I would like to comment on icemanalgeria's comments. I too WAS at AAI, however, I was on the 747. I will admit right up front I am not neutral. I think AAI could be the best place in the world to work, but not as it is presently.
Maintenance: In general, not too bad. Normally there aren't too many DMI (MEL items) running around. However, there is an extrodinary amount of repeat writeups. The original writeup really never gets fixed the first time. Cabin items will almost never get fixed. The IFE system on the pax a/c is a good example or the APUs on ATX/ATZ or the keel beam on ARG!
FFF Pilots: They get a much better "deal". 3 weeks on 3 weeks off. Good for them. It's an Icelandic company and they should look out for the home team. However, not at the expense of everyone else. I remember having a discussion with the head of crew scheduling, Asgeir about some type of scheduling for the contract pilots. We talked about something along the lines of 20days on and 10 days off. He agreeded it could be done and it would be more fair than the current system. However, that was really too much work for the schedulers to do. The current system worked fine.
Duty Day: I guess the 767 must be different than the 747. For any Hajj flights, especially out of Africa, you will be over any interpretation of the duty limits. There is no different way of reading it at all. But, if you raise the issue, you will be sent home and never called back. There are other examples of this too, any troop movements in and out of KWI you would be out of duty day before you even left the ground. The planned ground time was 1+00. Not too good. So, crews were always placed in a very difficult position. The tail strike in 2002 is another example of how crews are asked implicitly to bust duty limits.
Is AAI for everyone? No. If you want a life other than AAI, then it's not for you.
On dograt's comments: He's right to a certain degree. The reason they haven't had any problems is not because of management; it's because of the crews. Most of them are true professionals. The crews, inspite of management,make the operation continue. Can they do it forever? No, that's the sad part. As soon as something happens, you will see AAI get dropped by all the companies that have contracts with. That will be the death knell for AAI. The victims will be the very people who made it work for so long.
