Avionco (khartoum-kabul)

[SOLANDER]

Got an email directly from M.Dodd ,the president of AVIANCO yesterday eveneing !! That was fast !

Hum ! Is that normal?!

Anyway ; My point in writing a few words down on PPRUNE today is due to the fact that I have applied for the F/A B737-500 yesterday and was wondering if anyone knows ANYTHING(Good or bad) about this so called "airline"

Are they serious?

Thanks in advance for any positive feedback : Solander .;)

[IFLy4Free]

They were contacting people today with additional information. Airline is Russian UTAir. Housing in Kabul is Green Village, no housing arranged yet in Khartoum. They are asking for uniform sizes and hat sizes.

Suggest doing a check for Avionco and their payment history. Also UT Air has had a few accidents/incident lately (past 2 years or so). Sine the aircraft is Russian you will have Russian pilots and probably mechanics.

While the money looks attractive, is it worth it...for safety.

[angel14]

RusAir Tu-134 this plane crashed yesterday..is this the same company??

[email4me]

Hi to everyone ,well I also apply for this fob as FA ,did get a replay to send a copy of my passp and license .
Any info or advice will be a great help!
Thank you !

[IFLy4Free]

Not the same company that had the crash. Al Jazeera news has an article today on crashes of Russian airlines in the past few years. You may also want to read about weather in Kabul and Khartoum.

[flyingjfa]

I am in the loop too. Getting the same e-mails as everyone else is. As for their lack of paying, I think this needs to be addressed somehow, and, given their history of not paying, I plan to ask it once position is offered. The threads I have been able to find are older, with the most recent post from 2009. http://www.pprune.org/terms-endearment/329180-avionco.html .

[IFLy4Free]

I received the offer. But in checking the USA Travel Warnings from the government, this is not a very safe deal. The US is pulling out of Kabul and the housing there is all international male contract workers. I believe this is the location where an American woman was raped by a contract worker. Khartoum is not quite as risky but the US government is encouraging Americans not to go to Khartoum due to the threat of kidnapping. For $5000 a month this is not worth it.

[IFLy4Free]

A group of Americans that have been offered this job are getting together to make suggestions on the contract including:

1 - Daily per diem (standard perdiem for this country is $125 per day but I need to double check)

2 - Business class travel

3 - Round trip ticket to and from home

4 - $2000 advance wire transferred the day before travel.

There could be more suggestions....not sure...anyone else have any input?

[flyingjfa]

Who is making the suggestions and what kind of pull do you think we'll have? I would like to find out who is paying us- the UT Air or Avionco? If Avionco, given their track record of not paying, i think they should pay up front and not at the end of the month. Something that assures us we will get paid and not be screwed out of the last month of pay. Business class travel would be great, but that is significantly more costly to fly someone overseas- like at least $4000+ each round trip, so I don't see that flying. I think a better request would be pay up front.

[IFLy4Free]

If you are not familiar with this type of contract work then you would not know that busniess class is normal. I have heard that training is in Moscow, but have only heard that from one person. Generally UT Air would pay Avionco and then Avionco would pay the contract employee. However if UT Air is late or slow or fails to pay then nothing says that Avionco will have the money to pay contractors.

Way too risky.

[Tiyara]

has anyone heard anything further regarding this job? .... it's so quiet !
it has taken too long !!

[flyingjfa]

Tiyara,

You should have received an e-mail today from them. As they say, it's a slow process, since there is international institutions involved. I sure hope they aren't this slow in issuing paychecks!

[Tiyara]

Flyinjfa

thank you, yeah I did get an update email yesterday regarding this big delay.

Yeah as you said, I hope our paychecks will get on time too. I guess Avionco has now straightened itself ...

[Manorexic]

Hi everyone!

I'm really interested in this position but I wonder where can learn more about it? And how can I apply for it? I checked the Avionco web page and they seem to recruit only pilots and engineers under their current opportunities section.
Thanks for any help!

[flyingjfa]

Just use the e-mail address under the "contact us" tab on their website and express interest in the flight attendant positions. They should send you some information.

