KLMuk and nights away!!
 

For all those KLMuk pilots and those in the know out there, what is the current system with the airline.

After mainy rumours spreading that there are many days away from home in a row and strange scheduling how true is it??? Do many pilots tend to end up in Amsterdam overnight when the hub base is actually Stansted or have I got the wrong picture.

All feedback appreciated

I understand that those pilots flying any Dutch made aircraft in KLMuk whose name begins with an F (and ends in 50 or 100) do lots of nightstops at the Golden Tulip. Irrepective of home base.

Enjoy. Must be fun.

Oops, changed my mind.....sounds shocking.

[This message has been edited by tailscrape (edited 30 March 2001).]

I'd like to know the answer to this one also. I'm due to start soon and I don't want any surprises.

If it calls for nights stops in AMS, I'm ready.

These are not my words but here is the answer:

The lifestyle is such that you will certainly see your fair share of the Golden Tulip Hotel in AMS. Typically you will do 4-5 nights away, then 3-4 nights at home (5 on 2 off, or 6 on 3 off). You tend to start on day 1 at about 0930 and finish in the UK at about lunchtime. This can always change.
Training is good. F50 done in Maastricht. Groundschool is Mon-Fri and you will most likely go home at the weekends. Sim takes about 2 weeks and again you will go home somewhere in the middle.

Expect to do a lot of sitting about in hotels or positioning. We seem to do many duty hours and only about 400hrs flying per year.

It is not a happy company at the moment. Route network is limited (ie. to and from AMS). Many lifestyle issues outstanding and pay is seriously falling behind the competitors. However, the guys you work with are great. It is a company which lets you get on with the flying without too much hassle and F/O's get a lot of responsibility. Shame it is not still Air UK. THAT was a good company to work for. KLM have screwed it up.


[This message has been edited by Jetheat (edited 03 April 2001).]

klmUK's main pilot base is Stansted, if you are based there and not flying for buzz then the chances are you will spend your whole working week away. However there are also regional bases, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh for the F100 and Leeds and Norwich for the F50, where the potential for day flights is greater. I can't comment too much for the regionl turbo-prop bases, but I did 8 nightstops in Jan, 6 in Feb, 6 in March and have 4 planned in April. Not an unreasonable amount, but things can change quickly, particularly as our new working agreement gives the company more flexibility if we are nightstopping. Also, remember it does suit some people to nightstop, particularly if they live at the limit of the 2 hours home standby to report. Who wants to spend 4 hours on the road for a 2 sector day?