No Thomson recruitment for some time
 

Just to keep you in the loop news from the top is no recruitment until at least late 2012. No commands til 2014.

Really? I heard something very different from someone senior within Thompson!

I was told that a couple months ago, so maybe it changed.

With you VJW - have heard also from a senior at Thomson that recruitment is now planned for next year - no recruitment was planned but seems things have changed slightly and a need next year is now driving recruitment in 2011.

Please correct me if i'm wrong.

Heard from various sources within TOM the same... Recruitment likely Septemberish 2011... That gen is about 3 weeks old.

Bluebaron's news comes from the latest TOM pilot news letter - so probably the most accurate news available. Great shame for those outside the airline as well as those inside, with the realisation that for many FOs, a command maybe over 17 year away!

Could this be a 'divide and conquer' tool? I can see the opening gambit at next years pay negotiations... 'hey guys let us close that expensive final salary pension and we will expand thus letting you FOs get a command in the next couple of years'.

Don't suppose many of the ex Air 2bob guys who cant get on the FS pension would be too bothered if this situation came to pass.

I think there will be some recruitment. Numbers are cut to the bone and I'm sure that at least a handful of current FO's will be going to BA / Virgin etc.

Maybe a few to BA, not Virgin - reduction in TCs;)

The article in question was the most pessimistic view, assuming no change in fleet size, no early retirements, no PHI, no one leaving for pastures new and everyone returning from career breaks. Any of these changes (which they will) and of course doors will be open.

The management are being very down on everything at the min, trying to get folk out of the door, not a bad tactic if recruitment was hot but alas....

DC

ps, if and when recruitment starts, don't expect popular bases, NCL will be my bet.

The article also assumes that Thomson's fleet doesn't get smaller

true

dc

Recruitment was planned for Autumn 2011 due 787 deliveries in Jan/Feb/Mar 2012. Whether that get's delayed due to the current production problems, who knows?

There were rumblings of a small amount of recruitment Spring 2011, probably via CTC or the other Intergrated schools. Figures depend on how many leave for BA.

Expect, when it does happen, to be summer only contracts, most likely not permanent, and forget anything you see on PPJN re Ts and Cs. They're already dropping hints about a new contract for joiners with lower salary, possibly no increments and less days off per month.

Also expect NCL, CWA and possibly EMA/BHX. LGW and MAN are full.

Everything at the moment is about cost reductions and reducing the summer/winter imbalance

Seems like people are starting to leave for BA & Virgin.

There are a few leaving dates appearing on the seniority list.

Would GLA be considered a popular base?

Doobler
How can you say NCL isn't a popular base, Geordie Girls are the best CC by a country mile (with GLA not that far behind) :ok:
That aside plenty of Pilots would jump at going to Thomson grass is green job

Ha! that made me laugh, just echoing the fact that the company has failed to fill it for years, no-one ever volunteers to go there.

Callsign Kilo, GLA popular I reckon.

Update: 30 rumoured to be leaving.

I would love to fly for Thomson and be based at NCL...have to agree...both Crew and Cabin crew are top people....fingers crossed :ok:

Surely the ones who were made redundant will be first in line for any jobs?

I have heard some of the career break guys want to come back?

That will be the case Fly_Better!

great company if you are senior - truley bad company if you are junior. With no movement high up in the ranks this situation will remain for many years. Senior boys yearly get all nice leave, all nice trips, all lucrative winter secondments and summer temporay basing. Good for a rating and thats about it really!

Fly Better! - Whilst it is true that some of the career break pilots are returning (not all it has to be said), those that were forced from the company have absolutely NO right of return agreement. They were told by the company that they would have to undergo the full recruitment process that everyone else would be subjected to.

Whether this actually happens remains to be seen. I wouldn't be at all surprised if there is some last minute recruitment at TOM this summer when some of the FO's are given start dates at BA/Virgin.