Need some insight on APC (Aviation Professionals club) UAE

[Technight101]

Hey everyone,

I'm looking to join one of the pilot clubs in dubai mainly to get unlimited gym access and discounts at bars and clubs.

APC said they don't have a list of offers and I can only find out what I'm paying for after I get the membership. They recommended to ask other colleagues so I'm hoping a few of you can share your experiences with me.

Platinum card isn't an option for me as I am not with EK.
The other option is ClubExec at 1300AED/ Year. With access to about 5 good gyms.

Can someone please tell me the healthclubs included, how often can you use them and do you ever get denied entry? I will be visiting everyday of the week except fridays.

Also how are the nightlife offers? Clubexec is offering 40% off at The dubliners which seems attractive to me.

Thank you in advance!

[Aluminium shuffler]

I use them for beach club access, but it has the same issue as gym access - you have to get in early in the morning as the allocations are limited. That aside, it seems to work quite well.

The deals they do on shops and restaurants are utterly useless to me, far too expensive for what I can manage with a family.

It may be coincidence, but for the first few months in DXB I had no spam at all, but within a couple of weeks of joining APC, I started getting daily text and email spam and phone calls from Jakarta and Tunisia based "investment firms" (the Jakarta company said they got my details, including family and employment details, from APC).

[jack schidt]

The above 2 posts are the reasons I and many others left E(A)PC a couple of years ago after more than a decade in what was previously a great club to be part of.


J

[formerlywazza]

Fitness Clubs:
Fitness First Al Manzil Downtown
Emirates Golf Club
Dubai Creek Golf Club
Fit Republik - Power to the People
Go Fit - Silicon Oasis
The Stables Fitness Centre
Engine Fitness in Jumeirah.
Handy Manny Fitness Centre
Optimal Fitness
Fitness 4 Life

Plus some hotels which we have beach club access to.

To be fair, I've had cold-calling too, but never linked to APC. I think that's just a common problem in the UAE.

[sluggums]

Yep, they got way too busy pedalling their own agendas. I left after being in 10+ years. The platinum card covers my needs for less than 15% of the cost.

[haveago]

EPC was great! Since becoming APC not worth it!!

[hulabaloome2]

APC has gone downhill since it's days of being EPC with regard to the places I want to use terminating membership at renewal time

[Technight101]

Fitness Clubs:
Fitness First Al Manzil Downtown
Emirates Golf Club
Dubai Creek Golf Club
Fit Republik - Power to the People
Go Fit - Silicon Oasis
The Stables Fitness Centre
Engine Fitness in Jumeirah.
Handy Manny Fitness Centre
Optimal Fitness
Fitness 4 Life

Plus some hotels which we have beach club access to.

To be fair, I've had cold-calling too, but never linked to APC. I think that's just a common problem in the UAE.
Thank you for listing them out! appreciate that!

[Technight101]

Thank you all for your replies. I've heard only negative things about APC in the recent past. The guys at clubexec seemed extremely professional, and its not too expensive. I am going to give them a try.

cheers

[Skud Run]

Everybody is different when it comes to the APC. Some guys are hanging out in the bars all the time and get good savings. Others are working their ass off while the family is sitting on the beach enjoying the free access. Both these cases will make the APC worth it. But for someone like myself, it isn't. I have been a member for 6 months and have gone to the clubs twice. I was told the same thing as you, "sorry you have to be a member to see the deals". This should be the biggest hint. There is no good reason why you shouldn't have access at least at the office to see if it's worth it for you. Fly Dubai has a card for 20 dirhams per month and offers actually good deals as oppose to just Booze and Beach. But if that's what you are after, then you are set.

[BigGeordie]

"Booze and Beach" pretty much sums up APC benefits these days. For anything else Platinum is much better. I only have Platinum now and the cost is covered by my monthly coffee shop savings. I also appear to be getting fewer calls (and spam emails) from dodgy financial advisers.

[Flyingishere]

And what about the premium card? Is it worth it? I have the platinum and the premium seems to have nice deals including putting it on the mrs name since this year

[Vortex Thing]

Rather like choosing to live and work in Dubai. Choosing the APC is each to their own.

For us The APC was one of the reasons we stayed so long. We use the card almost daily and saved shed loads of cash by being members. Never ever had an issue getting into a gym and got turned away at the beach maybe twice in 4 years.

So perhaps the naysayers are all going to different gyms, going to the beach at the same time or simply not using the deals that are on offer. We used the polo club more than 3 times a week, the children basically had a nice safe environment, the staff knew and welcomed us, familiar faces all around, the gym was never full, there were also numerous other gyms which you could use if you got bored of going to the same one.

