the company are starting flying soon. Coupled with the fact that everyone in the company seems to have CVs in with other employers ready for the upturn there could be room for a few more mugs. :D

Jobs have been offered internally for fleet changes but as that entails a new bond many of us aren't interested.

Yes they seem to be really pushing those charter contracts big time!

That is good news about the new EMB coming.

Could you possibly elaborate on that new bond you speak of ? I only ask because a friend may be starting with them soon and i'm a little skeptical.......well very!!

Cheers Wetdream:D

Charters
 

They may be doing loads of charters but the question is are they making money. Anyone can sell a charter to Rome for £100 (that's an extreme comment but you know what i mean).

Captain sox.
They are trying to encourage pilots onto the embraer, I guess as mentioned above because they can't recruit externally because they don't offer anything like a realistic package.

Trouble is if you change onto the jet you have to agree to a bond. Some have accepted this just to get the jet time on their cvs and some have refused it because they are no longer bonded and feel they will be able to leave soon anyhow without jet time.

There are now very few bonded pilots at eastern. The place will probably empty if there is much movement in the employment Market this winter.

Duty pay
 

Evening all.

Wondered if anyone could enlighten me about your duty pay:

Is it based on Fight Duty Hours or total Duty Hours?

If away from base overnight, do they (if its total duty based) pay it from when you first check in at your home base to when you arrive back at home base?

Do you get any other allowances away from base as standard eg per diems/meal allowances etc?

Think I can guess most of the answers, but as we're living in a world of guesswork, thought I'd see if I can find out some hard facts for a change.

It works out at about £1 an hour on duty.

If you have a night stop outside the UK then you get £25 a night, when I say 'you get' what I mean is you might get, if you keep nagging for it and you aren't too late putting your claim in.

Hope that helps.

Thanks Wetdream.

Given the amount of time Eastern crew seem to spend living in hotels that's cr@p.
Pot Noodles and Alpen bars for tea then I guess.

Eastern are getting another embraer in the very near future it's all agreed apparently.

Also there is now a new charter contract which is just he sam as the old one apart from 16 days away rather than 20 all for no more money than someone who gets home every night. :)

Under crewed as usual

Eastern crew get home every night?

We clearly getting messed around, I seem to be living in a certain scotish hotel at the mo, or waiting for taxis to take me to the wrong airport!

home every night
 

I now cant remember/work-out, where I am actually based.