The Definitive easyJet T's & C's Thread
 

Hi to all you easy guys and gals,

I'm looking for a little more information on easyJet's lifestyle as it is today than I can find from the search facility. Please don't just jump on this thread and flame me as much of what I can find is of questionable accuracy as circumstances at the big orange seem to have changed considerably over the last year or so. I would be most pleased if just one easyJet pilot could answer this post with up to date information.

I'll list the points separately:

1. Does the 5/3/5/4 roster apply to all UK bases?

2. Does the 5/3/5/4 roster run continuously - ie is it thrown out by reserve/standby periods, ground training, sick leave etc?

3. Are there Standby/reserve periods (week/months etc)

4. Aside from the 20 days leave, are the 5 GDO's really treated equally to leave?

5. What is the leave year? (rolling from DOJ or calendar)

6. When do bids have to be placed and how is it allocated?

I have seen from another thread that it can be used flexibily as long as there is not just a single working day left - nice!

As background, the easyJet site gives the following information (no mention of 5/3/5/4 roster pattern):

"The pilot’s contractual entitlement is for 132 days off per year. The entitlement consists of 104 days off, 20 annual leave days and 8 public holidays. A pilot is entitled to 20 days annual leave which is allocated via an online bidding system. In addition, pilots may also elect to take an additional 5 GDOs (Guaranteed days off) throughout the year although this is not classified as leave, it is treated on an equal footing to other leave days and it is not reclaimed by the company."

That says to me 137 days off including leave. My calculation of a fixed 5/3/5/4 pattern with 20 leave days and 5 GDO's taken from working days ("5's) would lead me to think that if 365 is divided by 17 (total for one working pattern) then 21.5 such patterns would fit into a calendar year. 21.5 times 7 equals the number of days off rostered before leave is taken into account. This equals 150 days. If leave/GDO's are then added we reach a total of 175 days off duty. That leaves 190 days for duty. If we assume 5 days for sims, crm, sec etc then we have 185 days in which to fly 900 hours. This equates to an average 4.9 hours/duty day. That would seem to work for me.

Am I correct in my assumptions? 137 vs 175 is a little confusing.

Could I project the 5/3/5/4 pattern a year ahead and know my days off, or is that just too optimistic?

If my question irritates you please feel free to press the "back button". If you are willing to spend a moment to explain then I would be extremely grateful, as would many others I'm sure.

Many thanks,

EW

1.Yes

2. Fixed 5/3/5/4 pattern runs for 16 weeks then you have a 4 week "reserve" month. This reserve month has been abused in the past but as we get up to correct manning levels it "should" be mainly SBYs - watch this space.

3.See above

4. 25 bookable leave days. - No difference

5. April - March

6. Open bidding period ( all done via internet access in crew room or from home ) then closed period - Succesfull bids published in AIMS then open bidding ie you can self book in the system if it is available - Closed period and how they allocate is a mystery to many - is a points based system that few understand and it seems to be down to luck if you get what you ask for and then a severe lack of availability thereafter. If you take a cross section of us you will probably find an uneven mix of " I got everything I bid for ", or " I got some of what I bid for" or " I got none of what I bid for "

During open bidding you can book what u like as long as you dont leave a single duty day, pretty handy if the day you want is available - but more often it isnt.

Bottom line on leave - its a shambolic mystery and the woman in charge of it does not answer the phone or answer emails - most of the time.

As for counting up annual days on / off etc sorry cant help never bothered to do that.

Hope that helps

EZYDRIVER

cheers
 

Thanks for that, i was wondering if someone could help a little in relation to the rosters:

1. what day of the month are they published
2. is it fair to assume that they are for a month in advance (well, sounds silly but you never know!)
3. are they stable (or does that just depend on your particular base)

cheers

The rosters are published on the 17th of the month & are detailed for the following calender month.
I do find that my roster on the Boeing fleet is quite stable but it depends on numerous factors from which part of the year to crewing levels, although we can claim for a disruption payment if we have a short notice change to our roster, within 48 hours anyway.
:}

cheers for that

Many thanks for the replies, much appreciated.

Any other comments would be appreciated, specifically with regard to numbers of days off per year, whether it really is possible to predict days off a year ahead (!) and a little more info on the reserve periods. Specifically:

do they keep the 5/3/5/4 pattern on track?

how long are they, how do they work - are you issued a blank roster and then allocated time off to meet the requirements of CAP371?

