Arik Air Accomodation

[empati]

"Arik Air provides accomodation, transportation, cooking, washing and visas and international travel."

What type of accomodation does Arik Air provide? Does it cover a family of four? Cooking and washing...what does this mean? Maid service or hotel?

Thanks!

[Captnhappy]

I dont know what they offered you or what you are expecting.
But no one in their right mind that knows anything about Nigeria will Bring their Wife and family into these poor sanitary and chaotic conditions.
But then again they may have offered you the world.

[empati]

No! I do not now much about Lagos, other than what I have read surfing the net. But there is British and American schools there...No, I do not expect much, and I wount take my family there unless I am completely assured.
I am employed and safe in Scandiland...for now...

I got the application package and terms.

[Ben178v]

We are living in dog**** hotels, eating **** food. I wouldn't bring a cat here and I hate cats! I would definitely try 1 rotation first and then decide on your family but I can guess what your answer will be already.

[LongJohnThomas]

Ben178v,
We are living in dog**** hotels, eating **** food. I wouldn't bring a cat here and I hate cats!
I would say leave the sh1t hole you find yourself and stop complaining.
empati,
I am employed and safe in Scandiland...for now...
You are a lot safer there!!
Captnhappy,
But no one in their right mind that knows anything about Nigeria will Bring their Wife and family into these poor sanitary and chaotic conditions.
I wonder why everyone keeps slagging off Nigeria and still remains there??:eek::=:yuk:
Just my 10cents

[helldog]

One very important thing to insist on. Make sure that your pad has a generator that kicks in automatically when the power cuts. If you don't have a generator you will suffer from several power cuts a day. You cant go without power and aircon in that place.

[NIJASEA]

Guys there is no law that says you must work in Nigeria, go back to the "safe, civilized" places you came from if there are jobs there. Corrupt/Unsafe Nigeria is the only place you can get jobs? We must be doing something right. You all come here expecting to be treated like kings because you come from the 1st world, bad news we gained our independence a long time ago. The accomodation in nearly every part of Africa cant be compared to Europe/America. We all take jobs coz we need an income to support ourselves and sometimes it leads to places we wont generally find ourselves but we adapt. I would not recommend anyone to move to a new job with their families immediately, get the lay of the land first and then decide.
All you guys shouting GET OUT GET OUT why not give constructive advise instead of negative feedback. We can all be negative but it takes a person with good intentions to offer a solution.

[TonyWilliams]

I wonder why everyone keeps slagging off Nigeria and still remains there??

At least you are consistent with your BS. Slagging on those who do so to Nigeria, while you relax in first world accomodations in the UK.

I suspect that few expats would be here if it were not for money. I also suspect that the folks who do the hiring know that as well.

Rather than you bemusing us with your same sided rhetoric, why not give examples of things you know in Nigeria that would attract people there? Perhaps throw a positive in a country that much of the outside world sees as negative.

Hugs and kisses,

Tony

[TonyWilliams]

Guys there is no law that says you must work in Nigeria, go back to the "safe, civilized" places you came from if there are jobs there.


And thankfully, no law that anybody has to follow your directions/suggestions, or mine for that matter. Come to Nigeria if you want to work here, and expect many/most of the things you've heard about.

For example, I'm currently going through a case of malaria. That might scare many westerners, and it should, because IT CAN KILL YOU. But, the positives are that there are first world drugs to fix you up (I feel better on day 2) and once you've been exposed, you'll build up a bit of resistance to the next case.

I found the experience less difficult than the worst flu symptoms I've had. I've heard of fellow expats being bed ridden for 3 or 4 days. Your mileage may vary, obviously. My suggestion would be don't come here if you don't have a strong predisposition to NOT getting sick in general. One pilot here quit after losing 30 pounds. He never got used to the food, and the occasion food poisoning.


Corrupt/Unsafe Nigeria is the only place you can get jobs? We must be doing something right.


Expats are working in many other 3rd world enviroments, so this isn't something that Nigeria has in particular. But, like those other places, they are employing pilots that the first world cannot.


You all come here expecting to be treated like kings because you come from the 1st world, bad news we gained our independence a long time ago. The accomodation in nearly every part of Africa cant be compared to Europe/America. re.


