Canucks leaving
Yo Ax,
Most of the initial group of canucks is on the way home or already gone. (a few went to EK) This is mostly because people just prefer to live at home even if it means less cash, and Air Canada is calling us back and seems to be doing ok. But I'm sure if AC goes for a dive they would not hessitate to come back.
Just a quick comment on what others have posted about ABY: Yes it's not like other places in the ME. Friendly atmosphere and the money is good ( even better now that I left), but it is hard work. I was in training and 8 days off a month was the best you could hope for. Obviously this is not great for family life. Saying it is like a 9 to 5 job is misleading, it is much worse since your working hours are not fixed; one day a morning flight, next day a night flight, a rest day to let your body figure out why you feel like a truck ran over you, and then another 6 am report for Almaty. Then a sim from 2100-0100 plus a debriefing... etc, etc. I think line flying may a bit better now, but for a long time it was the same, and every time a new airplane shows up, there is a crew shortage (unless 1 plane goes AOG).
They say the rostering issue is getting fixed; new (self-made) software and more crews per airplane. But I would be sceptical of that, it's been an on going problem from day 1.
Other than that its a really great place to work. But that's it, you will work a lot, play only a little.