Originally Posted by
Scagrams
Hahaha this is one of the most insane things I've heard...comparing a legal full time contract, with proper taxes being paid, along with pension and other benefits, to the likes of Avion, Heston and others. The money on your bank account may look better until the day the tax office catches up to you, or you retire without anything. Oh and enjoy getting money 6 months of the year and nothing for winter.
Who stays long enough to take a pension from latvian state?
Even Latvian pilots are leaving the company, recently two A220 local FO's left for another also latvian business jet operator.
Most of the foreign pilots are leaving after the bond expires, the ones who stay are usually unemployable for most of EU companies as they lack EU passport. I think some prestigious airlines in Middle East have higher percentage of EU pilots than the airBaltic. Not much money on the bank account as the salary covers all the expenses you need to live here. Right now in Riga is minus 15, to keep the house in plus 20 you need to pay a fortune on heating. In general is not bad if you are fine to spend 3 years in a post soviet country with the regular annual leave and log some more hours, but don't expect to make money