Thomas Cook Holding Pool
 

I've just passed the sim assesment with TC and have been placed in the holding pool. Has anyone else been offered a course yet or been given any info ref course dates, type or bases?

Well done:ok:

Can I ask, when did your selection process start and are you left or right seat?

I had the interview mid to late Sep. The sim ride was a couple of weeks ago. I'm right seat only.

Wrong lever,

The pilot's in TC are not happy. The company want to offer direct summer only commands to American pilots for next year.

As a BALPA airline, we are up in arms about it.

Hence, we are hearing rumours of NO RECRUITMENT for next year at all now.

Sorry it's not good news on the rumour mill mate.

2footlong,

In view of the fact that it is 12 years to command in TC, do you think we normally take on direct commands? Read above comments.

This ain't Ryanair.

:mad:

Thats just f:mad: g stupid!! I once had alot of respect for TCX and at one point sinlged them out as my next career move!!!:yuk:

In the holding pool also.

Stanstead said we are hearing rumours of NO RECRUITMENT for next year at all now.

Of course RUMOURS, but where are they coming from?
If they need to fill the left hand seats then they must need the right filling too.
Does this type of thing happen every year???

Hold Pool Last Year
 

Thanks for the update. I'm also in the hold pool.

I understand that last year pilots received start dates immediately before Christmas, to start 3 months later.


Good luck, :cool:

Honestly

How are they going to get American pilots to come to the UK and work as Captains without the right to work? If they give work permits out they have to advertise locally before any nonresidents can be employed. Plus I don't know any Captains in the States that would want to sit those horrible 14 exams. Plus Yanks can go to the desert and earn twice as much with no taxes. Doesn't seem that logical. Also, the airlines in the States are short pilots with all these regional jets flying around.

Management likes to dream...........

Pornstar,

I have worked for Cook's for 5 years. I know the difference between fact and rumour.

We have loads of guys in the RHS ready for Command, but the company are trying to shaft us SFO's out of our commands in order to have temporary summer captains that they can then get rid of in winter, hence saving tuppence ha'penny.

There has been NO EXPANSION for five years, hence no commands and very little recruitment.

YOur assertion that if the LHS needs filling, then the RHS does too is just plain wrong I am afraid.

I would be careful what you say surrounding a very very sore subject unless you know what you are talking about.

If you are in the holding pool, I would ring up and ask when your course date is. My bet is not this year.....

Time to command? 12 years and rising.

A really unhappy place to work currently.

TCX Unrest
 

Have to agree with Stansdead, TCX is not a great place to work at the moment, pilots are very unhappy with the way Summer 2006 is shaping up with no commands for the foreseeable future, and with plenty of suitable and able SFO’s on the lists.

The last time I went to work the talk was down from 20 guys to 15 and I now I think it’s even gone lower than that. Course’s where booked in Jan and Feb.

Please, if you are in the Pool phone Manchester and get an answer from them and don’t be fobbed off.

The American captain situation is very real watch this space…………………..

The only good news for the people in the holding pool is that any SFO's or FO's with a degree of sense in TCUK are looking to leave.

Sad but true.

Therefore you will probably get to fly our ageing fleet quicker than you imagine anyhow.

Summer 2006 will be like the Summer of 2000 when jmc formed. i.e. very bad.:yuk:

Another sad day in the history of TCUK. I was there when it was JMC and got shafted by the management after 9/11. Redundancy was threatened and in the end I took the (small amount on offer) and went, deciding not to pay tax on it by accepting a Career Break option for 2 years. My theory was that they have shafted me once and the precedent was therefore set for the future. Sadly my prediction seems to have been correct. I know many pilots in TCUK and they have my sympathy, especially the F/Os.

What they need to be though, is united. After 9/11 there were too many "I'm alright Jack's" due to their perceived seniority position. They didn't give a toss about those of us at the bottom of the seniority list who were facing redundancy and thus the CC didn't really either (not enough support). The only ones who came out of it with any pride intact were the pilot managers who have since moved on and I will be eternally greatful to them for their efforts in keeping us on as long as possible and finding alternative positions for us.

I have heard that many Senior F/Os are looking elsewhere, be it BA, Virgin, EK etc as the prospect of such a long wait for command is galling. A number are on secondment over the winter with T-Fly. Don't be surprised if they look to join full time with early command prospects.

I wish all at TCUK good luck in the future.

PP

In essence this situation is summed up by TC's own recruitment advertising: Which is even now still the wording; showing how untrustworthy the mangement have become.


Quote:

"Opportunities
At Thomas Cook Airlines, we are committed to a pilot workforce of varied experience and backgrounds. As a result, our recruitment policy aims to provide opportunities to pilots and potential pilots of all experience levels. This ensures that individuals advance from within. In turn, this means we do not anticipate recruiting direct entry Captains, Pilot trainers or Managers."


To then go on to advocate use of Direct Entry Command from the US over the Summer is blatantly stamping on the apirations of the Pilot workforce that the Company TCX have led them to believe exists.

The TCX workforce have always believed that whilst there were suitably experienced and qualified people within its own camp the company would honour the no Direct Entry Commands. I believe that the company itself has already listed some 14 FO's as suitable for command and a good deal of those have already finished command assesments, so there can be no argument from TCX management that suitable candidates do not currently exist from within its own workforce.

Make's you PROUD to work there doesn't it.

Bring on the ballot!

errr......no, not really

They can take PROUD and shove it where the sun dont shine!

Strike Action
 

Easter, I believe, is a hot favorite, errr favourite. But working to rule in the New Year, which soon ties an airline up in knots. What a pity TCUK has come to this.

Glad to see you still have your sense of humour!

The classic 'withdrawal of goodwill' would bring the airline to it's knees. Airlines work on an awful lot of goodwill and (to coin my company's catchphrase) 'going beyond'. I can't quite see there would be any need for a strike, but a vote for it would send the ball squarely back into their court.........

You have my support (for what it's worth).

PP