The simple fact that we have a thread about joining this company in the experienced pilots section reveals a lot about our category!

Unbelievable.

Frankly, I don't understand why you're on this thread. Why don't you go grind your axe elsewhere? The same could be said for many other who have been contributing negatively to Ryanair threads for years despite having no direct involvement or current knowledge of the company.

I wasn't for one second suggesting Ryanair offer market leading salaries. :ugh: I've yet to meet somebody who believes that. Neither am I muddying the waters by putting facts onto the thread.

As you wish to be pedantic, I ought to clarify that I wasn't including pension as an extra. I was simply making it clear that the net figure I gave is after deducting my pension contribution from gross salary so we're all comparing apples and apples.

As an outside observer, it’s crystal clear that Ryanair is certainly not the best, but it certainly isn’t the worst either. Look at some Other lcc’s like Wizz, vueling, I’d rather be at Ryanair than one of those. EasyJet isn’t exactly the land of milk and honey either, you fly just as many hours as Ryanair and the roster doesn’t seem to be as stable as Ryanair, ok you gain a few grand and a couple of benefits, but it’s very much swings and roundabouts. EasyJet Ts&Cs and Jet2 roster is where we should be at.

Please tell me the Fuel league tables aren’t still a thing?

As an industry, we are so well organised we even have to argue about what folk get paid.

It is truly pathetic.

Are you telling me the union(s) - recognised or not - don't know what the pay scales are at some of the biggest operators in Europe?

As the only folk who benefit from these smoke and mirrors antics are the managers, it just goes to show just how disorganised the pilot work force truly is.

Everyone just join Unite, and we will be truly united, and transparent.

Of course, pilots are too superior to do this en-mass .

(Hemlet on ready to get savaged, as in usual on pprune).

You might be better served by a helmet ....

One is the 'new kid on the block' = Norwegian, perhaps struggling financially and without Fort Knox reserves: the other is 'Europe's biggest and most favourite airline' that threatens the national bank with cash reserves. There are many competitors of various hues in between. It would seem lacking in ambition for one to trumpet that their 'new deal' on there basis of paying more than the other. They forget to say is their package is considerably less than many in between, based upon size. If you want to be thought of as top of the tree then you should be top of the tree in reality in all departments; not just better than one competitor in the lower half.

Most contributors, myself included, have left the company within the last 2-3 years. We all know how :mad: it is.

And some stayed on to try and make things better because joining TOM on a PPY50 or BA just wasn’t an option financially. Middle East just isn’t an option either for a lot of us. Jet2, Easy, or Norwegian? No bases that I have any desire to be at.

Ryanair works for many people because it has to. Same for a lot of employers. I doubt anyone needs reminded that the company still has a lot of growing up to do. However it’s unlikely that that will ever happen with the current management.

I left for a better option because that option was there. For some whom I know are still there, there is no other option. I really hope it becomes a better place for them. It wouldn’t take much.

do you not mean Ryanair roster? 5/4 v Jet 2 5/2

“Twiddling my thumbs all winter”

Get a hobby! After a full on summer at pretty much any airline these days, I for one need and look forward to the quieter winters.

I spent 3 years at RYR. Not an awful time I have to say, but once you’ve experienced a proper airline you really do look back and feel sorry for the guys.

jonesyinthesky

5/4 is hugely overrated in my opinion, atleast in Ryanairs world where they can change your pattern (sometimes several times in a year) and wipeout your holiday plans. Sometimes they're kind enough to warn you in advance, but sometimes they forget.

Then with the garbage leave system, you have to cancel or rearrange your plans. It is far from the holy grail of rosters.

I'd give BALPA a call and seek some advice from their employment advisors.

'Twidding my thumbs all winter' has been the best part about leaving Ryanair. I've had far more opportunities to travel, I started playing football again, taken up two new sports and I'm in better shape than I ever was at Ryanair, both physically and mentally.

Can't really reason with people that live to work and not the other way around. Each to their own.

TheMightyAtom

It isn't the Holy Grail but it's much more stable than most. People like Vokes who left 3 years ago when the company wasn't what it is now, may see no benefit in a 5/4 because they're presumably free of many domestic responsibilities. For many of us with families, a 5/4 is very useful when determining childcare requirements and school drop offs etc for months in advance. Sure, when you're young and free, a busy summer where you'd be home 4 out of 14 days and a winter where you hardly ever fly and instead get to go skiing regularly, is all you need.

who left 3 years ago when the company wasn't what it is now

that had me spitting my coffee out! I admire your optimism!

By all accounts (friends still there) it's worse now than when 'people like me' left. I agree that 5/4 is useful, but in three years at Ryanair I had my pattern changed five times, only once with prior (1 month) warning.

Not very useful when you've planned your next six months and suddenly your working every day you expected to be off.

Other than throwing a few quid about what has gotten better? "We are improving the leave system" - I've heard that one every single year since the noughties.

I agree and lets face it most 'proper airlines' are long gone....

I worked for one but then it went bust.....but then I only did 250 - 300 hrs a year got pro rata what I get paid today and that was 20 years a go and on a turboprop. Probably why it went bust ultimately and 9/11 of course.

The aviation world has gone backwards thats a fact.

Now I work for Ryanair.....