FIFO workers - share your experiences/perks

[hedge]

I'm sure there are quite a few of us that have interesting experiences regarding FIFOing. Mine are pretty tame since we catch fokker 100s and bae 146 planes which are okay, compared with small twin prop planes.

One I had was on the way home when half the plane was empty, so everyone moved seats in order to have a seat in between them and the next person. The air hostess chucked a hissy fit and made everyone move in order to keep the weight load on the plane as planned. Unfortunately many people didn't understand this and it was like a teacher scolding school kids.

Perks wise - Unfortunately we only get 665 or so qantas points for each plane journey. No SC (Cobham). The Newman folk are lucky as they get 30 sc & 1000 points a week for their flights since they are on Qantas planes. Every worker is platinum.

Site airport wise - Ours is pretty average with the main facilities being chairs, toilets, a drinking water dispenser and a radio

 

[Major]

Do you also get a HI-Viz vest to wear in the QP ?

 

[vitagen]

Fifo is a very taxing lifestyle, I did thr full fifo from Melbourne to Newman in 08, whilst I was single I enjoyed the experience, however 23 on and 5 off was not an easy life.

FF points are great at 1000 points and 30 sc one way and obviously the salaries are grear becsuse of the sheer hours you work and get paid for, but I have to stress its no holiday camp.

However oil and gas have alot better rosters which im looking at where you get 4 weeks on and 4 weeks off.

And dont forget you get to join the elite fluro army. We arent all that bad!!

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[Mgjdubs]

Dream job involves FIFO-ing all the time and working in an office at a mine site. That type of job probably doesn't exist and I'm dreaming, but I'd be seriously keen to do all that flying, and earning all that money.

Dreams are free, I suppose.

 

[The Rok]

Nothing dreamy about working 12 hours a day, 7 days a week for 4 weeks and then getting just 7 days off. Your so shattered at the end of a 4 week swing that all you want to do is sleep.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Every worker is platinum.

Now can someone explain the logic here!!!

Every worker is a platinum, every worker queues in the business line and every worker has baggage priority!!!

What a joke!!

The regional stuff needs to be hived off from the regular interstate. This lot need their own airport terminal area and club.

 

[The Rok]

Not every worker is WP. Just going on what I have observed speaking to people on our site (2,000) about 20% are members of a FF Program.

Less than half of those that are members are actually WP. Most are Gold with some Silver.




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[Sprucegoose]

Not every worker is WP. Just going on what I have observed speaking to people on our site (2,000) about 20% are members of a FF Program.

Less than half of those that are meets are actually WP. Most are Gold with some Silver.




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thats a lot more realistic I would say.

 

[yo yo ma]

However oil and gas have alot better rosters which im looking at where you get 4 weeks on and 4 weeks off.

I'm on this now and the 4 weeks off seems to go much faster than the 4 on! The disadvantages are that you miss half of the events going on at home. However, you are well compensated and have plenty to make up for in the time off. We go on an o/s trip every year and take a domestic trip every second rotation home. Helps break up the monotony for the family at home. Have been doing it for nearly 7 years now and have 3 young kids (all in primary school).

 

[straitman]

Another alternate is to do offshore work in India.

One trip per year only. ---- for 5 months :!:

OUCH.

 

[hedge]

Dream job involves FIFO-ing all the time and working in an office at a mine site. That type of job probably doesn't exist and I'm dreaming, but I'd be seriously keen to do all that flying, and earning all that money.

Dreams are free, I suppose.

Some of my friends do exactly that. Engineers! Or travel admins/general admin etc. Money is not as great as the media reports.

Now can someone explain the logic here!!!

Every worker is a platinum, every worker queues in the business line and every worker has baggage priority!!!

What a joke!!

The regional stuff needs to be hived off from the regular interstate. This lot need their own airport terminal area and club.

Well, those workers are given platinum in accordance with the rules of the FF program. Either way, most of us fly with carry on only.

Priority baggage, yes that would suck on a PER-ZNE flight etc.

Not every worker is WP. Just going on what I have observed speaking to people on our site (2,000) about 20% are members of a FF Program.

Less than half of those that are members are actually WP. Most are Gold with some Silver.




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Well if you look at every worker from Rio Tinto and BHP who works in the Newman area on a 5/2/4/3 or 8/6 roster, then they would be platinum. The first roster would get you a heap of SC.

Yes, you do get a lot of unsavoury people in the lounge from FIFO. However it's not fair to judge us all like that. We have plenty of well qualified professionals on site who would not look out of sight in the lounge if they didn't have to wear hi vis clothing.

