Jetstar to employ foreign pilots

[Gareth U]

Originally Posted by Brenden S

The whole reason why they need people for cabin crew from O/S is that they bond you something like 10k for the training on a salary of 20k a year with no overnights. Perhaps our local Jetstar cabin boys can enlighten what I have been told is true or not?

While I do not work for Jetstar, I can put some truth to what you were told.

Recruitment is all through Team Jetstar now, who pay less than cabin crew employed under the Jetstar (and what was the Impulse) EBA.

Salary is closer to $30k and they receive an amount ($11?) per block hour, similar to the way flight attendants are paid in the US. The basic salary for crew on the old EBA is well over $40k, without the block hour allowance. Team Jetstar crew do not have access to Meal Break Not Taken penalty and they work longer hours. I believe their staff travel benefits are not on par.

Team Jetstar crew (and all crew employed in the last 2.5 years - even before Team Jetstar) are bonded, as you say. They also must provide their own accommodation if their ground school is not in their home base.

As for overnights I believe that Team Jetstar crew work both domestic and international and therefore have overnights. Even old JQ domestic crew get the occasional overnight.

MAM has also started bonding crew, I am told. Airnorth also bonded flight attendants in the past.

Sadly, when you have people willing to accept these conditions they will continue. Airlines want their cabin crew to leave after a short time to keep things 'fresh'. It is called environmental conditioning. Aer Lingus got in a lot of trouble over it a few years ago.

I am totally sorry for the tread drift. Just wanted to answer the question with some clarity.

Back to pilots. I think that the current 'shortage' is partly due to the above. There comes a time when people stop accepting less than what they are worth. The airlines will reap what the sow.