Contract Dispatching

[MaceyHold]

Jepp treats it's people very well. All of their dispatchers are ex-121, and have, on average, 12-15 years experience. Some are retired 121 from the majors, several were hired when their local airline was bought by a regional, and others just left their 121 carrier for something different. Previous experience varies from line dispatcher to SOC Duty Manager to SOC Director. There is a wide swath of different backgrounds in the group.

Starting pay is very good. Dispatchers work for it though. A 10-hour shift doesn't have much down time. There are a handful of customers, but they fly all over the world. They each have their own rules and policies, so you have to stay sharp. A lot of the dispatcher's time is devoted to planning trips weeks in advance, then dispatching them on the day of flight.

Overall, a happy group of employees, with very good experience.

 

[homerjdispatch]

Jepp treats it's people very well. All of their dispatchers are ex-121, and have, on average, 12-15 years experience. Some are retired 121 from the majors, several were hired when their local airline was bought by a regional, and others just left their 121 carrier for something different. Previous experience varies from line dispatcher to SOC Duty Manager to SOC Director. There is a wide swath of different backgrounds in the group.

Starting pay is very good. Dispatchers work for it though. A 10-hour shift doesn't have much down time. There are a handful of customers, but they fly all over the world. They each have their own rules and policies, so you have to stay sharp. A lot of the dispatcher's time is devoted to planning trips weeks in advance, then dispatching them on the day of flight.

Overall, a happy group of employees, with very good experience.

of course, if they are bidding to take away from majors, that all goes downhill real fast!

 

[Pull To Guns]

Starting pay is very good.

"Very good" means different things to different folks. Actual numbers would be much more helpful if you know them.

I have noticed that between us dispatchers, we are reluctant to discuss exactly what we are paid. I don't know why that is. It would seem if we shared this info, it would help the whole community and save us time in job searches. We could eliminate and expose the $13/hr release mills.

That is where WDFF was so valuable. It was a central source of info, but our lack of interest sank that. I don't get it. Are we afraid of getting fired if we divulge what our employers are paying us, or just embarrassed?

 

[Pull To Guns]

of course, if they are bidding to take away from majors, that all goes downhill real fast!

HJD, you are correctomundo! Jepp will sell to the majors and regionals that they can do it cheaper than an in-house OCC. Start-up release mills across the country will attempt to underbid Jepp and the race to the bottom begins.

Just like when the majors outsourced flying to the regionals (and I am a regional airline sympathizer). Once this outsourcing happens, you can't put toothpaste back in the tube, its a done deal.

Pessimism is not my nature, but I see choppy waters ahead.

 

[MaceyHold]

"Very good" means different things to different folks. Actual numbers would be much more helpful if you know them.

Fantastic point. So what does "Very good" mean to you?

 

[Pull To Guns]

Fantastic point. So what does "Very good" mean to you?

I asked you first. You said Jepessen pays "very good". If you have those numbers, please share them with the rest of us. Then I will let you know if I think the pay fits within my personal "very good" range.

 

[clr4theapch]

Mesaba to Skywest range .. COL at the regional bases mean as much as the pay.. I tired to satr up the WDFF information last year, as I recall.. but there was little interest by the "vast Majority" of people here..

Frankly in this economy one has to look at stability and where their pay will be in 3,5, 7 years.. top out... all the starting pays are tough... but doable in some cases..

I support the ADF as a member... but I think the can of worms are already opened with the NPRM.. and the ADF will have alot of trouble getting this paragraph removed... whats next is anyones guess.. but I think changes are coming over the long run...

 

[Pull To Guns]

Mesaba to Skywest range .. COL at the regional bases mean as much as the pay.. I tired to satr up the WDFF information last year, as I recall.. but there was little interest by the "vast Majority" of people here..

Frankly in this economy one has to look at stability and where their pay will be in 3,5, 7 years.. top out... all the starting pays are tough... but doable in some cases..

I support the ADF as a member... but I think the can of worms are already opened with the NPRM.. and the ADF will have alot of trouble getting this paragraph removed... whats next is anyones guess.. but I think changes are coming over the long run...

I don't consider that "range" as Very Good on my personal scale. It is average regional starting pay. If current (or future) Jepp DX'er's are doing international, long haul flights as part of their duties for regional scale pay, then I would consider it decidedly below average.

I for one appreciate you efforts in trying to resurrect WDFF. It was a valuable resource. There seems to be a taboo on discussing specific wage information among ourselves. That is why WDFF didn't keep flying. I don't understand why a previous poster who apparently knows the Jepp numbers but is hesitant to share them.

As far as the ADF is concerned, I was a member one time and I am sure they do some good, but with the current economic climate and the magnitude of the proposed changes, they are useless as teats on a bull.

My advice is to get into a swapper/canceller position (Ops Controller or System Coordinator or whatever they are called at different airlines). The airlines will always need them onsite.

 

[clr4theapch]

Or going to private 135 ops.. some of them pay really quite well, of course, dispatching is only about 25% of the job....

I do see our skills being more an more needed/ requested, in these non-121 ops as we provide them with a significant insurance break and are good a grunt work ....JMHO..

 

[Pull To Guns]

Or going to private 135 ops.. some of them pay really quite well,

Ok, now we have the task of distinguishing between "Very Well" and "Quite Well"

Jepp is claimed to pay "Very Well" and Part 135 ops supposedly pays "Quite Well". Geez, does anyone get my effen point? Without numbers, these subjective opinions have no meaning. If you have some hard numbers it would be helpful to share them with the brothers and sisters of this forum.