For those quoting booze and beach again, I call you naysayers, we used to use it to eat more than 2 times a week. Almost everywhere we ate took APC discount and to boot even if you use none of the many many facilities available you had the 4x APC dos (SIDs & STARs) minimum every year of which we went to each and every one! I think we may have missed one once due to work but usually I bid to be off to make sure I could go. Free social life!!

Those people saying it isn't worth it are the sort of people who make comments like, "I don't like socialising with people from work." or "I don't just want to hang about with pilots and their families."

That is fine as that is their choice; from Mrs VT and my perspective the reasons for joining were simple it gave us a life similar to the officers mess where we did spend our social life with those we work with as that is part of the reason for choosing the life style that is living in Dubai. We didn't yearn for home due social life and the APC card was one of the reasons that we stayed in Dubai for as long as we did!

I genuinely find it hard to understand why pilots would want to be in airlines like EK, FZ and not be part of a scene bringing us all together. However each to their own and if people want to see flying as a job rather than a lifestyle/vocation then that is their choice and good luck to them with it.

My tuppence worth is if you work with people you do not want to see outside of work you are likely in the wrong firm or wrong job.

[speedbirdhopeful1]

Agree with the others, APC has gone downhill in the last few years, especially as they lost the fact they were EK pilots for EK pilots. For me the final straw was how they handled the LIPS fiasco and how they went about treating their company colleagues who run LIPS. Their communication was crap and sounded like EK fleet management had written the emails.

It used to be 'Emirates' pilots club for a reason, now anyone who has seen an aeroplane can join. Even the fuelling company managers can join!

Then there's the discount, got fed up being told that platinum was the same or better, can't think of an example where APC is better. Discounts being reduced everywhere.

Beach hotel access was ok for some people but those who lived near Jumeirah beach hotel, got turned away by 10AM as everyone had used the gym etc etc. Switched to Platinum premium last year, half the price, more and better beach clubs and no issues getting in.

Same here, no desire to socialise with work while outside of work, but if that's your thing it may be worth it for 1 or 2 free drinks sessions a year where they will try to sell you financial products and then resell your contact info from the sign in sheet..

[Vortex Thing]

Jeez transport jock not sure where you are from but eating out in Dubai is a) cheaper than shopping for food and cooking it yourself and b) way cheaper than UK!

The biggest hits we have seen in budget since moving back home have been petrol and food compared to Dubai which is basically cheaper than anywhere I have ever lived other than South Africa! The APC discount was just the cherry on top for us at what was already cheap.

Guess it really is dependant on where you are from.

[LadyMatilda]

Eating out in Dubai is a) cheaper than shopping for food and cooking it yourself and b) way cheaper than UK!

You must be having your nights out at Ravi's down in Satwa!

Next time you pay AED 300 - 400 for a £5 bottle of plonk come tell us how much cheaper it here than in the UK!
:ugh:

The cost of living in this town is out of control.

[sluggums]

Eating out is cheap in Dubai!!! You're having a giraffe mate. It's ridiculously expensive.

[Panther 88]

APC for me is a waste of money. Was a terrific deal 10 years ago....today, not so much. Just my humble opinion.

[speedbirdhopeful1]

Jeez transport jock not sure where you are from but eating out in Dubai is a) cheaper than shopping for food and cooking it yourself and b) way cheaper than UK!

Are you new here? I've never met anyone that thought that. Dubai is ridiculously expensive to eat out. Even the 40% platinum discount in some places only serves to bring it down towards higher end UK prices. Unless you're eating at KFC or Eat and Drink, a normal meal with some wine will set you back 500dhs for two. Not to mention about 6 poorly paid and trained staff fussing over refilling your overpriced water every time you take a sip. A fillet steak alone in The Meat Company is 500Dhs! Food is poor quality, not fresh and lacking in taste in most places anyway so it's not even worth the high price. Not to mention groceries and why most of us fill up our suitcase on layovers - complete rip off in Dubai!

[lospilotos]

If you want to compare cost of living: Cost of Living Comparison Between Two Countries (http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_countries.jsp)

Is the APC as good as it used to be? Probably not, but personally I feel that if I use it only once in a month, I have recovered the cost already.

[BLOGGSON]

Vortex Thing, you are coming it a bit high and mighty, bleating about halcyon days in the officers' mess and exhorting professional pilots to purchase a log book, just because you think it's a good idea. APC doesn't suit everyone and frankly I found it to be an increasing waste of money, especially as I, like many people, get no pleasure from listening to a bunch of other pilots moaning about their rosters or how wonderful their big aeroplane is and the thought of mixing it with them and their sometimes social climbing wives is anathema. I'd rather slam my old boy in the fridge door than go on that Mundo cruise thing.

APC is refused in so many restaurants, where Platinum is specifically requested, plus I resented their insistence on paying for the privilege of direct debit. Their web site is a train smash; just try the search engine, it's appalling.

