You guys make me laugh...
Well, its been since March 24th that I've come back to here and read all the goings on about Midex Airlines. Who works here, who doesn't. Who has "reliable friends" here with good information. You all make me laugh. I wrote here before and I'll say it again: "If you don't work here, you don't know". Your "reliable friends" are usually full of it.
You all can tell my my screen name what my name is. I don't hide behind some crazy name for fear of being found out about. I work at Midex Airlines, I started here June 4th, 2008. I am a PFE (that Sunsetting Job) and proud of that fact. I am #15 on the roster, #8 PFE. So, yes, I work here. A few answers to all those who write here:
1. I was lucky enough to get five extra weeks at home while the 747 was in AMS for maintenance. When I got back, I got paid... everything that was owed me through the end of September. The company did not withhold any pay. Hope that answers that burning question posted earlier.
2. Yes, if you aren't here on the 1st of the month, you don't get paid till you are in Al Ain, no matter if you are on company business outside of here. Does this suck... yes it does. Why is it: its because two Airbus guys, last year, where home on days off. They found their way into a ground school for another airline during that time. The used every trick they could come up with to not come back on time: calling in sick, having family problems, whatever... until the end of the month when they got paid and then they quit. Is this the right thing to do... No. Does it happen... Yes. The owner of this company made the decision to change the fact we don't get paid till we are in Al Ain. He owns the airline, he makes the rules... contract or no contract. Has anyone stood up to him, don't know. I got the email from the UAE Lawyer, I did not respond. I accepted the way it is here. There is no other place in the world I can work as a PFE for the money I get. I can quit tomorrow, with no recourse if I so choose. After one year, everyone here can. I choose to stay and put up with things... I need this job right now.
3. In the past 5 months, only 5 crew members have left this company. Two 747s FOs and three Airbus crewmembers. Don't know why the Airbus guys left and really don't care. They have the right to leave... whether its in the middle of the night or by 30 day notice. DM made it clear that if you give a 30 day notice, you will be treated properly and the two 747s FOs were... as by the email sent by one of the to all the 747 guys. These two FOs didn't leave without a job. They went to Orient Thai to fly for a few months, more than likely for the Hadj. They left for their own reasons as we all will in time. One FO I know for a fact was upset because he felt he should have been a Captain. He had a type rating and some hours. He was denied an upgrade here. I flew with him... as nice a guy as he is, he was NO Captain. He did not possess the abilities to be a Captain. The company (Midex) made the right call on not upgrading him. But he was still upset. This may have been only one of his reasons for leaving, I don't know. I can't speak for the other FO, I have no idea why he left. But again, they left for their reasons... and only their reasons.
4. There is not big mass exit of crew members here as reported. I'm sorry to step on the toes of those that write that crap here. You all read about Midex hiring... yes, we are. The company has told us they are in the final processes of aquiring two more 747s from Air France. We all know in this business... until you're on the end of the runway pushing up the power in a new plane... you don't have a new plane. If the rumor is true, good for us. We will be hiring. Also, we hire to replace not only those that leave, but to add more A300 crews. We have always been understaffed on this plane and slowly, Midex is working to fix that. Don't always assume that because you read on a board Midex is hiring... and that you read the Crack Head comments here that we are having a mass exit of crewmembers... that is the reason for us to hire. There is no mass exit. If that were true, you would read that from Crewmembers that work here... not from those with "reliable friends".
5. After all this time, here, there are many things I don't like about this place. But I stay here because I've worked for seven other airlines and there were many things about them I didn't like either. They (Midex) pay me, they provide me with half way decent housing. Its a start up and DM is working his ass off to try and fix those things that are in need of fixing. Its a long and hard road because of who we work for here. Its not impossible but things take time. We are in a Arab world here.
So you all go right on ahead and post away. I'll come back in six more months and read all the dribble that's been posted here... when I need another good laugh.
For all you REAL pilots that post here... Fly safe. For the rest of you Flight Sim 2009 Pilots... well... enough said on that.[/FONT]