I am looking to relocate back to the US the first of 2012 and I don't want to have to start from scratch and waste time chasing underpaying jobs. If you know a salary range, share it with us all. The favor may pay dividends for you in the future. I would do the same for you.

Gawd, its like pulling teeth!

 

[homerjdispatch]

Ok, now we have the task of distinguishing between "Very Well" and "Quite Well"

Jepp is claimed to pay "Very Well" and Part 135 ops supposedly pays "Quite Well". Geez, does anyone get my effen point? Without numbers, these subjective opinions have no meaning. If you have some hard numbers it would be helpful to share them with the brothers and sisters of this forum.

I am looking to relocate back to the US the first of 2012 and I don't want to have to start from scratch and waste time chasing underpaying jobs. If you know a salary range, share it with us all. The favor may pay dividends for you in the future. I would do the same for you.

Gawd, its like pulling teeth!

I could tell you what we make, but then everyone would be jealous and accuse us of riding coattails, and not paying our fair dues... LOL.. Come on back, the pay hasnt changed much, but the "total Compensation" kicks A$$ LOL LOL LOL

 

[bcp7]

OK - I'll chip in here. I have about 15 years experience as a Dispatcher, including about 30 months as Manager of Dispatch.

I recently interviewed with Jeppesen for an International Flight Planner position in support of their contract with Executive Jet Management/NetJets. Due to an expanded contract (adding EJM) they had 22 positions to fill.

I also had an interview with JetBlue for a System Controller position.

Jepps has offered 55k to start, plus 10% relocation, they combine vacation and sick time into Personal Time Off, 17 days a year for the first 4 years. In 2000, the pension plan was halted for new employees. They have substituted depositing to your 401k, 3% from age up to age 39, 4% up to 49 and 5% age 50 and over. In addition, they match .75 per dollar up to 6% for your 401k. There are no flight benefits.

For JetBlue, System Controller pay is Dispatcher pay plus 15%. Their current 1st year dispatcher pay is 55k. They have 5% of guaranteed profit sharing, plus a dollar for dollar match up to 5% in your 401k. They do not offer any relocation, not even a couple of weeks in a hotel to find an apartment. But they do have flight benefits. OTOH, when I went from DEN to JFK for the interview, every flight was full on a Monday and a Tuesday.

 

[polarjet205]

I'm new to this web site, been reading alot of posts since joining to get caught up the discussions.. I was wondering how worried is everyone about this new rule coming out on contract dispatching..
and would I be better off focusing on Jep or other services than the airlines.. now that everyone seems to have had their hiring run for the year..

 

[dispatchguy]

I'm not worried in the slightest.

Like I said on another forum, the QUALITY 121 operations will not use contract dispatching - your worldwide majors, and so on. They will want to keep those ops in house. However, those holding companies with multiple ops under their umbrella (SKYW, TSAH, and so on), I could see them going to it to eliminate the duplication of efforts.

The carriers who will lock on to this like a newborn to a boob will be the crappy carriers to begin with - the non quality 121 operations - to go faster in the race to the bottom.

I dont think Jepp will touch you without experience. I know that the ASA group is still hiring...

 

[AntiJedi]

However, those holding companies with multiple ops under their umbrella (SKYW, TSAH, and so on), I could see them going to it to eliminate the duplication of efforts.

So, that would include AMR as well?

Anyhow, SKYW and RAH most likely won't do it, especially if Jepp is paying their dispatchers nearly 1.5 times what those companies pay their own to start. If anything, on top of this, RAH and SKYW would find it cheaper still to keep most of the management they have now, and then throw their family OCCs into one ops building so that they remove the redundant overhead.

 

[bomberbubba]

so bcp7 which position did you take?

 

[Pull To Guns]

OK - I'll chip in here. I have about 15 years experience as a Dispatcher, including about 30 months as Manager of Dispatch.

I recently interviewed with Jeppesen for an International Flight Planner position in support of their contract with Executive Jet Management/NetJets. Due to an expanded contract (adding EJM) they had 22 positions to fill.

I also had an interview with JetBlue for a System Controller position.

Jepps has offered 55k to start, plus 10% relocation, they combine vacation and sick time into Personal Time Off, 17 days a year for the first 4 years. In 2000, the pension plan was halted for new employees. They have substituted depositing to your 401k, 3% from age up to age 39, 4% up to 49 and 5% age 50 and over. In addition, they match .75 per dollar up to 6% for your 401k. There are no flight benefits.

For JetBlue, System Controller pay is Dispatcher pay plus 15%. Their current 1st year dispatcher pay is 55k. They have 5% of guaranteed profit sharing, plus a dollar for dollar match up to 5% in your 401k. They do not offer any relocation, not even a couple of weeks in a hotel to find an apartment. But they do have flight benefits. OTOH, when I went from DEN to JFK for the interview, every flight was full on a Monday and a Tuesday.

Thanks bcp7, that was very helpful. This forum is morphing into a very good resource for our community.

Dispatchers are a relatively small group and the more we all communicate and share information, the better we will be overall.

The old WDFF couldn't get kickstarted back to life but I think this is just as good or better as well as the jobs thread.