I legitimately see everyone's point of view.
Now here's my point of view.
As for the people who say "what about CargoJet guys, why aren't they entitled to a job with AC" ... or "does flying a B1900 guarantee you a job at Beechcraft" etc, I think you're missing something with that opinion. If it weren't for the divisive mandate of Air Canada, all of these jobs would have been mainline jobs, and all of us would have been employed by mainline to do the jobs.
I also don't see how being good enough to "represent" Air Canada means that you may somehow not be a good "fit" for Air Canada. Call a spade a spade, you're either good enough to wear that uniform, or you're not. And no, it's not because the uniform automatically makes you entitled to a job at AC; it's because it is the same job, painted in a second class citizen format to give Calin and his minions an upper edge on their bonuses and weekly golf trips. Don't fool yourselves. The setup is absolutely unacceptable, and anyone falling for it now, knowing how terrible of a setup this is, should seriously consider other avenues. Jazz is NOT the pre-2015 place. As well, with a younger demographic, just watch how the next TA will be voted in favor of the Air Canada colored stick at the expense of a long term, hard earned sets of terms and conditions from the Jazz predecessors. Just to backfire when the young kid sees that he can't get to AC quick enough, and sees his option to put up with second class treatment at express as unacceptable in an ever moving industry.
Also, why many are bitter about the whole thing you say? It is because 99.9% of us who applied to Express were as a result of this misleading email when we applied OTS in March 2016. Yea yea, many didn't go to express, and decided to stick it out on the outside. But when the mothership herself claims that you are encouraged to Apply to express, they are implying that you should go here if you want to work for "Air Canada." Where you will be privy to "representing" us with the hopes of MAYBE being worthy to have "Air Canada" written on your pay cheque.
Hello,
Thank you for submitting your application to the Pilot posting at Air Canada.
The Pilot selection process is extremely competitive and has resulted in over 1000 applications received from highly qualified pilot applicants. We have notified those that we expect to interview in the next 12 months. Your resume will remain in our system and we may be in touch with you in the future. However, we encourage you to consider applying to one of our Air Canada Express partners: Jazz Aviation LP, Air Georgian, Sky Regional Airlines, or Exploits Valley Air Services, as we expect to continue hiring from these companies as well.
Sincerely,
The Recruitment Team
Replies to this message are undeliverable and will not reach the Recruitment Department. Please do not reply.
Why on earth would ANYONE apply to a b scale express job, to stay there? Clearly it's because Air Canada themselves encouraged us to do it, so that we could be deemed "worthy" to one day work for big red. And now they have the audacity to be pleased to accept applications from all non Air Canada express pilots? Yea no, won't fly. And not because of an entitlement issue. It's due to the issue that the thousands that have gone to express in the last 2 years, have sacrificed a lot; to their foolishness today, to find out that it was basically for nothing. Yes there's no guarantees in life, but this type of "encouragement" moves the herd. All you'd need to see from Air Canada today is, "We will no longer be taking applications from Outside, and encourage all parties interested to work for Air Canada, to consider applying to Express." While the physical application to express would be the "fault" of the pilot himself, just watch how the "encouragement" would fill up express with resume's like you wouldn't believe. Including from all those superior 704/705 Captains such as Calm Air ATR Captain's...
So don't be standing there pointing fingers at Express pilot's saying that Air Canada had nothing to do with why many of us ended up at Express. That's extremely cowardly to even insinuate.
What AC doesn't realize is with them planning to take the Encore's, Jetlines, and Flair pilot's, is that their express brand will be emptied. Just about anyone I speak with right now has applications in at Encore - to get to AC or to go overseas. Since Q400 PIC time is now considered acceptable. Possibly a good strategic move to repatriate regional flying on AC's part; there won't be anyone left to work for express. What a kick to the mid-section for all of us who fell for Air Canada's "encouragement" to come and work for these types of outfits. Boy did we get played, and played well.
All I can think of when I see this disgusting setup at Air Canada is, Hunger Games. Divide and Conquer. Eventually it will bite them. The one thing an old mindset based company such as Air Canada doesn't realize, is that the replacement for these so called baby-boomers, comes from millennials. And say what you want to say about them (entitled, attitude issues, etc), they will not put up with nonsense long term. This is a different breed of "youth" which the baby-boomers cannot relate to. Their youth and attitudes are very different than the present day 65 year old who reminiscences about their youth. While a dream today, just about anyone would cross the border and fly if it opened up. While it's not an option today, what does that tell you about the state of affairs in our own industry? It certainly seems to indicate that it's garbage. You can only put so much make up on a 100 year old grand-ma. Millennials bring their issues, but they are also some of the smartest and most efficient breed of human kind at the moment. And airlines all around the world will be happy to scoop them up after they've been ran through the toiletry of Canadian aviation.
Just watch... it won't be pretty.
