Abu Dhabi ATCO
 

I tried posting the same thread in the ME forum but no answer so forgive for trying here.

Anyone who can help me with some info on Abu Dhabi, ACC.

Anything is of interest: salary, roster (+ leave during a year), general working environment, were to live working in Abu Dhabi (Dubai vs Abu Dhabi) etc.

You hear a lot of bad things about the area at present, is it really that bad or are the happy guys just being very quiet?

Thanks

I think you'll find if you do a search on the Middle East forum for ATC jobs or something like that you will find lots of info about UAE ACC in Abu Dhabi. I will PM you when I get a chance with a quick run down of the package but as far as Dubai versus Abu Dhabi, all I will say is I am thankful everyday I live 1 and a 1/2 hours south of Dubai and not in the dusty, grid locked, overpriced building site. Maybe in 50 years when its finished (:confused: ) it might be okay, but right now I would without hesitation go for the relative serenity and sanity of Abu Dhabi, and visit Dubai when the urge hits.

As far as bad or good here. Its what you make of it. If you see the glass half empty, you will spend your life here miserable pointing out the empty glasses everywhere. Best advice is come out and visit and decide for yourself. We even have Carlsberg and Tuborg again these days, just don't draw anymore cartoons ;)

Thanks, I'll run a search on the forum to check for info and would appreciate the PM whenever you get the time.

I will come an visit before I decide thats for sure, its a must to get plenty of insight prior a decision that will influence at least the next 3 years of my life.. if they wont grant the leave then quitting the job in Copenhagen might be more permanent than planned, but plenty of us are ready to leave I think, it almost seems like the company is encouraging people to quit with their way of going about things.

The reason for the whole living in Dubai vs AD thing was the fact that a lot of the friends soon leaving for Dubai will settle close to the city and my girl and I being the 'only' ones down at Abu Dhabi could make it harder to keep contact.

And another thing, they opened for direct hire instead of SERCO, whats the pros and cons of the two options? (given they ARE options?)

Muren check your PM

relative to what?............Baghdad?:ugh:

As I said relative to Dubai. In Abu Dhabi you don't sit in traffic jams for 2 hours. You generally get around easily and cheaply by taxi (if a bit smelly at times), and for the most part there are not constant roadworks everywhere.

Now as Burj will undoubtedly reply, things are far from perfect in Abu Dhabi, but as I said before, if you see the positives of the place (good weather, good reasonably priced restaurants, friendly expat community etc.) rather than focusing on the negatives (spiralling cost of rent, understaffed overworked working conditions), you can have a good time here. But you have to come here with your eyes open. Cheers.:ok:

Airno = SUCKO's new recruitment officer:D

If I was wasting my time you wouldn't be watching and certainly wouldn't reply.

Ana asif. Sh:mad: t!!! another irate taxi driver

:= Nay! just amazed that Sucko/GSEEAA keep serving up half empty glasses and then wonder why they can't get any customers

ANSA and Tivoli thanks for your help via PM.. As for you Burjal I wonder why you even bother answering in a thread like this when you don't contribute with anything.

You fit the profile of a bitter man allright, but why?

you'll see

Muren as you've seen there are differing points of view about working here. I won't sink to Burj's depths and continue a slinging match, that ends up with us getting completely off topic. Suffice to say that there are some very bitter and twisted people who have left here, and for some reason continue to try and deter people from coming here, even though it has nothing to do with them anymore. Bottom line is I would never be able to have 24,000 dirhams (about $6400 USD) in my hand each month after rent, health insurance, one return air ticket to Oz for me and my family each year, utility bills has been taken out, back in Oz. In return for that high salary, we work really hard. Personally I enjoy the job. As you can see some people evidently don't. Come look, and talk to all the guys and decide for yourself. Cheers.

ANSA,

The Dhs24,000...is that before or after school fees?

:)

As you know Red Dragon, thats before school fees. As I have said in previous threads, if you have more than one school age child, you are better off on an all in package like Bahrain where you are getting about 22,000 dh's including school fees and living in a villa (but you live in Bahrain). Whereas if you are without school age kids you are better off here, and if you have one young school age kid, it is about the same.

Cost of living comparison between Abu Dhabi and Dubai though is an easy one. You will end up spending a lot less day to day in Abu Dhabi than Dubai.

Hi Muren

Got caught up with the bitter in a similar thread to this one with someone asking about Dubai... DO NOT BE PUT OFF BY THE NEGATIVE, MOANINGS OF PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TO HATE IT BUT KNOW WHICH SIDE THEIR BREAD IS BUTTERED!

If it was that bad there would be nobody here! They wont leave because they have either burnt bridges or the UAE is better than their alternative.

Its not perfect but show me an atc unit where nobody moans. I think one of the worst things here is the amount of moaning by your colleagues.

Just look at your reasons for coming... If it's for an extended, sunny, working holiday you will be in exactly the right frame of mind to unplug, leave your woes at the radar, and enjoy the multitude of activities that you may not have available or cannot afford in your own country. You will meet some great people from different cultures and return home when you are ready a richer person. AD, Dubai, Muscat, Bahrain... They all have pro's and con's so take your pick and enjoy.

Cheers.

ANSA
No I wasn't aware of that but thanks. I had heard rough details of the "new" package at the centre but didn't know the fine print of how the allowances were worked out. It certainly doesn't look very attractive for anyone with two or more children. I just hope our new contract next year stays in the same format is it is now as I think the lump sum will deter families and hence people who are more likely to stay long term.

:ok:

You may be right Red Dragon, and I think Serco may have painted themselves into a corner by encouraging only single mostly short term people to come, but for us that are here with no kids at school, it was a very big win.

The argument of whether the setup we have here now is fair or not is a difficult one. On one hand the single guys say that since they work just as hard and work just as much traffic as a married guy with kids, he deserves the same amount of money. On the other hand the guys with kids say that because it's always been the way, education should be paid for by the company above and beyond the salary they get. Probably the best compromise would have been that regardless of family situation all guys got the same accomodation and same salary, and still education was paid for by the company. But that wasn't the direction they chose to go in, which sucked for the long term guys here with kids in school.

Bottom line now is that if you are coming to the Gulf as an Area controller, if you have school age kids, Bahrain is the best option, and if you are a guy with no school age kids, Abu Dhabi or Muscat is the best option. Will be interesting to see in a couple of years, what the turnover of controllers is here. A lot of new guys here now, but the big question is will any of them stay beyond 2 or 3 years, like most of the family guys have (who more often stay 5 years plus, cos their kids are in school). Also with education costs going up by 15 to 20 % annually here, and family size accomodation going up in rent by more than that, it will be increasingly difficult for married guys with kids to stay here, even if they wanted to.

Interesting times ahead!

ANSA, For a single person, is there a diferrence Serco/GCAA contract? PM if necessary. Thanks
Will the opening of the DXB 2nd runway make your lifes easier in the ACC?