TAP and SATA pilot recruitment and pay?
 

There is an older thread that I started last year with the intention to find out more about the Portuguese pilot market. It was suggested that there are many unemployed pilots in Portugal at the moment, especially considering that there hasn't been much hiring for quite a while. This thread can be seen here:

http://www.pprune.org/interviews-job...se-market.html

With the industry as a whole improving, and TAP at least putting out decent financial numbers, I'm wondering if things are turning a corner for TAP, SATA, and other Portuguese airlines. My situation is that I am a low time commercial pilot in Canada who would need to go through the conversion process in order to apply, but I need to ensure that my timing is reasonable as it might be easier to get a flying job in Canada than it would be in Portugal. Any insight into TAP and SATA's situation would be appreciated.

The second thing that I would like to find out more about are current pay rates at both airlines.

Thanks in advance for any info!

Cheers,

ng78

Stay in Canada.

If you're not interested in being helpful or polite, please simply ignore the thread. Obrigado.

Hi ng78,

As far as I can judge, the Portugese market (and the financial state of the country itself) is still not looking to bright for the moment. But did you consider applying for the 2 big European LCC’s? Easyjet will open a Lisbon base in the very near future and Ryanair already has bases in Porto and Faro and (for what it’s worth) there are rumours already for a long time about a base to be opened in Lisbon as well.

Not really the TAP T&C’s you’re after, but if you really want to go to Portugal this might be your way in!

Boa sorte

Just as you said yourself, there has been no hiring for a long time and I suspect at least 200-300 new pilots come out every year to join the already large pool of unemployed Pilots.

Many of these Pilots on pool are flight instructors on their early 20's (youth is highly appreciated by TAP for selection, actually the most important factor) with +1000h.

There are people here doing TR's and still can't get 'round the difficulty of finding a job.

EVEN if you're an experienced F/O or Captain there's no direct entry on TAP.

Thanks, pretty much as I figured, but I thought I'd check. It is interesting though to see the influx of the UK LCC's into the Portuguese market.

I'm starting to lose my "youth" having passed age 30 already, which makes the decision that much more difficult :8

Things seem pretty quiet with SATA, there never seems to be much news from them!

You are right about SATA, when one knows about their recruitment plans, it's already too late. Recruitment at SATA in the short/medium term is highly unlikely.

There have been rumours, in the last couple of month, about recruitment at TAP sometime next year, though as said before, the market is full of unemployed pilots as well as experienced pilots willing to change.
Although if this happpens, positions in other companies will be vacant, creating other opportunities for the "low houred" guys.

It is true that Easyjet and Ryanair are opening bases in Portugal, but as far as I know you cannot apply directly for a specific base.
Applying for a position there, with the purpose of working in Portugal might be a long shot, but it can happen.

Boa sorte! :ok:

8 vacancies in January for first officers TAP- Portugal.

Obrigado Rui. It's not much, but it's a start. Hopefully this is the start of a nice wave of hiring for Portuguese pilots :)

There's a rumour of 50 vacancies for 2011...

For what it's worth, TAP is planning to expand it's routes during IATA winter...
Mostly the South American ones....

Must be a good sign, but not for me, because of the age rule!

On their website it seems that you can apply, however it's in Portuguese... Judging it's ONLY in Portuguese, is it safe to state that speaking the language is a must for them?

Portuguese language is a must have for all potential applicants to both TAP and SATA.

You must be fluent in Portuguese and in English.

Very good news. Hopefully Ryanair and Easyjet expanding into Portugal doesn't hurt TAP too much and isn't detrimental to pilot hiring in the country.

30 F/O vacancies for TAP PORTUGAL.

TAP abre concurso para recrutar novos pilotos | Económico

Min 1000h (rumour). Portuguese and English FLUENCY.

That's great news! Obrigado