Well I have thought of posting for some time and have held back. However I thought I would share some of my thoughts.
I spent a few months there with QR in 2002. In short I will say that I enjoyed my experience there and was very torn even when I left there. (I was given an opportunity with a sucessful airline in my home country.)
The flying and the variety in areas of operation is truly great. The equipment is very nice and well maintained. The pilots in the training department I found to be professional and very well suited to their task. The inflight service is much better than what I have here at home.
Why did I leave you may ask? That was a very difficult decision. One has to weigh all the options and the cards dealt and play them in a way you think best at the time. In retrospect with the benefit of hind sight I may well still be there if that was an option.
All I can say is that one has to accept that QR is Qatar's Airline. We are just the hired help. Live by the terms of the contract and let them run their airline. If you find something that suits you better then leave. No one holds a gun to your head to stay. I gave proper notice and although I was not there long, I appreciated the dignity and respect shown towards me by management in operations.
Doha is not a bad place. Perhaps the renumeration package could be improved as far as housing and education is concerned. That would make a big difference. Scheduling was strained due to expansion. I am sure this is still true today also.
Life is what you make of it. And happiness is an inside job. Not exclusively dependant on your surroundings. I know Qatar is not Disneyland, but it is a safe place to be. It offers diversity of cultural background that is interesting. There are in fact worse places to be on this planet.
As for ABB. Well who cares. The man has a job to do and we as pilots have a job to do also. So just do your job and enjoy the experience for as long as it suits you to be there. That holds true for any airline job in the world as far as I can tell.
Anyways, This may not be what some would like to hear. But if anyone is considering QR. I can tell you that it did not work for me at the time. But I did enjoy myself, and I actually miss many aspects of the place now. I would even consider returning if that was an option.
It may go differently for you. If it seems to be the right thing for you to do, then go and try it. You may last longer there than I did.
