Gulf Air Cabin Crew or Ex Gulf Air Cabin Crew...

[cyberkitty]

please pretty please help me out. I need to know more abt the basic pay of the cabin crew and how much I can roughly bring home per/mth. How is the living condition like and do I have to start with Gulf Traveller 1st? Why are there 3 bases and can we choose the base where we want to stay put?

Thank you.

[redfred]

met a new entrant LGW BA ex GF and he said they were rubbish, pay, conds everything

[flapsforty]

cyberkitty, at the top of the page there is a link called "search". If you use that, you will probably find your answer and a few more answers about anything having to do with Gulf Air.
Good luck. :ok:

[cyberkitty]

hello once again,

Redfred, can you tell more in details?
Maybe you can pm me?

Flapsworthy, thanks, I did that but the info wasn't that much and I was afraid that the answer might not be updated.

Thanks for replying though:ok:

[Elle]

I would like to know about the Gulf Traveller question too, I've searched but nothing recent, or too detailed.

I've been invited to the interview cattle call whatever you want to call it day in Sydney this weekend. Anyone else invited?


As for Redfred, yeah more details please? I've looked at your profile and all 5 of your posts have been made on the one day and all negative, or nasty....

[cyberkitty]

Reply pls. Any positive or negative inputs would really be appreciated. I really want to know more abt this company.

Thanks!:O

[redfred]

Apparently GF along with the other gulf state airlines treat westerners and especially women with contempt if you are an employee and the person who I spoke to said the wages were not particulary good and living out there was so very different from what we are used to

[cyberkitty]

yes i heard that too. my friends work with ek and she did told me abt it but still that doesn't deter her. i think everyone will be treated like an outcast coz there are so many nationalities working there and locals will be wondering where we are from. i guess it just normal. maybe they are not to open to speak up and that is why they stare...guess we just had to be open minded and embrace all that doubts we had..

[redfred]

Dunno where your from but BA/VS are recruiting in the UK.

[Confirmed Must Ride]

Main base for GF is BAH. Nightlife limited but not too bad.

Watch out for the locals, seem very nice and like a chat or two. They then offer presents.....Not very wise to accept them, does seem to have reprocussions. Very good training in the pink palace, or used to be.

Not crew myself but had numerous dealings with company. Seem to be on the up at them moment.

[Air_Dream]

Bahrain (Crew Hub) for GF is overly multi-cultural... probably more foreigners than Bahranis. American and British troops use it for RnR when they get leave and lots of British expats there.

[susanmurray]

Hi Cyberkitty

Worked in GF for 6years & have been living in Bahrain for 10years now. I had the best time of my life in GF. But it may be differant these days. Not so many European expats there, but alot of Aussies now, if thats what you are. Accommadtion has inproved dramatically since I started. So now all units are fully furnished with all mod cons. GF fly all over the world, but now layovers a re quite short, usually 24hrs or so. Bahrain is a great place to live. Very modern & the people are so nice & friendly. A very multi-cultural place & definately worth a try. Lots fo shops, fab restaurants, cinemas, but nightclubs are the pits! Need some new ones for sure. Life is easy & fun...so why not. GF may be hard work but the training is excellant. Pay wise I would say now with allowances, you would come out with $1730 a month. Good luck

[LooLoo]

From what I hear ( many GF FA's who are over there right now) things really much better than years ago. Seems Oz management making huge difference - at least in CC dept!!!!!!
Flats have really improved, training is excellent, and CC management tough, but fair and honest - at last!
Nightlife ok, all in all a great experience. I am hoping to attend next interview Oz.
Any one with more news.....please post!!!!!!

[mogley]

Cyberkitty,
GF has two bases, one in Bah & the other in Auh.It's not too bad in Bah,like everyone says the nightlife is pretty limited.Salaries are less than other airlines in the region.
Redfred,
Don't know who your ex-GF employee was but with the exception of the Skychefs all other expat c/c are females.We haven't had male crew here for years.
Confirmed must ride,
Nice racism.I'm a local & haven't given anyone any of the kind of gifts you're talking about.But thanks for generalizing about us!!!

[KTPops]

I recently attended a Gulf interview at LHR and to be honest, I wasn't that impressed...
As well as keeping us waiting and constantly running behind schedule, (I imagine this is because there were only two ladies dealing with the recruitment for a group of about 50 hopefuls) their interviewing tecniques leave a lot to be desired.

The day went as follows:

We were split into groups of 3/4 people and left alone to chat for 5-10 mins. We then had to stand in front of the rest of the candidates and introduce and give brief details about the people that we had met.
After this, about half the group were eliminated.

The next stage involved again dividing us up, this time into groups of 4/5 people for an "informal group discussion" with the two recruitment ladies. We covered things such as customer service, night-stops and living abroad in about a 30 minute stretch.
After this, again about half were sent home.

I made it through to the final 10 or so people and was greatly surprised to be offered the job then and there! The real shock came when we were handed contracts to sign 5 mins later!

I might be wrong, but before I started flying for my present company, I attended interviews with other airlines and NEVER have I been offered the position on the day of the assessment.

I was rather surprised that Gulf don't feel the need to interview their cabin crew applicants on a one-to-one basis either, I found myself walking out of the interview asking myself why I was picked! I didn't feel once that I had been assessed as an individual. There was no mention of references, no showing of certificates and they seemed desperate for us to start immediately, even asking some girls if they could be in Bahrain for the following week!

Overall, I was rather disappointed as I expected a higher standard from Gulf Air. Needless to say I didn't accept the job offer....

