China Airlines

[SE-30]

Does anybody have any information on China Airlines? I got a call from them last Monday. It was a prescreening interview. I have read the posts on this site as well as Pprune, and was hopeing that someone has more info. Thanks!

 

[SE-30]

...and it's a good thing they didn't ask about my ability to spell....

 

[Isla Mujeres]

All I heard is "Forget about upgrade if you join as an F/O!"

Later,

 

[Dave Benjamin]

Unless you are planning to move the family to Taiwan you won't be seeing them very often from what I've heard. Like many carriers over there it's not recommended unless you're hiring on as a captain. Check pprune.org for more info.

 

[typhoonpilot]

I answer this question a lot on Pprune. My answer is always that you don't want to go there as an F.O.. People ignore me and go anyway. One year, or less, later they are moaning and complaining about their job.

I've worked in Taiwan. I know many Taiwanese pilots. I know what I'm talking about. Don't go to China Airlines as an F.O. You will be miserable.

I like Taipei and I like the Taiwanese people. China Airlines has some pretty serious internal issues at the moment though so it is best to stay away, even as a Captain.

It used to be that China was better than EVA. Now things have detiorated so much at China that EVA is looking like the better option. At least with them you have a chance to upgrade after 7 to 8 years. At China that is unlikely for an expat. They'll lie to you and tell you what you want to hear to get you to commit, but they won't honor their promise.

If you want first hand info on how they treat pilots send a PM to etops777, he will tell you the inside scoop. He's Taiwanese and he left. That says a lot right there.

Always remember that in Taiwan ( most of Asia really ), the day you sign your contract is the best that contract will ever be. It only gets worse. Little things get taken away bit by bit until you've lost 20 to 30 percent of your original package after just a few years.

You've been warned,


Typhoonpilot

 

[SE-30]

Thanks guys for the information. What you have told me is pretty much what I have read here and else where, but being an optimist I thought I would still ask. I will PM etops777 to find out what he has to say. If I do take the job, I will obviously be coming over as a first officer. I was surprised to hear that I would have to go through a 10 month training program because my limited jet time (I have a few hours in a Hawker 700). That’s kind of a drag especially if I would never be able to upgrade to captain in a fair amount of time and the QOL is bad. As for my family I am single so moving wouldn’t be so bad (I think).
One last question, if offered an interview should I go or blow it off?

Thanks!

 

[semperfido]

go -- it looks like you could use some interview experience. i don't mean that in a bad way.

 

[Draginass]

Have you asked yourself, why, considering your almost total lack of jet experience, they would be interested in you for a large jet position?? Maybe it's because they can't attract ex-pats, with even minimal experience. Flying as a FO with a Chinese captain will likely be a cultural experience you won't soon forget.

 

[iluvetops]

Hello there,
I am the Taiwanese pilot that Typhoonpilot mentioned earlier. I've got a plane to catch so send me a PM and I will tell you all about China and EVA. I go by etops777 over in PPrune.

cheers

 

[Chronic Jetlag]

Take the interview if it's offered. Make sure they pay for the ticket and your hotel. You'll probably fly from a west coast city to Taipei non stop. Make the best of it. Down town TPE has lots of hot girls. Have fun with it and make it a practice interview if you're not interested.
Good luck!

 

[SE-30]

Again guys, thanks for the advice. The reason that I decided to ask for some input on this was due to the bad feeling I got when I started doing research on CAL. It seemed to good to be true. It seems that it was too easy to get the ball rolling for an interview. But if an invitation comes I will defiantly check it out!