Dubai / UAE

[Tin-Bullet]

Bubble waiting to EXPLODE

@ YellowSnow

Salary (every ATCO earns the same) 34,089 AED PM (£5165)

You are wrong mate……

As Red Dragon posted………

Basically yes, but then adjusted depending on the whinging/negotiating done with the boss. Payscales are not transparent and some at lower grades earn more than their immediate superiors.

NOT ALL ATCO’s have the SAME Salaries here in DXB, & I am not including the ‘GRADE’ difference, being a SUP or WSTO or an A** Licker!

A simple example between the same WSTO Grade, it seems management decide to pay the newest appointed MORE THAN the Most Senior ones! 2 weights 2 measures????( this is ONLY 1 example from A LOT I know of)!

I've got to disagree with you Scooby on rental prices, having only recently gone through it. 180-190K in JLT is about right, we've only paid 200k in The Links, for a new build 2 bed, 1600 sqft fantastic views and quality fittings. Looking in todays property pages, apartment rentals haven't changed a jot in the last 3 months, and there is good availabilty to keep it this way, as opposed to a villa where there is huge under supply. You may pay up to 240K to live on the palm, but that is an extreme.
Agree with everyhting else, landlords here are greedy, evil, arrogant, ignorant, greedy, evil.....people, almost as bad as estate agents, who are just simply lazy and useless here

You are NEARLY spot on here, that is, recently lease rates have been rather stable, but there’s no guarantee that leases will not have their prices INCREASED by yearend!! Another thing, whenever we get an increase in accommodation allowance, this is only for those who have their immediate yearly allowance about to expiry, so you can either be lucky or REALLY unlucky, like most of us have been throughout these years!

@Trotsky

Is the financial crisis having an effect in the UAE also or does money continue to flow from the ground

Slowly Slowly MONEY will really start FLOWING in an UNSTOPPABLE FLOW out of our pockets with the inflation! You need to really have a good chat with the guys living here…Start from Schooling, Accomodation, SALIK & last but not least FUEL!!

@The Falcon

To those considering coming over here be ready to deduct a significant amount from you salary for accomodation unless of course you want to live downtown in a rundown flat. There are no taxes here but they are actually everywhere. Housing is just as expensive as New york (or more) now and the governtment is doing nothing about it. Many companies are relocating for this same reason as now its spiraling beyond control!

Well said , pretty accurate reply…..Well you can also dare to live in a shared Villa like some ‘geriatric’ personnel……………Even though the Municipality is giving a hard time to Landlords to stop the Villa Sharing, unless you’re a family!

@Tower Ranger

geriatric? Speak for yourself old boy!! The average age of the Tower guys in Dubai is probably younger than at any Uk unit. The five year requirement is/was a Govt. requirement but if you have the proven ability then come and have a go!!

It is true, but it depends WHERE YOU COME FROM, & WHO YOU KNOW TOO!

@Scooby Don’t

Falcon - I would expect there to be an announcement in the near future which will make you somewhat happier. Serco management are aware of the housing situation and, I believe, would like to do something about it.

We are having meetings with the big cheese…a.k.a EBM & discussing what can (COULD) be improved in the near future……. We are hoping that IF there’s an increase in January, it TRULY REFLECTS on the Spiraling Inflation here! Lets keep our fingers crossed & see what happens!

@ direct.no.speed

Has anyone taken their pets with them? Issues with accomodation?

Some ATCOs have pets here, but you gotta be careful when movinghere..First of all it depends where SERCO provides temporary accommodation…..some places do not allow pets….. Secondly, on 7Days Newspaper there was a Front page article, that tenants had to get rid of their pets at once…So you gotta really check & check if you decide to bring a pet with you or else purchase one locally…..

Mind you, you can find baboons strolling the streets daily…where they live…….you wouldn’t wana know!

@skybound1

Sorry to deviate from serco,
but I noticed at the back of flight international GAL is looking for ATC' s, instructors and admin staff, any idea what the pay/conditions/contracts are offered?

These positions are offered for Airports in & around Abu Dhabi & Al Ain…… There are rumours that in Abu Dhabi they wana get rid of SERCO in TWR/APP Contract…..

@ TheFalcon

Finally my point is this, if what Scooby Don't said and improvements do not materialise we will be shortly sliding back to pre January conditions (obviously it seems you were not here then). The package is good probably among the best in the world and we shouldn't settle for anything less at any time.Taking away a month's salary for accom (and I know some newbies are paying even more than this) is not acceptable. The money is there and if you are sceptical just ask around and see how much the new Airport Safety Mananger is getting for his toils. You will be shocked!!

Again WELL SAID, the package is really good, and BEING a TAX-FREE place…But FOR HOW LONG???

We are in the last quarter of 2008…& we have had ONE resignation……

Next Year, its gonna be approximately a minimum SIX (6) resigning…….

Conclusion, SERCO have to start thinking on the near future to retain people & attract newbies…….or else will have to start playing CATCH-Up AGAIN!

Let us hope that something serious will be done to stop this!

@ mr.777

One other thing, and this is purely hearsay so I apologise in advance if its a load of b*llox...i read that the days of tax-free living in UAE may be numbered and that the govt were considering bringing in some form of income tax at some point in the future (i.e not the immediate future). Any truth in this?

SALIK is the first proof!

This is a TAX-FREE place on our EARNINGS, but NOT on whatever you purchase! It is rumoured that VAT will slowly be introduced, but that will be the day & asking for trouble = KHALLAS to the UAE

@ mickrobbo

Not a done deal yet but I am also down to start DXB in Jan with quite a few others. Having done a lot of research I have to say 210,000AED for accommodation for married/kids is very low indeed and has me concerned as this basically puts the reason for my move to Dubai in jeopardy

You have done your homework well it seems.. I and the other UAE ATCOs who post here are not discouraging anyone from joining us, but sadly AND truly the property prices & lease rents are just a joke! We all choose to live in a place of our liking.. but of course AT A PRICE! If someone lived in a townhouse or a villa, it’s gonna be REALLY REALLY HARD to find something suitable with our present accommodation allowance! With AED210k for married with kids, you will be lucky to find a decent 2 b/r ‘villa’ (Townhouse) in Springs which is not so big approx 1700sqft.. As YellowSnow posted you can opt for an apartment.. but who wants to live in an apartment if you lived in a better luxury? For us who have been here quite a long time, it is easier now, but we have also have had our fair share of despair & frustrations, but we must also not forget that things have improved drastically lately…. We all want more n more n more, that means more beer to flow @ d pub too!

All those who have posted here have put valid & true posts, which unless you are ‘really living it’ you would really be shocked when faced with all these issues once new recruits make a move here!

INSH’ALLAH we can get an improved package, & hopefully our Management addresses the issues with DCA for a drastically improved package!!

Good Luck to All joiners, excuse me for the long post, but been away from holidays away from it all……