Originally Posted by
Captain Spam Can
Sounds alike you enjoyed some great golden years at both ends of the flying time line. I feel the UK flying is fantastic and the companies are good but that little blue book can earn more money and be put out to better use outside the ‘comfort zone’.
What’s the latest with Saudi Airlines do they still pay big money and hire expats and where do you consider the latest golden goose is in the industry?
Well, let’s say the twilight years of the “golden age”. When I joined the “flag carrier” I flew the “Speddbird” no more than about 350 hours per year. For many years my monthly roster was mainly:
LHR-MT LGW-DH DXB.
Layover DXB 24 hrs
.
DXB/SEY/MRU.
Layover MRU 5 days.
MRU/SEY/MRU.
Layover MRU 48 Hrs.
MRU/SEY/DXB.
Layover DXB 24 hrs.
DXB DH LHR MT LHR.
9 days off.
After the 9 days off I would operate a South American rotation which was typically:
LHR/CCS.
Layover CCS 48 hrs.
CCS/BOG/CCS
Layover CCS 5days. (mostly spent on Margarita Island).
CCS/LHR.
7 days off.
When I finished my annual flying hours were nearer 800 hours per year, typically LHR/LAX/LHR four times a month. In my mid 50’s that was more tiring than the Indian Ocean & South American rotations of my earlier carrier.
As for Saudi Arabian, I’ve heard it’s not what is once was but I’m guessing it’s still pretty good depending on what fleet you’re on. Recently I’ve heard on the grapevine that they’re again recruiting a few expat Captains onto their B777’s/B787’s & A340’s. I’m not sure where those A340’s came from because they weren’t operating any within their main airline operations during my tenure. The Saudi Royal Family were discreetly operating a few. At least an 340-600, a A340-500 & a few A340-300’s in various confidential disguises. If they’re operating & recruiting for A340’s for their mainline operations it may be due to a passenger capacity bottleneck.
Not sure about the money or T’s & C’s there these days since my tenure came to an end. I’d heard they’d changed for the worse. If you want the latest “skinny“, or the the dead on SP, I’d look to see what “Mutt” has to say on that matter.
As for where I’d “lay my money” predicting the next “Golden Goose”. In the Middle East my money would go on either RIA (depending on MBS’s 2030 economic time line and how quickly NEOM and Red Sea Resort develops) or Saudi Arabian (depending on burgeoning Hajj, Umrah & Africa expansion) or, alternatively, SF Express in China, when it starts to really move. From what I hear the dosh at SF express isn’t too shabby at the moment.
The comments above from Zorro are also definitely worthy of merit. Definitely Saudi Arabian was the last bastion of where the Golden Goose roosted & nested. His comments concerning being “treated like “Royalty” were true. You rarely saw another airline crew in the hotels Saudi Arabian used because they were too expensive.Typically the older, more traditional, more discrete type of hotel-such The Langham in Hong Kong. A suite was “de rigour” for Captain’s, as was executive lounge access for all flight crew with complement food and drinks.
Age limit and recruitment restriction permitting, many “long timers” at Saudi, with a pension coming, may well indeed be eyeing RIA. However, an exodus from Saudi Arabian, in favour of RIA, would likely put pressure on Saudi Arabian to improve their and T’s & C’s to discourage an exodus induced shortage. That’s why they’d be in running for one of my “Golden Goose” tips. My guess is, based upon MBS’s 2030 economic model, that even with an exodus from Saudi Arabian in favour of KIA they’ll still be hundreds of crew short.