I'm eternally grateful for your input guys,

EW

As I said above 16 weeks FIXED 5earlies then 3 days off 5 lates then 4 days off. This FIXED pattern runs for 16 weeks there fore it is easy to see your days off over a year in advance this is only changed if you move base or are promoted and have to change the roster group you are in.
The reserve period runs for 4 weeks and complies with the CAP regulations, you cannot predict days off in that untill roster publication on the 17th of the month, but once published the days off DO NOT change. There should be some duties with mainly SBY's but in the past due to chronic crew shortgages this month has been seen full to the brim with duties and all in a random pattern, however as manning levels imrove this month "SHOULD" return to mainly SBY's.
There are huge benefits to the above as few jobs allow prediction of days off so far in advance, but if the exact number of days off is vital to your decision to accept an offer that I am assuming you have on the table from EZY then I think I think you may not like the orange lifestyle as there are bigger fish to fry here than that . EZY is a LOCO and we work damned hard and have some axes to grind but these usually relate to more pressing issues like long duty days with inadequate meals or breaks, Min rest between duties, positioning in taxis for silly duties that see a waste of money and resources, unsuitable HOTAC, lack off and inability to book the leave you want ( But you do have to have all your leave and any attempt to make individuals "loose" untaken days will be thwarted by BALPA ), inadequate pension provision, but I have never heard anyone have a burning issue with the total number of days free of duty ( Days OFF ) that we have in a year. The BALPA CC do pay close attention to these details when they have/will negotaite improvements to our lifestyles and always look at total days off in a year under any proposed patterns and with the progression through random - 6/3 -5/2/5/4 and now 5/3/5/4 with 25 days leave I think I am correct in saying the only way our total days free of duty in a year has gone is UP. All due to strong BALPA representation and increased membership.
But if you really need to work it out for yourself, I dont, but maybe someone else will work it out for you, then take get a calander run 5/3/5/4 for 16 weeks count the days off, consult the CAP for min days off apply that for 4 weeks then repeat until you have filled a year and count total days off, add your 25 days leave to that and thats your answer.
ED

Ezydriver,

many thanks again. You have answered all my questions concisely. It's not the overall total that matters to me, it just seemd that the discrepancy between the numbers I worked out and what was advertised was difficult to explain. Your time taken in answering in such detail and with patience is very much appreciated. I hope to join you all soon.

EW

Hello. Can anybody give me a very rough idea of the typical number of nightstops over this 17-day pattern for a Luton-based pilot? Thanks.

Fred,

Depends whether you are a Captain or F/O, as a current LTN based F/O I can say that I do very little nightstops. In the last 6 months I have been to Newcastle once for a few days & also been to Belfast around 3-4 times usually for a couple of nights at a time.

Generally we do few nightstops as we dont cover any other bases apart from NCL & BFS & I would estimate a couple of nightstops every few months.

:ok:

I take it they are short of 73 F/O's & Capts at BFS and NCL ?

BR.

BR,

No I wouldnt say they are & easyJet have recruited loads of pilots recently, I think they have sent a few F/O's over to BFS in the last few months as they have upgraded some BFS based F/O's to Captains & therefore used some LTN based crew to fill the gaps, however I think that recently the crewing levels have increased so as a LTN F/O you should experience very few nightstops.

:}

I would disagree they are short of FO's and Capts in BFS and NCL. They also seem to be a little short in LTN of Captains. I'm not sure if it's just and end of leave year thing or more permanent. However as far as night stops go I can count on one hand the amount I've had in the last 3 years.

Any idea when/if LTN will be getting airbus ?

Not in the foreseeable future!:eek:

Anybody know how long waiting time there is for a Berlin or Milan base for Airbus F/O's ??

Does anyone have any new info on which of the three remaining boeing bases will be next to convert to airbus?

Yeah none of them.

ezydriver,

Have you actually heard that from someone in management or is it just ahat you think will happen?

Cheers.

That´s a commom published strategy at EZY.
The 737 are not that old, the 737-300 are all phased out.
Somebody got to fly the Boeings. The size of the 737 fleet is in an economic range.
If you have two different fleets working economic, you always have a door open two both manufactures for what ever might happen.
So, it´s a way to go.

The only Boeings Left are the 700's. They are not due to be returned en masse any time soon. Been rumours of ONE or TWO being returned at a get out point in the leases, but just that, RUMOURS. In the mean time those 737's have to be flown and the resources for training on the Boeing have diminished as the Bus becomes the larger fleet. So if either LTN, BFS or NCL were to become airbus then those 73's would have to go somewhere which would mean either a) converting a Bus base to Boeing or b) Opening a new base and making it Boeing, both of those options are hugely expensive and h would stretch an allready over streched training department and with so many Buses on order you will never get a bus base becoming Boeing it just doesnt make sense, and as for moving the Boeings to a new base then you would have the double edged sword of setting up a new base and trying to find the resources to train a whole base worth of new Boeing pilots whilst at the same time converting the base where they have removed the 73's from to bus - just not good business sense.
There has also been the RUMOUR, sense the tone again, that LTN may get ONE or TWO buses and become a dual type base as if ONE or TWO 73's were sent back early then they would need replaced with something and Airbus is all that is available to us. Agian let me stress - RUMOUR.
Also I have, in person, heard management say that it still makes good sense to keep a toe in both manufactures pools as you never know what the future may hold.
When the 73 fleet was a mis of 300's and 700's there was much speculation as to who was next etc etc, but when the last of the 300's departed all such speculation seems to have all but seased and LTN, BFS and NCL can expect to be Boeing until a change in the position of the leases is reached or they expire - which I believe is not for some time.
ED

Published in the FY results dated 14 Nov 06 it clearly states the future of the 700s.

