AFA your not alone

BA looking for 744 type rated pilots. They are fast tracking anyone with a 744 rating, one guy went from application to job offer in a week.

Capt. Sullenberger said this "the single most important piece of safety equipment is an experienced well trained pilot." And that "Experience & Skills of pilots only comes from investing and if airlines do not change and start valuing the pilot profession, it will result in future pilots being less experienced and less skilled, it logically follows that we will see negative consequences to the flying public and to our country"

That said it all for me. Full support to our Guys and Girls up front.

Capt Sully talks a lot of sense
Mr Branson on the other hand said he would pay Sully twice as much as his pilots if he came to virgin.
How to p!££ a workforce off in easy lesson.

Trainee Virgin train drivers are paid a basic of £45K a year.

See:

Trainee Train Driver - Pay And Conditions For UK Train Drivers

Virgin First officers, who have had to achieve 2000 hours minimum flying a jet are paid £47K a year.

Absurd.

I hope there is a strike these companys have been taking the p*** for the last few years...they have sown the seed now they are about to reap the whirlwind! This is the first of many!

SKI,

Nah pilots are too self centred.

Won,t see many strikes if any.

''Well, as a free agent, take your excellent skills to another employer. I've done this twice since leaving the RAF & on each occasion have become considerably better off. ''

Done it only once myself - from VS!

The workforce at VS have decided to say ''enough is enough''. The rot started post 9/11 with the dreadful way the workforce were treated and got far worse in the GFC. From being the best airline to work for, it became one of the worst with a callous hire and fire employment philosophy.

Good luck boys and gals, but I suspect a strike won't happen. The Virgin brand's only strength is it's image. Richard can't afford the bad publicity and the company will cave before it happens.

peanuts and monkeys ?
 

If you pay peanuts you get monkeys!

A most convincing ballot result. Virgin pilots, hold out for what you are worth !

I don't know much about the VS situation but I would like to respond to the comment about "Lilly livered" TUI pilots. Here at Thomson Airways, we were offered a strings attached RPI rise. This went to ballot and was rejected 2:1. The union sat down and talked with the management and the pay offer was accepted, minus strings.

This is how union, employer relations should work. It doesn't have to be confrontational. VS obviously don't have this luxury.

So, Lilly livered or grown up, mature and professional? You decide.

Hope VS agree to everyones satisfaction asap.

As Mr Seagull states, robust response from TOM membership, CC response to Company leaving little room for doubt, sensible reaction from Company with glimmer of hope for a better relationship on the back of at least one problem at TOM sorted for the time being.

Ergo: Roy Hudd speaking out of his hoop at least as far as TOM is concerned. (Ops normal?, The requested facts are yet to be provided?)


VS have apparently been pushed beyond that point but no doubt all concerned will be looking for a similarly hopeful outcome. Good luck to you all.

Let's get one thing straight. Management will attempt to get away with paying the least they can get away with, and grab the largest bonus for themselves.

If we assume that a captain earns £100,000 a year and flies 500 hours it works out at £200 per flying hour. Assuming an average of 300 passengers on a wide body that works out to 67p per passenger per hour.

When you consider that Ryanair charge at least £4 per passenger for the privilege of using a debt card it puts it into perspective.

The reality is that FD costs are a marginal cost to airlines with modern aircraft and productivity. A decent pilot saves his company more time and fuel than his salary, it's just not recognised because we don't shout about it. Next time you fly look at the fuel and time used against planned and highlight the difference in your voyage report.

What are the Virgin Pilots asking for ?
 

I can't find anywhere what the pilots are asking for and how this compares with other airlines. Is it available on the web ? Are BALPA supporting this or are the pilots acting on their own initiative ? My experience of Unons is that they never win anything in the medium or long term.

This is the first time we have ever voted to strike.
With no pay increase since 2008, a below inflation offer for 2011 and proposals for 2012 and 2013 that will be sub-inflation this is now a six-year attack on living standards which has not happened in any other airline.
I say enough is enough.

>this is now a six-year attack on living standards which has not happened in any other airline.

yes it has......bmi

Yep, try Ryanair.

British airline then....national flag carrier even .....not German or Irish

Yes Virgin Atlantic First Officers should be paid alot more. Virgin Atlantic isn't exactly a lifestyle choice is it? So what does it have going for it?

Virgin share ownership 51/49. British but only just.

Sorry for splitting hairs. I truely hope Virgin pilots take this all the way. A line needs to be drawn in the sand. bmi pilots, pre LH, had a similar mandate and squandered it.

Good luck.

There are hundreds of pilots out there who will do the VS pilots jobs for a lot less money. It is called supply and demand.

Beardy should hold firm and cancel his striking pilots staff travel for life. Branson should then follow BA's example of sacking union reps and suspending any VS pilots who send inflamatory texts or Faceb**k messages about non strikers. Any intimidation of pilots who disagree with the strike should be dealt with by the full force of the companies disciplinary procedures.

I am confident that VIRGIN's team of lawyers will find a way to injunct this strike and declare the ballot void.

It is about time that BALPA was busted. The union caused trouble at BA turning a blind eye to its members flying as cabin crew, and now wants to call a strike.

Hypocrisy, utter hypocrisy.