Virgin Atlantic Airways

Updated 01/06/01

Address For CV's

The Office
Crawley Business Quarter
Manor Royal
Crawley
West Sussex RH10 2NU

Telephone

01293-444990

Fax

01293-444820

Internet

http://www.fly.virgin.com/

E-Mail

Ownership

Virgin Travel Group (Richard Branson)

Managing Director

Steve Ridgway

Chief Pilot

Tony Ling

Recruitment

Janine Taylor (Pilot Recruitment)

Fleet

22 x B747, 10 x A340, 5 x A320.  Operate flights for Virgin Sun (1@ LGW, 1@ MAN). 2 x B747-400 on order for Oct/Nov 2001. Possibly 4/5 more. 4 x B747-200 will be replaced.
2002 Virgin will become launch airline for A340-600 (10 on order, options on another 8)

Bases

London - 1 x Classic operating out of Manchester during the summer.

Number Of Pilots

Pilots: 567, F/E's: 33

Type Of Business

Established in 1984. It operates long haul scheduled flights to USA, Japan, Hong Kong, Shanghai, West Indies and S Africa. Possible new routes to Toronto, and Moscow.

Salary 1/1/00

CAPT

F/O

Basic

£63731

£38281

Top Scale

£85813

£55778

Training

Line 10% Base 20%

Flight Duty Pay

$124 first day, $74 next days

Overtime

Over 750 hours, 1.5 - 2 times + day off payments

Bonding

Amount £15,000, length 3 years, decreasing monthly

Leave

Annual entitlement 5 weeks + 1 day per year up to 5 years

Days Off

Per 4 weeks 10. Per 12 weeks 52

Rostering Agreement

Very complex scheduling agreement to protect minimum turnaround etc
160 days per annum free of duty. 10 days per month guaranteed at base.

Recruitment Policy

First choice on long haul fleets is for pilots under 50 with EFIS, 2,500-3,000 hours and commercial jet experience. A320 - all those taken recently were type rated. Rotary pilots are rarely taken.
No further Second officers will be taken since they will be replaced by cadets.
CVs are acknowledged with 3 different standard letters. If you are wished "best of luck in the future", that is an outright rejection! Others will be told they do not currently have the qualifications but records will be kept for a year. Others will be put on an active list - i.e. qualifications OK - may get in touch soon. However this is not done in order - later applicants may take precedence.
Interviews. About 60% of those interviewed succeed. They do not mind phone calls.
Interview takes all day. Preliminary talk about the company terms and conditions. Interview with staff from personnel. Psychometric test, 2 basic IQ tests plus technical test of 150 questions but done as a group exercise.

Promotion Policy

Minimum hours for captain 6,000, reduced by 250 hours for each year with the company for four years

Retirement Age

60 but some have transferred to RHS after 60 by arrangement.

Benefits

Pension

Money Purchase scheme. Company contribution 13%, if employee pays 6%

Permanent Health

Yes

Personal Accident

Yes

Death In Service

4 times salary.  8 times if involved in an accident.

Private Medical

Yes Dependants' cover Yes

Loss Of Licence

Yes   Captain £100,000,  First Officer £60,000

Medicals

Yes

CAA Licence Renewal

Yes

Staff Travel

Yes (7 free tickets)

Discounted Holidays

Yes, after 5 years

Bonuses

Christmas bonus paid in 1998 based on company performance

Copyright © 2001 By IPA