Norwegian Malaga Roster and new bases
 

Hi All, do you know how is the rostering with Norwegian ? I mean 5/4/5/3 but do you start from AGP and come back only after 5 days, sleeping in different places, or do you fly from/to AGP daily ?
How many sectors average per day ? monthly flight hours ? Any standby days ?
Other question : does anyone knows what are the plans for future new bases ?? where and when ???

Many thanks !

At the moment, Day1 start in AGP & fly North. Night stop in one (or several) locations, Day 5 Southbound to AGP.

Day1 & 5 can either be operating or positioning sectors. For the last 6 mths this sometimes allowed opportunities to commute into CPH/ARN etc from other places (particularly handy for Scandinavian domiciled colleagues).

Having failed to effectively tackle Norwegian, the Union has decided the way to advance everyones case is to insist that Norwegian ensure we are present on any rostered positioning flight. Apart from screwing up the time off at home for my Scandinavian colleagues I don't see this achieves very much else. Too little too late, and a rather pathetic attempt to make up for their lack of resolve when their dispute was at its height.

There is an ongoing "expectation" that we will have AGP based aircraft from end of Oct, but this is not confirmed. Current rumour is 2 based airframes, so obviously this will not radically change the current roster of most based crew, although there will be a small number of out & back duties amongst the mix.
Most days are 2 x 3-4 hr sectors from up North, sometimes 4, once in a blue moon 6, and as I said Day 1 & 5 are usually 1 sector, either op or posn.
Monthly hrs not so high, the Union is succeeding in its aim to make us look inefficient :hmm: As the "Summer agreement" between Norwegian & the Union has ended they are not quite sure how to best use us, so most of us have had weeks of Standby's on the Sep roster. Previously there were the odd day here & there, but usually a week of SBY in the past meant simply that they just hadn't decided where you would fly that week.
Once roster has been published days off CANNOT change (unless you agree to work a Day Off, for which you are paid) but the pattern can be moved 1 day either side & 1 day taken off (given back later in the month) subject to minimum block of 3 days at the planning stage . . . . . BUT, I have been told that those recruited recently for LPA base are on a totally variable roster with no fixed pattern, so this may now be history.
Some colleagues were "moved" from AGP to LPA/HEL and "seniority" (well, the Contractors equivalent) does not appear to have been considered.
Rumours for next bases are ALC & LGW, timescale ? probably early next year ?
LPA is foreseen initially as a Winter base, so anyone headed there may expect to learn about the new bases sometime before 31st March.
Proposed Annual Leave system does not appear to have too many admirers,it is also very difficult (if not impossible) to swap Days off & the Union is making it rather more difficult than it need be for Commuters ( :ok: :mad: :\ )
Nonetheless, still one of the better contract jobs out there, who knows what will happen at the end of two years as the Union has demanded that at this stage we be offered "permanent" employment. Those of us in AGP will have a "Heads Up" next March when HEL (the 1st contract base) becomes 2 yrs old.
Waiting, with a mixture of trepidation/anticipation as to whether I am offered a nice contract, or told to get the :mad: out of my LHS at my Base because the contract offered is "too" good & a permanent FO from up North (who didn't like/want my "contracted" terms) is now about to usurp me (with the Unions blessing of course) now that something better is offered.
I am a fairly pro-union guy, but it isn't all sunshine for everyone & I think their efforts may be a little misdirected at this time.

Im sad that you think the union's efforts are misguided. To begin with, I find it more or less amazing that the union allowed contractors to fly Scandinavian production in the first place. The AGP base is fictional base and a cover up to fly Scandinavian production with cheaper labour. As of today, Norwegian has no routes (excluding HEL) from AGP that are non-Scandinavian.

The agreement from May this year stated that the company would be allowed to have to have contractors fly from Scandinavia in order to cope with anual leave during the summer. This exempt expired on the 1st of September and the company violated the agreement (not so surprisingly) immediately by keeping contractos on Scandinavian production. The company is forcing the union's hand by ignoring previously agreed terms. It is very unfortunate the the contractors get stuck in the middle of everything but the union is fighting for you guys to get permanent position since there is obviously a permanent need for pilots in Scandinavia. I fear that the conflict will escalate in the coming weeks... :(

...you mean the coming days, perhaps? From the press in Norway; The union is taking DY to court for breach of collective agreement. The AGP based pilots (as we all know are on these debated contracts) are being transported from AGP to various Scandinavian bases to operate flights that have been reserved for pilots on permanent employment terms. Which is a breach of the agreement.

So the union is alive and kicking, and we should again be supportive of their efforts:ok:

LeftHeadingNorth,

Sorry, didn't mean misguided, as in " a bad idea", was thinking more like, their current actions seem calculated to cause hassle to us Contractors without having any tangible effect on the Company, which does nothing to change their actions (surely the goal ? ). Perhaps misdirected was a better word.

Totally agree, the companies interpretation of the agreement was taking the p1ss big time, but, can't help thinking that they should have stood a bit more firm last time (when they had overwhelming support , both from within & outside NAS) & saved themselves having to revisit it again 6mths later.