I'm on this now and the 4 weeks off seems to go much faster than the 4 on! The disadvantages are that you miss half of the events going on at home. However, you are well compensated and have plenty to make up for in the time off. We go on an o/s trip every year and take a domestic trip every second rotation home. Helps break up the monotony for the family at home. Have been doing it for nearly 7 years now and have 3 young kids (all in primary school).

That would be cool! I know a mine in Kyrgyzstan (Kumtor) run by Centerra Gold does 4/4. Would be a very cool roster to do some travelling around the world.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Gents i know the deal. I have worked around the world in the mining and engineering sectors.

I just wish some of the blokes could be more discreet in the QP. Frankly some of them are an embarrassment. Just put the hiviz away and read the paper........

 

[elbarto]

Slightly OT. But I keep hearing that they need people in the mines. Just how does one go about getting a job there since they clearly not listed online unless they're looking for specialist skills.

 

[The Rok]

A job doing what? It's notoriously difficult for non skilled people to break into?

 

[The Rok]

Some of my friends do exactly that. Engineers! Or travel admins/general admin etc. Money is not as great as the media reports.


Well, those workers are given platinum in accordance with the rules of the FF program. Either way, most of us fly with carry on only.

Priority baggage, yes that would suck on a PER-ZNE flight etc.

Well if you look at every worker from Rio Tinto and BHP who works in the Newman area on a 5/2/4/3 or 8/6 roster, then they would be platinum. The first roster would get you a heap of SC.

Yes, you do get a lot of unsavoury people in the lounge from FIFO. However it's not fair to judge us all like that. We have plenty of well qualified professionals on site who would not look out of sight in the lounge if they didn't have to wear hi vis clothing.


That would be cool! I know a mine in Kyrgyzstan (Kumtor) run by Centerra Gold does 4/4. Would be a very cool roster to do some travelling around the world.

Well I accept that scenario, but really the point I was trying to get across was that for every site that a FIFO worker will accrue SC's flying to there will be three or four more sites that do not.

Some of the biggest sites in Australia such as Wheatstone, Barrow Island, Hope Downs & Tom Price are all charter flights which do not accrue SC's!

 

[hedge]

Slightly OT. But I keep hearing that they need people in the mines. Just how does one go about getting a job there since they clearly not listed online unless they're looking for specialist skills.

Mining don't just need people, it needs skilled people. Hence most of my site is full of workers on 457s as it's tough to find engineers, geologists etc who will work here (not sure on the reasons).

Well I accept that scenario, but really the point I was trying to get across was that for every site that a FIFO worker will accrue SC's flying to there will be three or four more sites that do not.

Some of the biggest sites in Australia such as Wheatstone, Barrow Island, Hope Downs & Tom Price are all charter flights which do not accrue SC's!

I agree, but those who can fly into PHE or ZNE or KTA etc are milking the free status credits (provided they aren't on stupidly long rosters like 4/1 or 3/1).

 

[SeatBackForward]

Mining don't just need people, it needs skilled people. Hence most of my site is full of workers on 457s as it's tough to find engineers, geologists etc who will work here (not sure on the reasons).

As a Civil Engineering graduate a little over 10 yrs ago, I'll give you one answer..not enough locally produced engineers. And many who have engineering qualifications dont work in that industry for very long.

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[11sjw]

As a Civil Engineering graduate a little over 10 yrs ago, I'll give you one answer..not enough locally produced engineers. And many who have engineering qualifications dont work in that industry for very long.

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Agree here. I've managed to wangle my way into a job that will require regular day trips to KTA, PHE, ZNE or PBO. These are long days (Arrive PER at 0430 and back there at somewhere around 1930) however I get to sleep in my bed each night and rack up points and SCs. It's very much a transient thing though, when the expansion works die off the flying will too so I'll take it whilst I can.

sikeveo, post #11, I'd give you multiple thumbs up if I could.

Those that are sick of flouro in the PER QP, deal with it as it won't be changing soon.

 

[elbarto]

Mining don't just need people, it needs skilled people. Hence most of my site is full of workers on 457s as it's tough to find engineers, geologists etc who will work here (not sure on the reasons).

A job doing what? It's notoriously difficult for non skilled people to break into?

I thought as much. The media tends to make out it's easier when the publish stories of school teachers throwing it in and getting 100+K per year.

 

[travelislife]

I'm an engineer and was working 10-4 FIFO for the first 7 months of this year, specifically project based which has finished now. I didn't mind the lifestyle but 10 days away did feel a long time away from the GF, dot know how people do the 4 week rosters. As I was essentially seconded out there the financial benefits to me we're quite minimal and I mainly undertook the work for experience and to see what all the talk was about. I also had the advantage of a set known end date. I am going to make a decision at the end of this year if it is something I want to pursue.