As to eating out in Dubai, I have to agree with Speedbirdhopeful: the service industry in Dubai is on a one way ticket to oblivion. They used to have to try hard and they welcomed your repeat business. Now they don't because there are so many people cramming into this tiny space that they simply don't care if you never come back or bad mouth them in the press or TripAdvisor; plenty more will come instead anyway. Value for money when eating out here is a thing of the past and the race to the bottom is well under way.

And by the way, I use Log Ten Pro as well. (Apologies for the thread slip). It is good but it's over priced and has more features than even the most anal retentive record keeper could ever use. Most of it is tosh and the only reason I subscribed is that I have better things to do than learn how to export/import log books from one format to the other.

Are you a rotor head then? Probably search and rescue by the sounds of it.;)

[Vortex Thing]

BLOGGS - Erm Yep that would be correct. I THINK it is a good idea. Tbs poster asked for everyones views! My view and that of these who remain members is what I posted.

I would hardly say bleating! I have just enjoyed good times and would have preferred a world where things stayed in a similar vein. Is that such a bad thing, should we yearn for the middle ages or for times when children were stuck up chimneys for a living in times of slavery and destitution accompanied with a touch of disease and famine. How bizarre!

Do we not all want better times? My definition of better times is that I work for a firm where everyone wants to be together work and play, with their families and their colleagues. If your definition of better times is to not be with your colleagues then thats "YOUR" definition. Feel free to spend your time with whomever floats your boat and leave me to enjoy my time talking about the very thing that seems to bore you or or your wife. I like aviation, I like pilots and I like talking to and about both, in fact so much so that I would rather do that than talk about other things which I just don't find as stimulating.

My point re APC is not that it is accepted in every restaurant. It is the fact that where it is taken the saving can be significant enough to make it cheaper to go there than to eat at home. I.e family of 4 finish school run and pop to Carluccios in the Dubai Mall and watch the fountains whilst having dinner. With APC discount far cheaper and easier than going to Spinney's and getting the ingredients and cooking a similar standard meal yourself. Definitely more memorable as a lifestyle than families in UK driving through traffic in Chelsea to get to Fulham McDonalds drive through post school for the same price!

As for those talking about alcohol. Yes of course it is cheaper to go out on the lash in UK. However you also get things like set price brunches and evening buffets, good example Shangri La in Dunes where for 50% less than everyone else you can eat and drink as much as you like for a set price. £15 for all the food you can eat and all the alcohol you can drink. Yep pricey indeed!

Westin, Al Qasr, Fairmont (both of them), JBH, JW Marriott, DEPC, Desert palm, etc all do very nice buffets for a set price which do or do not have alcohol as you like included.

You simply cannot find a similar product in the UK for anywhere near that price.

So yes if you go to The Rivington (before it closed) and get a Waygu steak and bottle of Malbec it is not as cheap as the same product in London, granted. However if you use the APC website and go where we are heavily discounted and meet up with your fellow pilots (who happen to make almost all of my colleagues) then you have a relatively cheap night out which is a cheaper than UK b) better in ambience than you can get in the UK for the same level of product and c) discounted due to.....wait for it... oh yes being a member of the APC.

Re standards of service, depends on where you eat to be honest. Yes I have seen and had many mistakes and seen poor service, I have also seem some pretty good service. (Al Qasr is always a good example)

No it is not the same as sitting in the Michelin starred restaurant in Montreaux over looking the lake prior to popping to the casino but then it isn't Europe and I would to be honest rather they got NCC to know what they were doing before I get upset by the fact that they do not know which side to serve from or which cutlery to bring with my meal or wine to pair it with.

Re Log Books- Errm simples we are professional pilots. That has overheads, you don't buy the cheapest sunglasses on offer I'm willing to bet. A log book is simply one cost. If you can afford 150k worth of training you can afford a one of cost of $100 for a piece of software that last forever and as you point out does way more than you could ever need. (shouldn't every product over deliver in such fashion?) Some people call it one stop shopping others call it something to have a go at VT for!

Speedbird - I think you are agreeing with me. Groceries are indeed more expensive here. THIS IS WHY it is cheaper to eat out than cook at home! I said it was cheaper to eat out. When I go out for a meal with my wife and children and meet another family I don't normally drink any alcohol. So from a food perspective only eating out is cheaper than shopping.

Transport Jock - Let me get this right you are an FZ pilot who was junior to me at last look on the seniority list. So the "Are you new?" question can only be answered with get some time in. Just because my opinion doesn't match yours does not make me wrong or naive. In a similar way to I think that the seniority/roster situation wasn't actually as bad as others though or that DECs deserved to have **** rosters for the next X years it is simply my opinion.

