I hopped into a cab and before I could tell the cabby my destination, he addressed me by my name. "Hey Lim how have you been?" I asked him. He told me he had retired from flying and is a full time cabby. He said that flying was still the best thing that ever happened to him. He missed the salary, the 5 star hotels and his favourite stations. Lim wished he is still flying for the airline. The airline did not extend his retirement due to mediocre work performance. He was booted out at age 58 and compensated with a $80,000 gratuity. That was a year ago.
We chatted all the way to my destination. On arrival, I gave him $20 and asked him to keep the $3 change.
Below is the new meal and incentive flying allowances Lim gave to me. He got them from a crew. Lim praised the current union people for negotiating the new payment. According to Lim, he was drawing an average salary of around $6,000 whereas as a cabby his income is about $3,000 per month and that's 8 to 10 hours of driving, 6 days a week.
The amount a cabin crew is paid at the stations per day in SGD
IFA or Incentive Flying Allowance per duty hour
We chatted all the way to my destination. On arrival, I gave him $20 and asked him to keep the $3 change.
Below is the new meal and incentive flying allowances Lim gave to me. He got them from a crew. Lim praised the current union people for negotiating the new payment. According to Lim, he was drawing an average salary of around $6,000 whereas as a cabby his income is about $3,000 per month and that's 8 to 10 hours of driving, 6 days a week.
5 comments:
Why so many end up driving taxis after leaving SIA?Rarely see this at other airlines.Don't you have retirement fund to fall back on?Even if must work,can do other job,utilising skills acquired at SIA.
SQ cabin crew no matter how senior or experienced they were no one want their skills
in Singapore.Most end up driving taxis, become security guards and housing agents. Even captains took up driving Uber or taxis.
Hi luke
Seems like many crew still remember you despite your retirement about a decade back. You must be pretty popular back then.. ;)
Hi Kat,
Perhaps only the older ones remember me. Many remember me for good reasons while others for not so good reason/s :-)
Very unfortunate.SIA is a national airline so former crew should be treated with respect.Where I am now,some former captains work with our DCA (Dept of Civil Aviation) and some got titles like Datuk, Dato' etc.Same goes for cabin crew.They usually find something good after leaving.When you work for your national carrier,in a way you are serving your country so it should count for something.
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