Does Norwegian take care of your accomodation whilst away from AGP?
Do they pay a nightstop allowance?

Accomodation is provided.
No idea about allowance...

Yes


No



You earn exactly the same each month regardless of block hours /nights away. Currently 8800€ Capt/5100€ FO at the moment net, in the near future (well it is proposed for the new starts) "Gross" with up to 30% deductions arbitrarily levied by the agencies.

Anyhow, compared to the difference between what is currently paid to Contractors & what is proposed , that is of very little relevance.

Ask your agency about the "tax situation".

Nothing can be sure for the future, only certainty is that none of us will be in the same situation/base in 1 years time.

Very fluid/dynamic situation at this moment between NAS/NPF/Contractors.

Have they decided now who (agency/pilot?) is paying taxes and the social insurance parts? Heard a while ago they would be using the agency to employ the pilots, and so the agency would be paying the social insurance part? Can anyone confirm this?

Interview 'hoops' for Captains
 

Just wondering if anyone has been through the interview process for Norwegian? I have heard that they are now doing raw data sims and psychometric testing?

Hi - A few questions.

What is the roster pattern?

Is the Captains salary 95.600 euros / year irrespective of block hours?

Are they recruiting now?

Thanks

Norwegian opens new bases of operations at London Gatwick and Alicante
Published:25.10.2012 By:Astrid Mannion

Norwegian Air Shuttle will establish a new base of operations at London’s Gatwick Airport in spring 2013.

It will also establish a new base of operations at Alicante, Spain. Norwegian will offer flights to several Mediterranean destinations and the Nordic region from London. The new base in England will also enable Norwegian to better meet the head-on competition from Asian and European carriers in the long-haul market.

Norwegian is already a significant player at London Gatwick. With more than 100 weekly departures between the Nordic region and London, the British capitol is Norwegian’s most popular destination outside its home market. The airline sees a major passenger potential in London and surrounding areas. The Alicante base will – in addition to already established bases at Malaga and Las Palmas – serve an important part of Norwegian’s Spanish traffic.

Norwegian is planning to start its operations at London Gatwick with three Boeing 737-800s and increase to four aircraft by the end of the year. The first flights will commence in spring 2013. Pilots and cabin crew will be recruited locally.

“By establishing a new base in London, Norwegian will be positioned to meet the future competition on short-haul routes within Europe as well as long-haul routes globally. Growth and volumes are necessary to stay competitive in the airline industry,” said CEO Bjørn Kjos of Norwegian.

Norwegian currently has bases of operations in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Spain. A new base for the company’s subsidiary for long-haul flights is being established in Bangkok.

LGW...Life just got interesting!

:ok:

I know that there are lots of people in the company already forming the queue for LGW. Expect to join the back via LPA, ALC etc

Boeingisgoing
 

People on this forum might have a little more sympathy with what you have to say if the English made any sense what so ever.

About half of your statement is an unintelligible random selection of English words and the the other half is so subject to interpretation that from a legal point of view that it is meaningless.

The only point that you make well is that the Spanish government is so short of money that it is trying to grab the social taxes of peope who are starting and ending their working period in Spain but are resident in other EU states dispite this being in conflict with Article 6 of EC regulation 883/2004 in two parts, those being Transitional arangements and Frequent change of base.

Both of these parts of the EC regulation allow the social taxes to be paid in the country of residence, as with all regulations you have to read the small print, not just the headlines !

A and C, It looks to me that he was talking about being self employed or not, not discussing where the social taxes should be paid.

In Spain it seems to be illegal to have an employment disguised by a temporary contract.

Spain is not the only country where disguised self employment is an illegal practice, several investigations are ongoing in a growing number of countries especially targeting Ryanair bases.
In many countries it also illegal to work as a pilot with your own ltd and being subcontracted to an airline for contracts that last years, investigations are ongoing on this subject as well.
True that governments need money badly in times of crisis, Ireland included , but it is also true that this tax ,social security and labor law scam has to be stopped if we don't want to waste decades of social development and plunge back into the 18th century in just a few years.

It looks like that all new contract (and some old) will be with ón variable roster, making it very hard to come home :(
This is getting Worse and worse, now RYR is Much more attractive.

Self Employment & tax
 

It may be considered illegal self employment in Spain but I don't think that they can force a UK resident who only sets foot in Spain for a few hours at the start and end of a duty cycle to pay income tax, the EU regulation 833/2004 however gives the Spanish some sort of lever to apply the social taxes but only if they only read the parts of the regulation that support their case and not the parts that don't.

A getting on and off an aircraft at one place along with the occasional night in a hotel is hardly the basis for taxing someone, being resident is, that is why I pay my taxes in my country of residence and as long as I comply with the states tax regulations it is nothing to do with Spain or any other EU state that wants a bit of the action.

In short in my case it is for the UK tax authority's to tax me according to the UK law and my responsabiltity to pay the correct amount of tax.

If you are based in Spain (like in this case) the situation is different. Unless you live onboard the aircraft or commute back "home" immediately.