The generous Bahrain pension scheme for locals after 20 years work (as explained to me and if correct)... I feel will eventually bankrupt the country and has already done much economic and financial damage to Gulf Air.
I was told that after 20years work which puts the first fully sponsored 1970 G.F. national pilots at around age 43...it is necessary for them at this young age and at the hight of their considerable skills to resign to trigger payments of their pension.
Thus being smart... these GF fully sponsored pilots now need to resign at age 43ish get their Bahrain pension... and they soon... seek further employment and a further pension... working for ..say EK..Bahrain Air..Air Arabia...SIA etc. etc.
It does seem ludicrous that the Bahrain government which now appears to be concerned at last about Gulf Air profitability... actually sits still... and allows.. these skills it has payed through the nose for its National pilots and also Expat. training to be used against them by their competitors. I just cannot figure out why they allow this constant drain.
When the Australian government was faced with this problem of its retired at 55years old pilots in its National airline going to SIA ready trained on B747 aircraft for 5 years retirement flying on salary plus previous pension... and also using their skills for a competitor.... they reacted... I am told by canceling their pensions until they were properly retired or not working for their competitors as pilots.
Fortunately... this opened up the doors in SIA for many Gulf Air expat.pilots and also fully trained but now retired Gulf National pilots.
The loss of Gulf National pilots and Expat. pilots before retirement age 60 or 65 by Gulf Air has cost Gulf Air millions and cost many more millions as these pilots now actively fly against them for the competition.
I hardly think SIA EK and all the airlines within 1000miles of Bahrain can believe their luck.... having an endless stream of pilots,engineers,and cabin crew fully trained by Gulf Air available to hire.