Kuwait Airways

[Saturn]

Can anyone shine some light on working conditions at Kuwait Airways? Read that they need crews for A300/310 and A320. Thanks.

[Joofhart]

Saturn,
I reply to your posting regarding Kuwait Airways my advice is to be very, very, very careful. A group of expatriates were taken on earlier in the year and ended up getting shafted. They turned up in good faith prepared to do what had to be done to get the formalities out of the way and go to work. A couple of them got as far as doing the type exam, the Kuwait DGCA test, all the simulator etc. before starting line training, only to be told after a few sectors that their contracts were being terminated. Nothing to do with standards, or performance, or anything like that. The company just called them in and gave them the message that they were no longer required! The suspicion was that there was some kind of brawl going on between the company and the pilot's union and the union won. Of course there were the standard denials about the reasons for the terminations, but the upshot was that the new troops were all back on the unemployed list in a short while. Apparently the expatriates that are still there are all long termers and all feeling uncomfortable. They are also being worked very hard, and having their rosters and personal lives severely disrupted by the whims of the management.
As I said, be very, very, very careful. If you do go there, watch your back, and be prepared for a fairly unpleasant lifestyle.
Joof

[newswatcher]

With the "search" facility down, I thought I would draw your attention to this thread:

http://www.pprune.org/cgibin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=014177

[Bhing]

From the above thread, I aggree with the following:-

"While the operation is run by politically appointed incompetents who are appointed because of who they are and not what they are there is little chance the operation will improve.

Even the current voices in parliament will have little effect as "waster" will move in and quiet them because too many important people have their hand in the till.

Too many types, insufficient operations staff, too many irrevelent staff etc. etc. and the list goes on and on. Pity when the Company has all the basic infrastructure and destinations to be a good operation.

If you pay peanuts you get monkeys; this generally applies to all of operations and when you consider the apparent world shortage in operational staff it would not surprise me to see a mass exodus.

Pity as it was a good place to work a few years ago"

Since that was written the exodus has begun, not only the expats but the Kuwaitis as well.

Yes the Company is looking for Captains only on A320, A340, A300/A310, B777 and possibly B747-200.

The comments above regarding being careful is very true. Make sure you study the contract carefully and talk with other expats before signing.

If you get past all the rediculuous requirements and finally cleared to the line you will find the operation and the pilots very good but the management absolutely hopeless all the way to the top.

Take care

[faheel]

Posted my reply on the Rumours forum before I saw this thread

[Willie Everlearn]

I was curious to note the many and varied comments as regards KCA.
Surely, all is not as it seems at KCA but surely to goodness, nothing's perfect.
Try working in the airline industry for a few years and you soon realize things 'ave gone to 'ell in a handcart'.
Speak to your colleagues at CX.
Tax Free is still Tax Free. So, KCA can't be all that bad. I accept that it can't be that good either.
Therefore an individual's right to decide, I suppose.
As for me...
all things considered...
maybe worth a trade off. Time on type in exchange for being jerked around for a few months. After all, prostitution is still prostitution. Isn't it?
All for one, and one for all. **ck everyone else.
That said...
what's it take to get in on this deal???
Surely there's more than just slagging the outfit. :eek:
Any 'reasonable' voices out there???

[Bhing]

Willie Everlearn, some of your comment has value and yes there are some good points. The training is quite good, the routes on all types but the 320 are OK and the pilots are mostly good to work with.

Now the other side of the coin, its bloddy hot most of the year, the salary is "B" or "C" scale depending on what they offer you ("A" scale is low to start with)- saved only by the the tax free status, the management is pathetic above the operational level, and the local government administration requirements are unbelievable. One of the most anoying things is that because you work for a Government department you require an exit visa to leave the country at any time even on rostered days off.

I am not complaining as I had a reasonable time but the slide started some time ago and I am told has not stopped. So if you are still determined to give it a go then:-
-Be careful
-Get everything offered to you in writing
-Don't go as a first officer

Good luck

[Joofhart]

Willie Everlearn,
In my earlier posting in reply to Saturn's request for information I didn't say don't go, I merely said be very careful.If you do go, you'll find that most of what has already been said is quite true. The simulator training is quite good, but when it comes to line training it's expected that you'll know everything instantly and not need any help along the way. In effect the training captain will just sit there and watch you stuff things up and not offer any help or instructional guidance. It's a very hard row to hoe if you're unfamiliar with the routes, the culture, and the social and political environment.
As far as your reflection about prostitution being prostitution you're indeed correct, but even prostitutes have the right to say "No" - at least sometimes! However, I think that you will find it will be very hard to say no if you're an expatriate line captain in the sandpit. If you don't already hold the endorsement there's almost no chance of getting a complete type endorsement from Kuwait Airways. I know that a few exceptions have been made over the years, but they have been for pilots already employed on types that have been phased out of the operation.
Your comment about being prepared to be stuffed around also sounds very familiar, but let me tell you that that wears very thin after a short while when you realize the inequity with which you're being treated in comparison with some of your national colleagues.
Having said all that, I come back to what I said originally. Be very , very , VERY careful about taking the final step and joining the outfit.

[Willie Everlearn]

Gentlemen,
Thanks for your 'responsible' comments. Having worked in the sandbox for several years, I can't imagine why I'd wish to go back there intentionally (of course) but alas, the airline industry in my homeland is totally FITH. Is there a better option out there?
Potentially, yes.
Is KCA an option?
The lads in Q8 really know how to stuff you about. They've totally re-defined 'arrogance' . But, I'm certain that once the playing field has been defined...previous sandbox experience should (hopefully) allow ones intuition to pretty much guess as to when and how they change the goalposts. ;)
A policy for giving and a totally different policy for taking.
In the end, once you strap on your A/C and depart Q8, you are in command and control of your own little world.
To be selfish about it, I suppose, I'd just like to get current on an aircraft I truly love to fly, and perhaps, max out my patience and proceed to my alternate.
Thanks again for your comments. I haven't heard back from them anyway.
;)

[fullforward]

Folks,

As I replied on another thread, KAC don't seems so desperate about pilots: they are not posting on their website, magazines or crew leasing agencies.
Do you have a different source?