[email4me]

any one has any news regarding this job ?......since last email from MD it been 10 days ......no news good news:ugh::ugh::ugh:

[flyingjfa]

Yes, no news is good news. You can always e-mail Mike and he will get back with you. I e-mailed him earlier in the week and he said that we should hear something by the end of the week, which was the 15th. We obviously did not, so I would expect him to e-mail us sometime the first part of this upcoming week

[SXGuerra]

Have you all submitted your uniform and hat sizes? Have you signed your contract.

[flyingjfa]

Yes, uniform sizes have been submitted, but contracts have not been sent out (to my knowledge)

[Tiyara]

* got one update this month 6th July

* were supposed to get the next update: the latest Monday 11July. We are today the 18th.

*no signs as how this situation is moving

* no contract review

* don't know when to start and how long we have to wait for

[SXGuerra]

I am leaving on Friday for my training to begin in Moscow. I have return my sign contract.

[RIOU]

hello this is for cabin crew position ?

[flyingjfa]

Are you a Pilot or FA???

[SXGuerra]

I am Cabin Crew. I am trained and have license on both aircraft types, I go where the ask me to go. The contract was back to them before 10 days. My friends from the USA will meet with me in Moscow as they have the visa now. You must to have a visa for Russia and Afghanistan plus Sudan. I took all my vaccination last week.

If you have nothing from the Canada company you should think to write to the airline.

[flyingjfa]

ok so it sounds like you are not working with Avionco? They told me their contracts will not go out until sometime today at the earliest. If not Avionco, who are you working with?

[Tiyara]

don't think SXG contract is thru Avionco.

Doesn't sound like it !

[flyingjfa]

Just curious what everyone is planning on doing for cell phone service. So far I have found everything to be incredibly expensive as far as cell phones go. Only alternative I can think of is Magic jack or vonage, but that is not a cell phone of course.

[flyingjfa]

Not sure if everyone is as frustrated as I am on this, but I have been told for about a week now that contracts should be out. The story keeps changing. First, they will be out that day, then when they aren't I'm told it will be out the next day, etc. The latest communication I received was that they would be out this weekend. They still have a few hours to meet that deadline, but I'm not holding my breath.

Perhaps someone with more experience can shed some light on this. Is this kind of delay the norm?

Avionco has had since June to prepare this contract, and I have been told they are waiting for one of the other dodd's to "review it". I would like to believe this should have been reviewed back in June and ready to go once all the other formalities had been met.

What are everyone else's thoughts on this? If we are paid in this fashion (delay, delay, delay), is this satisfactory to everyone?

[Tiyara]

to be honest I am not waiting for this assignment any more...the delay is not normal at all. I have been waiting since May for the June start and we are now end of July ...


What is killing me, is that I have let go two immediate jobs this season (end of May and another one in June) because I believed so much in this UN support as I have friends who've done that previously .....I can only blame myself..



Now I am thinking that Avionco must have a problem somewhere, it can't be normal.

But my question is : if there is nothing why would they keep us hanging in front of our computers for months?

They never keep their promises when they say they 'll be sending emails out to everyone. They say the same thing every time I call them...



i have read this few days ago :http://avionco.********.com/

Anyhow time will define the reality

[IFLy4Free]

Avionco is questionable at best. I know several pilots who are waiting for final checks for over 2 years. The delay for them is that the company that contracted with Avionco did not pay Avionco so Avionco did not pay the pilots. This too could happen on this deal. Just pretty "iffy", plus, if you are American the State Dept has warnings out that Americans should not go to these two countries. If you go, and get stuck the US will not help you get out. I would not go without at least $2000 available. No ATM's in some of these countries, credit cards not accepted, travlers checks may not be accepted either. These are things that should probably be asked of Avionco. Also, you need your shots...you do not want to get them when you land in Sudan......check the internet for what shots are required...I would guess teatnus, yellow fever, meningitis and a few others.

[flyingjfa]

OK good. I am glad this is not the norm. I too think something is going on and they are just not being truthful as to the delay. Either that or one of the business partners is slow at getting around to review the contract, which i can understand if that is the case, having been in business with a slow business partner before!

Most recent information I received on Avionco was on another web board, which i think was airline pilot forum, and it said Avionco had been paying their pilots "like clockwork". If I get screwed out of the last month, so be it, I will just get a lawyer on that. I am more concerned with getting paid for the other 5 (or 11 months). The contract is of utmost importance, and I trust we will not be encouraged to sign it expeditiously without properly reviewing it. Such is often the case when people stall at getting things out, they want us to make up for their lost time. Here it is 630 eastern, and still, no contract. I am not suprised at all.

