Saudia
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Complete and sheer Corruption !!
In my career spanning almost four decades I have never ever seen an airline with worse maintenance ethics and pilot training programmes.
Airplanes are MEL'd so that VP maintenance can boast about the 'immense workload' the poorly mentained airplanes are creating for the maintenance department !
Similarly pilots training that should take ideally 3-4 months is taking 8-9 months. And then the VP training says, hey look how many pilots we have in the waiting list. So see how much work we do.
Same with housing, finance, transportation, operations, ticketing and planning.
It's like a builder having being tasked with making some buildings. And then he makes them all just 80% complete. Just so that he can impress upon the powers that be, that so many structures are incomplete so therefore I am working very very hard. Instead of completing the buildings and letting your results show your achievements.
This place is super sick. And only getting worse.
At least 35-40 pilots having finished their complete training and awaiting either their final release check or their gaca check or their final oral. Why? Apparently for lack of IP or GACA inspector or simply poor planning !
This, whilst airplanes sit on ground due lack of pilots.
Simply amazing...!!!!
Somebody ought to write in to the DG / CEO about these diliberate 'oversights'.
And while an expat pilot takes 9 months for training, his local counterpart completes it in 4 ....!!!
Airplanes are MEL'd so that VP maintenance can boast about the 'immense workload' the poorly mentained airplanes are creating for the maintenance department !
Similarly pilots training that should take ideally 3-4 months is taking 8-9 months. And then the VP training says, hey look how many pilots we have in the waiting list. So see how much work we do.
Same with housing, finance, transportation, operations, ticketing and planning.
It's like a builder having being tasked with making some buildings. And then he makes them all just 80% complete. Just so that he can impress upon the powers that be, that so many structures are incomplete so therefore I am working very very hard. Instead of completing the buildings and letting your results show your achievements.
This place is super sick. And only getting worse.
At least 35-40 pilots having finished their complete training and awaiting either their final release check or their gaca check or their final oral. Why? Apparently for lack of IP or GACA inspector or simply poor planning !
This, whilst airplanes sit on ground due lack of pilots.
Simply amazing...!!!!
Somebody ought to write in to the DG / CEO about these diliberate 'oversights'.
And while an expat pilot takes 9 months for training, his local counterpart completes it in 4 ....!!!
Last edited by Top gun pilot 797; 10th Nov 2016 at 17:53.
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In my career spanning almost four decades I have never ever seen an airline with worse maintenance ethics and pilot training programmes.
Airplanes are MEL'd so that VP maintenance can boast about the 'immense workload' the poorly mentained airplanes are creating for the maintenance department !
Similarly pilots training that should take ideally 3-4 months is taking 8-9 months. And then the VP training says, hey look how many pilots we have in the waiting list. So see how much work we do.
Same with housing, finance, transportation, operations, ticketing and planning.
It's like a builder having being tasked with making some buildings. And then he makes them all just 80% complete. Just so that he can impress upon the powers that be, that so many structures are incomplete so therefore I am working very very hard. Instead of completing the buildings and letting your results show your achievements.
This place is super sick. And only getting worse.
At least 35-40 pilots having finished their complete training and awaiting either their final release check or their gaca check or their final oral. Why? Apparently for lack of IP or GACA inspector or simply poor planning !
This, whilst airplanes sit on ground due lack of pilots.
Simply amazing...!!!!
Somebody ought to write in to the DG / CEO about these diliberate 'oversights'.
And while an expat pilot takes 9 months for training, his local counterpart completes it in 4 ....!!!
Airplanes are MEL'd so that VP maintenance can boast about the 'immense workload' the poorly mentained airplanes are creating for the maintenance department !
Similarly pilots training that should take ideally 3-4 months is taking 8-9 months. And then the VP training says, hey look how many pilots we have in the waiting list. So see how much work we do.
Same with housing, finance, transportation, operations, ticketing and planning.
It's like a builder having being tasked with making some buildings. And then he makes them all just 80% complete. Just so that he can impress upon the powers that be, that so many structures are incomplete so therefore I am working very very hard. Instead of completing the buildings and letting your results show your achievements.
