OK, before you get your hopes up people,
Please check out the pilot forums regarding Etihad. The place is in a shambles. There is no accommodation. There will be none for quite some time. HR is in a mess. They have not a clue how many crew they need. They will fire you on the spot for any reason. The CEO has endorsed in his latest news letter for Airport handling to report crew, crew to report pilots, pilots to report on anyone.
As for the F&B managers it is not the first in the industry. BA had it first about a decade ago. Ansett had it years back. The bafoon (CEO) who ran GulfAir into the ground took the idea from Ansett. Gulf Air now penniless and flying around ancient machinery due to no money in the bank is left with what is called Sky Chefs. The person who is +60 years old brought into run the program at GF by the bafoon (CEO) currently at Etihad is now in jail in Bahrain. This is his long time colleague and friend he brought from Oz. He has been under house arrest for the past 10 months. The Sky Chefs are still flying around at GF and probably the most abused position from the other crew onboard. They do a great job but are resented by the lower paid crew.
Etihad will put you in a hotel room at base for min 3 months. Remember this is the middle east. the novelty wears thin within months.
We are all trying to get out some of us are bonded and have to do our time before we are allowed to leave. This is not a vacation. Ask the hard questions and get it all in writing. They will say what you want to hear but will not put it in writing. test this theory.
Good Luck
