Originally Posted by
allaru
No one should doubt or underestimate MBS’s ambitions and available resources to start this new airline however it remains to be seen if it will be done properly or half arsed using cheap labor. The initial setup and the quality of staff they can attract will largely determine the airlines success or failure.
Establishing this new airline and feeding the rapid expansion that follows will require a huge influx of high quality experienced pilots who are familiar with the region and the culture. Incumbent Gulf airlines with a base of experience and confidence in their own checking and monitoring systems have seen it appropriate to lower their entry experience requirements and recruit from less desirable parts of the world. RIA will not have this luxury and will have to buy that experience. The experienced pilots and engineers working for the Gulf carriers are going to be the obvious target for that recruitment.
If you’re considering involvement with this venture know what your experience is worth and don’t sell yourself short. I would expect that RIA is aiming to be one of the worlds premium carriers so this should be the starting point for your salary expectations. While MBS has made huge strides in recent years working in Saudi remains problematic to say the least so it should be considered a hardship posting for the foreseeable future. An additional premium should therefore apply for abandoning your life, family and friends back home to commit to an expat life in Saudi..
Given the risks associate with a new company and the fact that you may have to live in Saudi I would not consider anything less than USD 30k/ month plus housing and benefits. If commuting contracts are offered you need to consider the tax implications, and how you are going to get to and from work. I would suggest that commuting to North America or Australia would be next to impossible. Europe and perhaps South East Asia may be doable depending upon the patterns. In any case commuting contracts may not even be offered.
Exciting and interesting times ahead but don’t sell yourself short. Feel free to post your salary expectations.
I mostly agree with you allaru, except USD 30K:month is surely not going to happen, Expect rather 25K + housing and benefits, at best, for a non-commuting contract.
If they offer less? 20K? 16K? So WHY will an experienced Captain leave EK or QR to be based in Saudia, in Riyadh? For a few peanuts more?
If it's commuting, let's say 21 ON/ 9 OFF, with confirmed business to home , plus housing and benefits, something like 20K could make people decide to go to RUH.
As allaru said, to start well and rapidly you need quality experienced pilots (and all other staff), and you need to pay a lot more to base in RUH...If you don't...Remember..."If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys"