Fwiw, FZ did indeed get 3 weeks worth of 'Basic Salary' as a bonus (
payable to anybody whom had been in the company for more than 6 months). However, that bonus payment needs to be put into context with the fact that since 2008 (
when FZ started) there has only been the following:
- In 2010: A 2% increase in 'Basic Salary'.
- In 2012: A 10 Dhs per hour increase in 'Flight Pay' (block hour pay).
Furthermore, in that same 5 year period there has been:
- No increase in 'Accommodation Allowance' (remembering that FZ do not provide company housing); and likewise
- No increase in 'Transport Allowance' (remembering that FZ do not provided a limo pick-up service to / from work)
It is the case that probably 50% of FZ's total package (
for pilots) is made up of 'Allowances', it being a financial system which is purposefully used in order to help FZ limit their fiscal damage when people decide to leave, i.e. when FZ have to pay-out the End-of-Service-Gratuity, the latter being based entirely upon an employees 'Basic Salary', it also helps them to limit any bonus payment through much the same mechanism in that the 'Basic Salary' is held down at a low level.
Fwiw, the current rumour inside FZ is that there is going to be some sort of increase in Basic Salary for 2013 (
to be back-dated to 1st April),
BUT that it will only be for Captain's on the 'C' scale (
and don't even ask about the ineptitude that resulted in all the pay scales!); i.e. in an endeavour to lift them up to at least the same level as Captain's on the present 'B' scale, and that in 2014 the then 'B' scale Captain's will then be lifted up to the same rate as Captains on present the 'A' scale; And, any bonuses aside, in that interim period: the present 'A' scale Captains will get no increase for at least the next 2 years; the 'B' scale Captains will get no increase for at least the next 1 year; and that all 'Allowances' will, respectively, stay pegged!
At the CP's meeting (
last week), where the COO was in attendance, when questioned about the evident dramatic increase in the cost of accommodation, the COO drawled a response that this was being caused by those dastardly opportunistic realtors / estate-agents and that FZ was not going to play into their hands with any increase in the 'Accommodation Allowance' for its staff (
remembering that FZ's Accommodation Allowance has not changed, by even one Fil, since 2008).
Any reality in respect to the ever increasing prices of all commodities in Dubai, results in Management doing a head-in-the-sand denial that even an Ostrich would be proud of!
And as for loyalty, hard work, commitment? These are evidently measured in terms of months of service, i.e. 6 months to be precise, 'coz that's seemingly all the time it takes to be in FZ to be worthy of a 'bonus'.
Regardless of which side of R12/R30 you reside, it's the same **** that's in one of those two buckets!