[desemirates]

KTPops:
sounds very unprofessional to me. perhaps they are in such great need of cabin crew they take anyone who turns up on their interview! talked to my mother and sister, who both used to work with them and their interviews were different. they had the renowned one-to-one interview by the end of the day and had to wait a long time before they were even offered the job. and to me, the one-to-one is the part of the entire interview when you get to sell yourself to the company and proove that you are suitable for the job!

[sixmilehighclub]

KTpops, first of all congratulations! Few questions though: Were you given time to read and consider the contract? Did you sign it? Nice to know where you stand though as most airlines have you on the edge of your seat for a few weeks! Were the ladies heading back to the Gulf with signed contracts to save time?

I am concerned they didnt hold one-to-one interviews, and of the level of assessing they appear to have done (or not done). Teamwork interviewing is vital but its easy for an unsuitable individual to merge in with the crowd.

I am led to beleive that GF are taking steps to try and increase their place in the marketplace for the mid east. If they are being 'slapdash' on the recruitment of new cc, any other changes to improve the airline are surely pointless?

Just before the Gulf War, there were discussions to appoint a UK recruitment agency to recruit on their behalf and there was a thorough process planned. Due to the war this didnt happen.

Because of the war, is it possible people are likely to be more cautious about working in the gulf, and if so perhaps GF think that they should reduce their interview strategy as not so many are applying?

[KTPops]

sixmilehighclub, they briefly skimmed through the contents of the contract but not in any great detail. We did sign the contracts but we were told that if we changed our minds about the job, we weren't bonded to the company and the contracts could be ripped up.

It is a great shame that they have chosen to recruit cc in this way. I think you are absolutely right about the lack of 1-2-1, group interviews allow certain individuals to take a back seat, or be shouted down by other, more vocal candidates.

As a result of this, GF have really gone down in my estimations, which is a great shame because as you say, they are trying to reinvent themselves and increase their market share.

[sixmilehighclub]

Hmmm, does sound like they have gone about mass recruitment like a bull in a china shop.

It will be sad to see new recruits starting training (which I hope is thorough!) only to find they are not cut out for it and return home. Surely the recruiters should be fairer to those applicants and take a little extra time to discover if they are suitable in the first place, which is what interviews are for.

People give up jobs, homes and belongings to relocate. It also puts more pressure on other new entrants. Lets hope not too many get hurt before they put it right.

KTP, maybe if you have time, apply to other airlines and find one to suit you. Seems you are commercially aware and other airlines are crying out for people like you!! Have you tried the other big players?? (PM me if you'd rather not broadcast!)

[Roger the cabin boy]

Cyberkitty,

A few words of (unsubstantiated) warning. A few years ago, I had a girlfriend who worked for Gulf Air. Although she had a good time socially, she told me some horror stories about what happened to some of the girls - essentially there was a lot of grooming and bribery going on in order to coerce said females into undertaking more unusual activity. ie, you can have a Rolex if you come on my yacht for a trip. Followed by, have a sports car and a thousand dollars if you get it on with my Bodyguards etc. And so on and so forth. Hearsay and rumour, yes - however, I believe what she told me. Be warned.

Roger Out.

[nitestop]

It really does make me laugh the comments people are writing about the GF recruitment procedure.Firstly,they are criticized for not asking for certificates,well,after the disaster in the BA recruitment of requesting relevant certs to find most candidates dont have them,they probably thought what is the point?! and as for telling people on the day if they have been successful....well that sounds pretty good to me instead of that agonizing wait and half killing the post man when he doesnt produce the infamous letter headed envelope!!Lets face it.We know that even through a one-to-one interview,the worst people get through,so I have my doubts about the way airlines recruit now anyway.Pepole bluff their way saying all the right things and then turn out to be the most vile crew onboard(how many times have you asked yourself...how the hell did they pass the interview?!!) I worked for GF for ten years,and now work for 'The Worlds Favourite',and there is NO comparison to the training and the operation of GF.They are first class.Unlike the worlds favourite where unfortunatey anyone can get in providing they come up with all the right 'gushy' lines in the interview...'future size and shape crap!(they can start by maintaining their B777 a/c so we depart on time!)GF go for a certain type and they generally know instantly if they fit the bill.Also they expect anyone that has applied to really have put some serious thought into living in the Middle East,and not go running home to mum the first time she gets dumped by a boyfriend!!!As for the comments about Rolex watches etc...yes that is all there for the taking if you want it(and the girls do!) they arent forced to go out with these gorgeous looking persian/arabs wearing designer suits and driving porches!!..no the girls go quite willingly believe me!! and who can blame them? when you see how British men tend to treat their 'dames' on a night out...hmmm,they dont quite cut the mustard in that department! For those of you who are thinking of applying..for goodness sake just 'go for it'! what other airline can offer you the chance to see such wonderful places worldwide(you will wait 5yrs in BA before you catch sight of BKK or SIN) and an ideal chance to save money and enjoy yourself at the same time(did I mention water ski-ing on a friday and drinking champagne on the sun-deck?!.).I know,its a hard life in the gulf,but someone had to do it and I would recommend it to anyone who has an ounce of spirit and are prepared for a bit of hard work with great rewards.The Gulf isnt a place for 'whimps',so if you do think you will miss your mums shepherds pie etc,then it may not be the place for you.

[Air_Dream]

Gulf Air running over the interview time? Ah, stop complaining and get used to it... its just like the flights! :D