Mister Geezer,

I guess its what you want, I always wanted to get onto the biggest a/c possible before command, I know guys who are stuck at bottom of seniorities lists with Thomson who are a good 15 years older than me, in the right hand seat of a 737 because they did TRI/TRE on a Dash for so long.

I always wanted to work for Virgin since day 1, and have been pestering them to give me a job ever since (sorry JT!).

I guess things will probably change, or that I am living in cloud cuckoo land!

From what I hear still quite a few guys are still to come back from their "time away" before recruitment starts...
Apart from the guys in DOH the other guys in the Middle East are not bonded so for sure a few of them will be back if/when asked...

Will they? Once (twice) bitten etc....

As this is the rumour forum.......Rumour has it Virgin has postponed delivery of the A330's for a further 2 years. That should slow things down!

TBE.

So surely, with the issues discussed on this thread plus the general downturn in the aviation industry and the necessary 'belt-tightening' across the board, it beggars belief that VS decide it's now time to change the logo (again) incurring mutli-million pound costs.

I spoke with a ex-colleague who's still at The Office. He told me that ''it's time'', that the existing logo is ''tired'', and that the market research states Virgin's customers ''want to see a new brand image''.

I left VS seven years ago as a senior manager (could see the writing on the wall) and now work outside aviation, still travelling extensively. I stand to be corrected regarding where VS may have done its research, but believe me, and I speak for the vast majority of SLF: we don't care what the lettering on the plane looks like, what colour the tail is or what shade of pantone red is to be used. We simply want to arrive safely, in a fully maintained aeroplane flown by excellent flight deck, with great ground and in-flight product and pleasant CC.

(FYI, I recall and can understand why my ex-colleague friend has that POV; the internal comms propaganda at VS has to be seen to be believed!)

Perhaps if the directors diverted their attention from their ''extra-curricular'' activities :hmm: and focussed on the business priorities, then nailing you guys for T's&C's, continually telling the staff to ''tighten belts'', etc. etc. could be avoided?

All the best to you all in these difficult times.

Dec 10
 

On good auth that Virgin will recommence recruitment before 2010 is out. Seems more likely now BA open same next month.

I would suggest that when any recruitment happens, an Airbus rating (especially 330) would be a great benefit - along with 2,500 hrs+ etc.

Unfortunately 'bean counters' will have a greater input into any selection these days, at the expense of the 'right stuff' required for ultra-long haul operations. i.e. can you sit with this bloke for 9 hours straight without throttling him!!

Does anybody have any idea of the numbers that will be potentially required for the next round of recruitment?

Thanks

BB

Should I stay or should I go ...?
 

I'd agree with "Stansdead" completely.

I swapped VS long haul for EZY short haul many years ago and am now much less exhausted than I was. It's still not great of course - I & others think their alleviation to roster 5 "Earlies" is actually quite dangerous BUT at least you can usually get ONE other thing done outside flying on a flying day, and on your days OFF, they can be productive days off and you're not just recovering from jet lag.

With VS I found that:
- they usually rostered a STBY on the day before your duty away, which invariably meant you got called and had to change how you were going to spend your day off down route.
- I watched an awful lot of films on HBO in the middle of the night in the US & was completely exhausted when I did get back so that even if my body was back in the UK I didn't have the energy to do much, or again I was awake at weird times of day & night.
- they expected you to work for "love" not money, just to fly their "sexy" aircraft to "sexy" destinations, although I understand this has improved.
- Whereas say EZY has a roughly 50/50 ratio of Capt/FO's, VS use heavy crews so there are less Captains (I'm guessing at 60/40 ratio), so longer to command + they took on a lot of young to middle aged guys who several years ago who are going to be there a while before they retire.

I'm sure VS has changed lots since I was there but my general advice to F/O's these days is try to resist the schoolboy in you that wants to fly a 747 - especially if you want to do anything with your life outside flying.

Their website actually states they are receiving applications

Current A330/A340 rating required. A320 will be considered. Min 2500 hrs.

All on the website. Type in "pilots"

Here Captain Widebody :ok:

Unusual that: they made people redundant, either voluntarily or compulsorily but they have not received an invitation back.

Therefore meeting the type rated AND experienced requirement.

I think they have asked folk back but quite a few are in the sandpit with large bonds. They can I think come back after said bond is paid off so new entrants may find folk appearing above them on the seniority list in years to come.
I suppose some may stay there if they get to the LHS.

Won't make a lot of difference. 12+ yrs at least for upgrade at Virgin by all accounts.:eek:

There's maybe a problem because the link sends to the same page!

Applications
 

The careers part of their website will let you apply, only open till the end of the month

Virgin Atlantic - Careers

The guys who where on a year "holiday" from the company are back at Gatwick now, getting current again.

Has anyone any idea on the number of pilots they require? Will this be for a london base? Do they also base crew at Manchester/Glasgow?

Good to see things picking up!

TBE.

I'm 737 rated, i'll go and sit in the corner and cry now.

bye byr :{

Im neither 737 rated nor 320! At least you still have a shot with BA :{:{