A bit disingenuous on your behalf. I suspect that virtually none think they will be treated like kings, any more than they are in the first world. I would imagine that are many working here that had any idea that it was a British colony before their arrival. They just want a job in their chosen profession, wherever it might be.

You're right; the accomodations cannot be compared in many cases to the first world, but certainly there are exceptions. The Sheraton in Lagos is quite nice, and a wonderful oasis for expats. There are others, too.


We all take jobs coz we need an income to support ourselves and sometimes it leads to places we wont generally find ourselves but we adapt. I would not recommend anyone to move to a new job with their families immediately, get the lay of the land first and then decide.


Well said. Of the expats I know working here, I do not know of a single one who brought their family. In Lagos, for example, the expat schools are centered around the Victoria Island, where the embassies and consulates are, and the major oil company headquarters (Chevron, Exxon-Mobil, etc). That is not near the airport, where you might be working. Plus, it's very expensive to live in Lagos in general.


All you guys shouting GET OUT GET OUT why not give constructive advise instead of negative feedback. We can all be negative but it takes a person with good intentions to offer a solution.


Whatever advise somebody would give would be quickly denounced 'cuz they don't live here. :ugh:

My advise, to work here is to accept here. Just like finding a spouse; don't expect you'll be able to change anything about them. Let the Nigerians fix Nigeria. And they will. Not in a year, or ten, or maybe 100. But they will.

[batsky2000]

To go a little off topic, I am going for my interview in 2 weeks, and after reading the contract i have a question. It says that 90% of your pay will be in US $ in a bank that you nominate (US Bank for me), and 10% will be in Nigerian currency. Do they wire transfer the 90% into your bank by the 30th of each month as stated, and how does the 10% get paid out? And when you are on your month off, if the 10% is paid in cash, how do they pay you when you are home?

Also it states that you get a laptop and mobile phone, do they issue these and do you take them home with you or do you leave them with the company before you go home?

As to your airline tickets home and work, will they give you what you want in terms of which airline to use? as an example, i live in Florida, and Delta is the main airline at my airport, and Delta has a direct flight to Lagos from atlanta, what are the chances of them using that flight for me?

The contract says that the schedule is 5 days on and 2 days off when working, how well do they stick to that?

Any other nice facts would be much appreciated

Thanks

[ex-nutjeter]

I am new to this forum and also have an interview coming up. I am also interested in the answers to those questions above.

Also, has anyone been recently to the interview who can give current interview gouge such as what the sim profile is and such? I was told it is done through Oxford Aviation.

Thanks

[Ben178v]

LJT

I wasn't complaining I was stating a fact to some poor unsuspecting sole who was going to put his family somewhere he really wouldn't want to.

Batsky

Your contract says on or around 30th. Out of my last 4 pay packets 2 were on time and 2 were 10 days late. The local 10% is given to you cash and it just sits there waiting for you to come back from rotation.
As for tickets I believe the American guys go to LHR as Arik fly there then get a ticket back to the US from there.

NIJASEA

You spout some drivel do you just copy and paste the same messages over and over again?

[NIJASEA]

Ben
If guys would stop repeating the same cr@p about nigeria when there is so much negative info already on the forum then maybe i will be able to put in a new point across.
Just out of curiosity which hotel did they put you up in and why are you forced to eat food you find terrible when you are obviously paid part of your money in local currency which could be used for getting yourself a good meal.

[Ben178v]

Blue ribbon and park lane. There are some ok hotels but it is just lottery as to which you end up in. The food was better towards the end after we had a meeting with the management every week for 8 weeks.

We shouldn't have to go and buy food elsewhere there is perfectly good food in Nigeria its just that they spend as little as possible on the cheapest food in the hotel whilst charging high prices.
They go round the corner from the hotel and pick up a pizza for 1200n then bill us for 5000n. For that price you can have the buffet at the Sheraton which is amazing. So if they can do it why can't the others?