Lady Matilda - The cost of living is indeed a) out of control and b) high I was referring to eating out and nothing more. If my DEWA bill appeared at my house in UK I would like make front page news in my reaction. Granted many other things that are more difficult living in DXB than ever when at home. But my point was only about food. not alcohol or school fees and to be fair a lot of that is countered by the cost of petrol!

Now my family are back in UK my school fees are way more than they were in Dubai and I get no help now. Petrol is 5 times the price and I have little option other than for my wife to drive. Mortgage may be cheaper but I don't have a 4500 sq ft villa or a pool anymore so it is hardly like for like. I have more disposable income the I had in Dubai now that I am commuting from UK but cannot eat out anywhere near as much and certainly not to the same standard or have the lifestyle that we had in Dubai.

My way of looking at it is simple. If you get paid $20,000 a month in China, $15,000 a month in Dubai and $10,000 a month in UK. Then all costs are relative to the proportion of your salary that you expend on certain things.

i.e I think it normal and usual to spend 40-50% of your salary on accommodation . So by the above figures if you live in China you end up with £7,000 per month to spend on mortgage/rent where ever you live in the world. In Dubai that should be $5000 i.e. 200,000 a year. So what can i get for 200k a year in Dubai versus the equivalent if I commute from UK to China. I apply the same methodology to filling up the car and costs of school fees etc. In Dubai I earnt more than on a UK salary and now that I am commuting home to UK it all changes but when I was in Dubai it was relatively cheaper and still is!

[BLOGGSON]

Vortex.

You haven't admitted to being a yellow hat medal chasing SAR pilot!!! Well, were you?
Or were you a gallant SH mate?

;)

[Vortex Thing]

Neither Blogs!

Yellow hats were only worn by the type of service that thought it acceptable to wear denim ( aka the devil's cloth) in an officers mess!

So gallant mate indeed but one who thinks mustard or crimson moleskins are more suitable subaltern attire and a service around long enough to have traditions rather than habits ;)

Medals were something you got with afternoon tea nicely laid out by the dualit toaster!

[BLOGGSON]

Hahaha. Well when I was in the said service, denim was NEVER allowed. But then I'm old school. Now I know where you're coming from. Wonder if we ever crossed paths at Bessbrook Mill or the like?

[Aluminium shuffler]

Vortex, are you on the APC board or something? The cost of eating out in Dubai is way higher than the UK, even after using the discounts. The shopping costs are higher than the UK too, but nowhere near the price of eating out. If you're going to participate, at least be honest.

[pressurezero]

APC may or may not be as good as it used to be, fairly irrelevant really when talking about whether its good value now. I am a member, if i or my wife goes to JBH once a month it pays for itself (based on the day pass cost). We both go a lot more than that and I have been turned away once in the 12 months I've been using the Gym there. Don't assume the lists on here include everything. Email APC and ask for the deals/club list, it is pretty silly if they don't give it to you.

I understand that only the primary member in a couples platinum premium membership can get access to the beach clubs alone. So it's useless to me. Most people put their wives as the primary card holder i think, but that means i can't go when she's working. If this is inaccurate someone tell me.

For me, APC and the normal platinum card provides a good variety of access and discounts. I enjoy a good slagging match as much as the next pprune user, but i really don't think APC is bad deal if you'll use it enough.

Of course eating out in Dubai is more expensive, generally, than almost anywhere on the planet probably, but the salaries here are higher. aren't they?

[Vortex Thing]

BLOGGSON I remember you now you were that guy who nicked the last remaining fuel from that fuel bollock in the field by NTH or XMG that night when we really needed it ;)

No Al Shuffler. I just found it, a) paid for itself many times over, b) gave my wife and Family a better quality of life in fact I would go far enough to say c) it made life in Dubai bearable whilst working for the odious corporate blood suckers who run the airlines in Dubai.

If it doesn't work for you thenit doesnt. For me and pretty much evryone I knew who we always shared tables with at APC events it was the highlight of our lives in Dubai.

However like someone above said he would rather 'slam his man parts in the fridge door' than hang about with pilots and their wives. I have an antithetical opinion, if I spent every day off surrounded by like minded proefssionals and their families drinking wine by the pool at a brunch I would be in Utopia.

I came to Dubai for the lifestyle!

The point above is surely the mot important. In just one function and one trip you make back the cost of your membership. EVERY SINGLE discount you get after that is a money for nothing. Things like being able to take the children to The Westin or the DEPC became biweekly norms, I used a public beach in Dubai twice in 4 yrs. Perhaps you like public beaches, personally I like 5 star hotels but hey some guys fly Airbuses and manage to not be terrified each day, I would personally rather use the fridge door option above, so each to their own!