Qatar Amiri Flight Recruitment

[Amiri01]

Hi igig,

I am primarily referring to the movement and training of existing personnel. We will certainly have movement from the existing Airbus fleet on to the B748 fleet and given the lack of B747 experience amongst our Airbus widebody crews, I expect that there will be a fairly extensive training commitment for the B748 with quite a large lead-time needed. The movement of pilots to the B748 will clearly create shortages on the Airbus fleet that will need to be addressed.

Now the big question is what will happen to the Airbus fleet when the 748's arrive. The answer to this is anybody's guess at this point in time.

Every new joiners question is going to be: "If they do not retain the Airbuses that have been replaced, what will happen to us?". This is of course an extremely valid concern.

The problem is that I suspect that no-one knows what will happen to the fleet when the B748s arrive. Their arrival is still a fair way off so the decision about the fleet composition is probably also a fair way off.

The difficulties for management will include deciding whether to recruit with permanent employees to fill the vacancies when the Airbus crews head off to train on the B748s, or whether to recruit crews on fixed term contracts with the understanding that the contract will be for a defined term. Should the Airbus fleet be reduced following the introduction of the B748, then the contract personnel could be let go at the end of their contract term.

So our management will base their decisions on the best information that they have now, but things could change. Regardless of what decisions are made, there are clearly complex logistical issues that management will have to deal with.

Personally, and I stress that this is my own opinion based on gut feeling only, I suspect that the fleet will continue to grow. The economic success that Qatar is enjoying and the increasing diplomatic role that Qatar is playing in the international arena makes me feel that the expansion of the Amiri Flight will continue in order to meet the VIP transport requirements of the State.

I probably can't add any more than that.

Cheers,

Amiri01