[Mr. Smith]

Empati,

I would strongly suggest you do 1 rotation first, get a lay of the land before deciding to bring your family over. This isn't really specific to Nigeria but anywhere. I'm currently in the states and before deciding on moving to a new state I still check it out first.

ben178v,

What does that say about you if "We are living in dog**** hotels, eating **** food. I wouldn't bring a cat here and I hate cats!" is the best you can do for a job? Are you saying you yourself are beneath a cat? :hmm:

[TonyWilliams]

What does that say about you if "We are living in dog**** hotels, eating **** food. I wouldn't bring a cat here and I hate cats!" is the best you can do for a job? Are you saying you yourself are beneath a cat?


Speaking of cats, which I've yet to see here:

Cat turns into woman in P/Harcourt - 5 killed as cultists clash

Bolaji Ogundele, Port Harcourt (Nigeria) - 22.May.2008


This woman was reported to have earlier
been seen as a cat before she reportedly
turned into a woman in Port Harcourt, Rivers
State, on Thursday. WHAT could be described as a fairy tale turned real on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, as a cat allegedly turned into a middle-aged woman after being hit by a commercial motorcycle (Okada) on Aba/Port Harcourt Expressway.

Nigerian Tribune learnt that three cats were crossing the busy road when the okada ran over one of them which immediately turned into a woman. This strange occurrence quickly attracted people around who descended on the animals. One of them, it was learnt, was able to escape while the third one was beaten to death, still as a cat though.

According to a source who witnessed what happened, the cat-woman said she and the two other cat-fellows had travelled from Abuja to Port Harcourt to kill three people. “The woman said they came to Port Harcourt from Abuja and that they came to kill three people. She said they had succeeded in killing two people, but the third person, whom I guess might be a pastor, was difficult for them and that they were preparing to go back to Abuja,” said the source.

Another witness, who gave his name as James, said the woman started faking when she saw that many people were gathering around her. “I have never seen anything like this in my life. I saw a woman lying on the road instead of a cat. Blood did not come out of her body at that time. When people gathered and started asking her questions, she pretended that she did not know what had happened," he said.

When the Nigerian Tribune got to the scene of the incident near Garrison Junction, the cat-woman was seen sitting on the ground with blood all over her body. The right side of her face had a deep cut from what was gathered to be from a cutlass.

She was later taken to a hospital for medical attention. It took the intervention of policemen to prevent the mob from killing her.
When reached for information from the police, the Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State police command, Mrs. Rita Inoma-Abbey, said she had been taken to the hospital.

“She has been taken to Teme Clinic. Police will still be guarding her so that she will not disappear,” he said. In another development, at least five people have been confirmed dead while four others were said to be receiving medical treatment following a suspected cult clash in Aluu, one of the host communities of the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Nigerian Tribune gathered from sources around UNIPORT that the clash, which led to the loss of lives and injury to others, was between two cult groups; Vikings and Black Axe Confraternity, a spill over of the struggle between the two cult groups on the RSUST campus, Port Harcourt.

[helldog]

Man some freaky suff goes on in Nigeria hey? A cat turned into a woman!!! :ugh:

[NIJASEA]

In Nigeria we call that 'JUJU' :ok:

[NIJASEA]

In Nigeria we call that 'JUJU' :ok:

[TonyWilliams]

Here's a lovely hotel in Lagos, Nigeria.


http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/ss92/TonyWilliams/Nigeria2009LagosHotelModified.jpg

[TonyWilliams]

The hotel is even lovely inside


http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/ss92/TonyWilliams/Nigeria2009LagosHotelModified2.jpg

[TonyWilliams]

From the referenced hotel, here's the street directly over the fence:


http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/ss92/TonyWilliams/Nigeria2009LagosHotelModified3.jpg

[soggyboxers]

As long as you're living in the nice hotel and not camping in the adjoining street I guess you have no complaint then :E

I remember many years ago staying in a very expensive hotel near the centre of Oslo on a Saturday night where my room overlooked the car park at the rear. I slept very little because from around 2200 the drunks were coming into the car park to drink spirits from the bottles concealed in brown paper bags, and pee and vomit and I sat in the window for some hours making sure my car wasn't amongst those receiving a new version of liquid polish :}

[batsky2000]

I wish i had some pictures of some places that I stayed at in some parts of the Middle east, this place does not look all that bad. At least you got a pool!!