30 Sep 06- 32
30 Sep 07- 30
30 Sep 08- 29
30 Sep 09- 18

This is from a legal document. Clear facts. Not rumour!!!

I understand, that people asking questions are more interested in the near future and not just in 2009!
Otherwise they would specify that question in this direction!?
And I believe we are in common sense, that until end of 2008, there is no significant change to the BOEING fleet.

A more abrupt change of the fleet strategy would be very questionable due to economic reasons (planningwise!)

Thought I would bring this thread back to life and back to original topic...

Pay talks have stalled...:\

Any thoughts?

There are thoughts at the EZY BALPA forum.
There is no need, at least for the time being, to have a public discussion.
Important is, which direction the BALPA members want their CC to go!

Oh yes, one thought so, as a lot of new pilots were recruited, it is important, that these guys /girls join BALPA fast!:ok:

Kraut - I think you are wrong on this. I think it is important to let people know of the cr@@p that management in ezy is pulling at the moment. To let possible new joiners know how things really are in easyjet. Don't you? Or do you think they should only come here based on "information" from the orange propaganda machine?

orange

What 'crap' is being pulled at the moment?

At my base people are generally quite happy since last year.

Yes, we want a pay rise to reflect our productivity, and it would be nice to eventually get a 4-3-5-4 roster, but generally things seem okay.

As a Captain, I am not working too hard at the moment (60-80 hours per month), the pay is good, and I've not had a change to my published roster(bar the odd standby call-out) for over six months.

I am dubious about some commercial decisions, but my terms and conditions as a skipper are better than most others in the industry.

Dunlop, I have taken the liberty of copying a post of yours from last week.
Just so we are all clear can you confirm which point of view you prefer this week?

That thread you are quoting is nothing to do with easyJet though is it.

Try reading all the post and you'll see that the point I'm making in that thread is not about me having a crappy lifestyle, it's about people changing their careers...

I was making it clear that if you want to fly then you have to be prepared to put up with such conditions, and if not then one should leave the job openings to aerosexuals like me who have worked hard to get here.

Of course I want to get better t's and c's at easyJet, but as Companies go, easyJet at the moment is pretty damn good. I've been here for 7 years and believe me this is the best it has been.

Apology accepted in advance.

Can anyone provide information on the Easyjet fast track command process if they have been through it or can just help with info.
I have been on the website, and know the requirements for recruitment generally and for the fast track but would just like further info looking ahead to the autumn.

JR

What type of crap?
 

What are you toalking about?

I heard MC sent a very strange email to all pilots stating that all pilots are happy and that balpa is not rappresenting everybody (and I guess if you read between the lines he meant Balpa is not rappresentative of the general opinion).
Are you talking about this?
Why aren't you happy with a 3% rise (when the rpi is around 4.5% at the moment)?
Nobody is leaving, isn't? so the conditions must be good, maybe too good from a mngmt point of view...
And what about Ory, Mxp and Mad, no problems there?

Then from MC email it seems you pilots are well treated that's why he gave you a big thank you!!!

And what about trying to dived pilots who are Balpa and pilots who are not balpa members, and who are based in Europe and who are based in Uk.

To me it seems is not a people director but a people dittator..

watch out and read carefully that letter..

HA

Yes that latest e-mail is the usual management b@##;hit, trying to pretend the company arn't in a strong position at the moment finance wise, which is rubbish, and that we should all be happy campers ( because pulse says so ).

Join BALPA anyone who hasn't , and let the company know what you really think....
WBV

Finally....
 

I see somebody shares my thoughts and doubts about MC and the rest of them..

Cmon guys join balpa or we will have another FR soon

Speevy

THATS what Im talking about kraut, have you missed what these guys are talking about??? We should be VERY carefull with this management...

The letter that came out is total cr@@p!

Join BALPA NOW if you are not already a member!!

orange

Hi, Orangedriver,

read my post again. I said...for the time being.........
I agree totally:

-the letter from MC brought my bloodpressure high!
-you got to be very careful with every management
-recruiting BALPA members, this time again very important, because we got a lot of new pilots, which may have still an orange view!

But, my point, lets run the guns when needed. Maybe soon!?

Dunlop,

I agree with you, things are generally fine, or have been up until now.

Pay is, at the moment, good but pensions are not.

The company if forecasting a nice profit (with potentially big bonuses for management) thanks, in part to, we providing a higher productivity than most other airlines.

And, still, we are not closer of making Ezy a career-airline....

If not now, then when?

So, in light of the above, NO thanks to a pay cut!

If you join as type rated 737 and are then transferred onto the airbus (due to company requirements) are you then bonded? Just asking in case they phase out the boeings a couple of years from now.

PS What is the current bond?

If it is a base conversion then you won't be bonded

How many of the 30 remaining 737s are at each of BFS, NCL and LTN? I'm considering applying as a direct entry 737 F/O with around 2500 hours and I'm wondering about future upgrade opportunities when they downsize to 18 73s in 2009. Thanks for the inside info guys.