Thanks for the heads up on the shots and the lack of available payment options. I'll make sure to take care of that.

[IFLy4Free]

Keep in mind that if Avionco defaults on any payment you will need both a US attorny and a Canadian one...or one who can practice in both countries! When dealing with a company that is outside the US I have heard that people have gone to the US Embassy in the particular country and been paid immediately.

Stay up to date on the Travel Warnings. Don't jump on any deal until the fine print is reviewed.

This could be a great experience or the experience from ...he!!. Make sure you put some money aside to pay your taxes when you get back. You will need to file self employment taxes...

[flyingjfa]

This evening I received the contract, and I am in the process of reviewing it. They do not have an official start date as of now, but should provide this shortly. Has anyone else received the contract?

[SXGuerra]

I am in Moscow and did go with the company in Canada. There is talk now that the airline may not continue with Afghanistan due to the rise in car bombs. They are asking us to sign a paper to say our family would not do legal against them if killed by act of war. Am maybe breaking my contract to return home. The airline is nice, but the job is not so nice. The airline will not to send the Russian girls or commanders to this job...

[flyingjfa]

Thanks for the follow up SXGuerra.

I think it is a good sign that they are considering discontinuing Afghanistan. It shows there is at least some concern there for safety of crews and the others involved.

I can understand why they would not want to send their employees there and contract it out, that makes sense.

How many are in your training class?

I find it interesting that they would have you sign a document on behalf of your family- and wait until they get you there to sign it! But, it hate to say it, but it is understandable they would want that to protect themselves, as it is a high risk for them too, and I am sure their insurance is pretty high for flying an aircraft in a warzone.

Once you receive the contract, ask as many questions as you can think of- and get the answers in writing. Always a good idea to save them on your computer, and save a hard copy at home, heck, even print one to take it with you!

I have asked a lot of questions from Mike last night and this morning, and he has corresponded in a timely fashion and put any fears of contracting with Avionco to rest. Of course, they can say anything they want at this point and take it back later, but that's why I have it in writing! I encourage everyone to do the same. Don't be afraid to confront him on things you have seen online either, and don't be afraid to ask tough questions. He has been forthright with me on every tough question I have asked.

Good luck to all as you make your decisions.

[IFLy4Free]

With all that is going on in Afghanistan there is no way would I go there not for three times the money offered on this particular contract. My life and my family are worth way too much to do this on a wing and a prayer.

First, Russia has one of the worst maintenance histories...this is not saying that the particular airline involved in this contract is lacking...it is merely a general statement.

Also, what kind of maintenance facilities are there? what if you have an inflight mechanical and have to land in a city more dangerous than Kabul? the contract may have your home base that is safe but what if you have a mechanical and have to stay in some mud hut? This can happen....

I hate "what ifs" but in this situation I do think they should be looked at. This contract does not pay enough money....people are doing this due to the economy or because they cannot get hired by an airline here (USA). Is your life worth the thrill or being able to say "Hey I went to Afghanistan"?

Why won't the airline send their employees? Why did other airlines turn down this flying? Something just is not right....

[Capt.Tentacles]

WoW.....that sure is gonna be some 'itinerary' hence, a 'flight plan'!!!!!

Good Luck!!!!!

[RIOU]

I received my contract but no news

[flyingjfa]

Last I e-mailed Mike was on Monday. He said we should have some more information Yesterday. Obviously that didn't happen. What he did say is that UT Air has requested crews for Khartoum so things should start moving soon.

[Tiyara]

we are the 29th August already, doesnt seem we'll start begining of September. Or maybe not September at all ... it's unreal !

[Dixie]

Has this contract even happened? I read that Russia was having problems with some of the aircraft or management on some Russian airlines....

[email4me]

Well this contract it been delaying for months now. I did send an email to Mike and he mention that the pilots are in training and they will be in Sudan by the end of this month and we will receive shortly information regarding cabin crew .So still no info at all could be some issue with the company in Canada or Russia or this contract will never take place .If any one has more info let us to know !

[Bandagg]

You may also want to read someones post on Avionco at, blog spot.

Links are not allowed in these forums, so either go to or perform a search for the above and you will not find good news.

Everything about this job says high risk!