[Jeffdh17]

I work at Arik and my hotels have never looked like that one. I'm sure it exist, but I wouldn't use that hotel as an example of where you'll be staying, should you choose to join the ranks of Arik.

[icedash]

Jeffdh17
Could u post pics of the accommodation that you´ve stayed at?
Do you know approx when the new compound will be ready?

I just finished my assessment last week and I´m trying to get a realistic picture of what I could expect if they´ll offer me a position...

[wonderdog]

Nok art ! Very collectable............. if you can get the real thing !

[TonyWilliams]

Probably more typical hotel arrangements:


http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/ss92/TonyWilliams/Nigeria2009LagosHotelModified4.jpg

[Jeffdh17]

I concur. I'll post some pics of my hotels asap

[roland1234]

Hello Icedasch,
I have my assessment (as a direct entry capt.) next month in London at OAA. Can you give me as much detail as possible???
Thx a lot!
Roland.

[B7478001]

:DHey did I hear Arik was building new accomodations?

[icedash]

Hi Roland1234.

The assessment was pretty easy going.

First day we had interview(very easy going and short), then couple of computer test. Psychological test(2 statements that you had to choose which fits you best, or if both wrong, which one was the least wrong)
Some kind of joystick test, approx 20 ATPL questions(what will happen if you try t/o with ice cont both under and over the wing, you descent from 37000ft to 7000ft, how far will you go approx in still wind,you loose press at 37000ft, how long time do you have(or something like that), what´s left of the rwy when the rwy lights turn red...), some simple math questions but no calculator allowed. You only have a paper and a pen.
I would refresh how to divide not using a calculator, there was a question "what´s 368567 divided by 11? or something like that....
You get as much time to prepare as you want but for the math calculations you only get 20min.

The second day was the simulator, B737NG sim. If you are type-rated for the 37 they cut one engine but if not you are to fly a dep ex Shannon to an NDB, intercept a QDM to another NDB, some steep turns, intercept the QDM again and enter a holding. Then you get cleared for an approch and you fly ILS and land. We were allowed to use a FD.
The assessor will be in the right seat as an FO.

Hope this will help but you get a lot of xtra info if you search the forum :)

B7478001
I was told by pilots downthere that Arik is building a compound where all pilots are to stay at, but they don´t know when they will be moved there.

[SIERRA ECHO XRAY]

Just be careful on those terms. I was in Nigeria years ago but on bussiness and I exactly know what I am talking about. The rosy potrait might be far from it when you get on the ground. Its imparative that you talk to someone who just got hired there and also someone who has been working there for a while. Then pick and choose.....And no I wouldn't move my family there immediately. Alot of adapting needed before they can come .....Good luck

my two cents

[Ben178v]

People keep talking about the compound I believe that it will be a whole new can of worms. At the moment some hotels are fine and some are not but with a bit of persuasion you can get into a better one. Once/if the compound is finished I really don't believe that it will be better than a hotel. Socially it will improve we can all talk about hairy planes all day long :eek: Possibly the lazy assed drivers won't have as many excuses not to deliver us from the prison. But what about the other services surrounding it? Food supply, cooking, cleaning etc Arik does everything on the cheap and doesn't pay ontime. I do like to try local dish's and especially like the mooi mooi (however you spell it) but I don't fancy pounded yam and goats face stew (eki woo) as the main dish's on the menu. Just the same as i'm sure Nigerians in the Uk wouldn't fancy yorkshire puddings and bangers and mash. Everybody likes a little taste of home when they are so far away.

Just my thoughts although nobody asked for them.

[oneeyed]

Everybody likes a little taste of home when they are so far away.

I suggest you visit "The Londoner" in Ikeja GRA for a bite of home cooking. Their Steak and Kidney Pie comes as good as it can get.

Bon Apetit :ok:

[Boeing Aloft]

Does anyone know the time frame from interview till Arik accepts or declines you a position?
Anyone else who can add to the interview process would be appreciated.
Thanks

[Ben178v]

The ministry for health shut down the londener.:ugh:

[Capt.5N-CBB]

O i love Arik hope i get hired by them someday....nice fleet too....

[NIJASEA]

londoners was shut down by neighbours complainig about the noise not by the health ministry.

[RWEDAREYET]

That's too bad, I loved going to the londoner.