Happy New Year,
One of my new years resolutions was to suffer fools slightly less gladly this year and leave little room for misinterpretation, especially the sort of misinterpretation that Arik seems to think exist in matters such as whether to pay the pilots on time/at all.
I, as am Oba1 am getting a lot of PMs asking:-
1) Do you really believe what you put in this thread?
2) How can I get into Arik?
3) Do you think I should join in situation X, Y and Z?
I have neither the time nor inclination to write things that I do not believe to be true.
How can you get into Arik? Well that is simple sell your soul to the devil and accept the consequences. I WILL NOT help any pilot get into Arik, I WILL NOT give you email address and contact details as I couldn't not in good consciousness do that to another pilot.
Let us be clear where I stand, you are better off being unemployed or leaving aviation than working for Arik. Even if I did not like you I wouldn't help you get into Arik as every pilot who goes there means that the airline trades a few days more.
The best thing that this new year can bring would be Arik going into bankruptcy as soon as possible so that the safety of the passengers and the hard working crews is not taken to the next level. At present it is just inept, corrupt and frequently illegal as opposed to just an unpleasant place to work and less pleasant place to live. The fear is that this will eventually lead to more serious flight safety transgressions which will likely result in an accident or another incident.
It is therefore a sobering New Years thought that I do not want any part in helping any pilot join Arik as I do not want to be part of them joining an organization where this is increasingly likely due to its increasing inability to administrate itself in anything approaching the standards required by an airline much less a flying club.
Happy New Year and safe flying for 2011 for those of you still stuck in Arik. If you need help in leaving them or taking them to court then that I can help with.
VT