How Some Qantas A380 Pilots Became Bus Drivers

Sad but full credit to them for getting a job in the middle of the pandemic. I also know of some that stack supermarket shelves and others who work in aged care.
Singapore airlines staff have also been working in different areas.

The video was quite touching, one of the pilots did the first A380 for Qantas, and he had to fly an A380 to its graveyard Victorville, must have been hard.
One should forward that video to the entitled “bus-drivers” at LH, who get 90% of their last salary, but are unwilling to make concessions.
As one of the pilots interviewed pointed out, a bus driver has a lot of responsibility too, needs to be focused the entire workday, not just during takeoff and landing. And he is paid much less.

I'm glad they're being resourceful and willing to work even with a paycut (somehow I think that pilot was joking when he said he only got a small paycut). I admire their humility and work-ethic.
I really hope they will be able to fly an A380 again.

I was super lucky to have a well paying profession 4 years before being hired by PanAmerican Airlines to be a flight attendant. I quit after 10 years due to PanAm's economic instability. It always amazed me how rude some F.A.'s could be when they were lucky enough to be chosen out of thousands of applicants to have the opportunities this job offers. It's not a job that needs highly technical training, anyone lucky enough to be chosen can be trained for it. The perks and salary are addicting. Now that they have lost these jobs do they find out what it's like to live in the real world.

When COVID is behind us, I think everyone, passengers and staff alike, will come to appreciate travel a lot more.

What's the big deal? I washed dishes and later learned stitching after spending thousands of dollars to get my cpl without job.
So you aren't any .....

Almost every bus driver has a story of how they got there. Some are really interesting.

I feel very sad for these highly trained gentleman, as I am the nephew of a very favourite uncle who saw war service `flying heavies during WW2 in North Africa and then out of UK for the rest of the war as part of the Pathfinders Squadron.
At the end of his service he was demonbed in London and was subsequently scouted by Qantas as a member of the foreseeable future passenger aircraft the company had envisioned,
To cut a long story short, during his time with Qantas he flew Connies both the first and also the Super, followed by the 707 and then the mighty 747 {all variants} with delivery flights included as well as overseas postings.
He was an absolute Gentleman and I still miss him.

Love it!!!!

But you never know we might all be travelling globally very soon... this new Pfizer vaccine looks promising.

Heather McCann,

I once had a bus driver who worked on the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom while in St. Louis.

Aussies on display reminding us what we once were like in America. Resilient, united, and less entitled. I loved it this. Thanks, Ben.

Having been a platinum for years with Qantas I cried watching this story.
Now some of our internal borders are open I will be taking my first flight soon in 7 months.

Thank you for sharing Ben. Love it.

Qantas worked with Woolworths (A major Supermarket chain in Australia) to organise for their staff (Pilots and Cabin Crew, as well as ground staff) to easily get jobs doing stocking shelves, etc. From what I heard it was just a google form and they were in on a temporary basis. Some pilots were actually earning more (With the Government's JobKeeper amount of AU$1500/fortnight plus a Woolworths shift) than pre-pandemic.

Listening to these pilots made me emotional. Sad times for aviation!

@Fouzi: Perhaps you should re-read the article. And then very carefully step down from that high horse you're on.

This Pandemic has brought man to his knees and our world has taken an about-turn within just an year. It's very sad to digest the fact that the high flying airmen are grounded as well as the beautiful flying birds. This is not only the airline industry suffering, but every other fields. Wonder when will we have a life as before?

I have a friend who trained military pilots. When he retired, still quite young in the military, I asked him if was going to become an airline pilot. NO way he said - I would be BORED, BORED, BORED - they're only bus drivers!