The Air Canada OTS thread

[Flyguy1992]

Heard 6 weeks after interview, 1 week after reference check. I was told 8-12 weeks as well.

[Ash Ketchum]

My references got called in January of this year. Still no news. Interviewed in September 2019 from Jazz. Heard it's quicker for non Jazz though.

[jpilot77]

The call to be hired depends on how you score on the internal HR score. University or Aviation degree, jet 705 captain time, wide body time, total time (and other scores we probably don’t know about) and how you do on the interview itself. All these scores are added up and they start at the top down. If you’ve made it past the 4-6 weeks with no email you are looking good. Be patient the call will come.

[Johnny767]

Didn’t a new FO bring up the flat pay to Calin at a roadshow or meet n’ greet and he basically told him if he didn’t like it he should quit?

It was a mid-seniority Captain, and the response was go apply to Emirates.

Lol. Calin has a lot of respect for his pilots, doesn't he? That's a classless response. How about No, if I'm not happy I go back to my strike rights and put you out of a job? Wait, the group negotiated it away like a bunch of idiots. At least the upgrades are going junior for the foreseeable future and a lot of 26-year-olds can impress their tinder dates with a steak dinner on King Street.

We are a special breed of something, Canadian pilot's that is. And Calin knows exactly what he's saying, he knows half of his pilots aren't bright enough to pass the screening over at EK. Working for the devil! At least the group is flying the flag and can have a sense of patriotism.

Ridiculous statement of the year, who on earth would want to work for Emirates or Cathay in this environment. Those days are long gone!

[Celtic1]

[/quote]

Ridiculous statement of the year, who on earth would want to work for Emirates or Cathay in this environment. Those days are long gone!
[/quote]

While it may not be for everyone, there's an old saying "don't knock it till you try it." I was talking recently to a British 777 Captain from Emirates who said both he and his family are quite happy there. 12-14 days per month, no Trudeau, no rail blockades, no income tax, nice international vacations. It may not fit for some of us snow lovers, but for some it may be a great fit. Certianly airline flying in Canada is not what it was 20-30 years ago.

[alkaseltzer]

Ridiculous statement of the year, who on earth would want to work for Emirates or Cathay in this environment. Those days are long gone!
[/quote]

While it may not be for everyone, there's an old saying "don't knock it till you try it." I was talking recently to a British 777 Captain from Emirates who said both he and his family are quite happy there. 12-14 days per month, no Trudeau, no rail blockades, no income tax, nice international vacations. It may not fit for some of us snow lovers, but for some it may be a great fit. Certianly airline flying in Canada is not what it was 20-30 years ago.
[/quote]

Airline flying east of the Prime Meridian is not what it was 2 weeks ago

[jpilot77]

Remember at Emirates you don’t get paid when you’re in the bunk and layover days are considered days off. There’s a reason people are leaving Emirates, Cathay and coming back to Canada. And it started long before the Coronavirus.

[Celtic1]

Not sure about not getting paid while in the bunk, but the days off on layovers has changed from what I've heard. The company had to make some changes to lifestyle initiatives as too many pilots were leaving. Things have improved there significantly over the last couple of years. As for COVID-19, once the dust settles in a few months, the airline world will roll along again. Remember Y2K?? Media loves disaster stories.

[jpilot77]

I stand corrected about the layover days off.

[derateNO]

I don't know about Emirates but the bunk comment I'm pretty sure is true with Cathay.

[Skd]

Remember at Emirates you don’t get paid when you’re in the bunk and layover days are considered days off. There’s a reason people are leaving Emirates, Cathay and coming back to Canada. And it started long before the Coronavirus.

Not true, they get paid for bunk time but doesn’t count towards stick time which allows the company to have them fly more

[drh2]

Hi. Any news on April ground schools?

[Kapitanov]

Just a rumor, but heard that the two GS in March are the last ones before a hiring freeze because of the coronavirus.

[Squid]

Just a rumor, but heard that the two GS in March are the last ones before a hiring freeze because of the coronavirus.

Confirmed and no max. New bid coming soon with the reductions

[skypirate88]

Just a rumor, but heard that the two GS in March are the last ones before a hiring freeze because of the coronavirus.

Confirmed and no max. New bid coming soon with the reductions

Confirmed by who?

[Inverted2]

So they’re ditching the 737 Max altogether? Not surprised. Been grounded for almost a full year now.

[WhatThe?]

Until the senior executive makes a press release(publicly traded company)... I don't believe a thing on this forum.

[Squid]

So they’re ditching the 737 Max altogether? Not surprised. Been grounded for almost a full year now.

I meant to say the reduction is due to the grounding of the max as well as the dive in the economy due to corona. Not getting rid of the max.

[iflyroads]

As far as I know there is still a ground school for April..I have not heard of any hiring freeze.

If that changes I'll let you know.

[yvrflyguy]

I've also heard nothing about freezing hiring in the near future....or any reductions on the max for that matter.

Murray said to a group after the road show last week that unless the Max is not back by the end of the summer that there will not be any reductions. He said very bluntly that if he starts reducing positions, the timeline for getting all aircraft crewed the return to service would increase to 2.5 years from the 1 year that is the current projection.

Bid 20-01 will be the first Tuesday of April.

Even with the alarmism in the media about the corona virus, the new duty regs in the Winter require more pilots than are currently on property by a large margin. Wouldn't be hopeful for a profit share cheque next April, but other than that I'd say it's biz as usual.

[derateNO]

I've also heard nothing about freezing hiring in the near future....or any reductions on the max for that matter.

Murray said to a group after the road show last week that unless the Max is not back by the end of the summer that there will not be any reductions. He said very bluntly that if he starts reducing positions, the timeline for getting all aircraft crewed the return to service would increase to 2.5 years from the 1 year that is the current projection.

Bid 20-01 will be the first Tuesday of April.

Even with the alarmism in the media about the corona virus, the new duty regs in the Winter require more pilots than are currently on property by a large margin. Wouldn't be hopeful for a profit share cheque next April, but other than that I'd say it's biz as usual.

Honestly if things get that bad to the point where we don't get profit share, I think most of us would say we're happy to have a job. Because that means the economy will likely take a big hit, and many industries as well. I'll take a paycheck even if it's small if it weathers the storm.

[rudder]

The adjustments to fleet and schedule due to the Max grounding delay and the travel slowdown should allow AC to get ahead of the curve on pilot staffing with the new flight and duty time rules on the horizon. Having said that, overstaffing comes with a cost.

AC was never going to hire 900 pilots in 2020. Now I could see the number at closer to 400-500. All this means is that 2021 hiring will be higher than originally expected, assuming that bookings and travel patterns stabilize.

Addition of TRZ capacity and staff during a declining travel environment will also have a significant impact on the integrated commercial schedule and volume of AC resources required. AC will have to make decisions about disposition of airframes that are on expiring leases without replacement.

[DHC-1 Jockey]

A friend of mine who started at AC in the past few months has a friend whose groundschool offer for an end of April is postponed. I would hate to be in their position if you have already left your current company and are now technically unemployed until your AC groundschool starts.

[Inverted2]

Resigning now for a job that starts in 6 weeks isn’t really a bright idea.

[derateNO]

Resigning now for a job that starts in 6 weeks isn’t really a bright idea.

Unless you have been worked to the bone for the last decade and wanted to go away for 6 weeks.

But yes, probably not the smartest given the current circumstances.