This place is super sick. And only getting worse.
At least 35-40 pilots having finished their complete training and awaiting either their final release check or their gaca check or their final oral. Why? Apparently for lack of IP or GACA inspector or simply poor planning !
This, whilst airplanes sit on ground due lack of pilots.
Simply amazing...!!!!
Somebody ought to write in to the DG / CEO about these diliberate 'oversights'.
And while an expat pilot takes 9 months for training, his local counterpart completes it in 4 ....!!!
Airplanes are not sitting on ground due to lack of pilots. In fact there is almost no overtime on all fleets.
Take it easy. From paycheck to paycheck. And follow the MEL procedures
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It's a part of the job description. All of what you mentioned
Surely you jest.
🤔
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Hi , Im a captain on the B777 fleet and visit JED once in a while. It would be great if we could meet whenever you are in JED to know more about Saudia. Also can you recommend some nice restaurants ? 
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Another good example is Emirates. If you only go through recruitment process you will love it. Then real life comes. Despite countless warnings on this forum. It's still not that bad (IMHO), bur surely different from advertising.
And, BTW, not providing the true picture at initial assessment is also a part of the job description
P.S.: 17 years ago I also thought this place was very much like UAE ...
Last edited by Romasik; 11th Nov 2016 at 18:59.
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Hi. I'm an F/O on the 787 and would like to know how much I will be taking home every month as an F/O on the wide body. What kind of accommodation can I expect (I'm married with 2 kids) and is it true that an upgrade will take me 10 years? How many hours can I expect to fly a month, and how many off days will I get in JED? Please reply or hit my inbox. Thanks.
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Romasik, Bingo.... It baffles me when people fail to actually do any research, then spend a large portion of their time complaining when the reality sets in. Over the years, there has been no shortage of people on this site explaining what to actually expect on arrival. KSA is not an easy place to live or work, but if you can adapt and except the reality it makes for a lucrative placement. With proper planning and some luck many people are on track to retire 10+ years earlier than in their home countries.
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Romasik: Yes, that was what I was thinking. He didn't last long at Sun Express. He is capable of turning around an Airline that wants to be turned around but that's unlikely at Saudia. I would say that by far the most major issue at Saudia is maintenance. The maintenance department will not be changed, those guys are mostly "jobs for life" and they don't want to work. The only way to change it is to set up a separate maintenance company run by Expats and have them do all of the actual maintenance. The "jobs for life" boys can take charge of issuing the MEL's.
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Anyone For China?
Have a look at the link below for the latest CNN news concerning the pilot shortage in China!
It's titled "Want to Earn $300,000 Tax Free". It makes interesting reading!
Want to earn $300,000 tax free? Try flying a plane in China - Nov. 15, 2016
Perhaps all us Saudia expats should get together and form a "pilot contracting company", approach the Chinese carriers with an offer of our services and see which of them comes up with the best offer??
What do you think guys?
It's titled "Want to Earn $300,000 Tax Free". It makes interesting reading!
Want to earn $300,000 tax free? Try flying a plane in China - Nov. 15, 2016
Perhaps all us Saudia expats should get together and form a "pilot contracting company", approach the Chinese carriers with an offer of our services and see which of them comes up with the best offer??
What do you think guys?
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Stay away guys !
9 months to train expats ?! I heard someone is in 777 ground school/sim for almost a year.
It's amusing to read the questions of wannabes. Saudia was good a year back.
First officers please stay wherever your guys, they don't want us here any more. Things have changed drastically and conditions have eroded badly in the past one year. No command at all, lesser money, super long training and much more. Saudia is good only for Arab speaking expats at the most. Especially those who maintain seniority in their previous airline.
It's amusing to read the questions of wannabes. Saudia was good a year back.
First officers please stay wherever your guys, they don't want us here any more. Things have changed drastically and conditions have eroded badly in the past one year. No command at all, lesser money, super long training and much more. Saudia is good only for Arab speaking expats at the most. Especially those who maintain seniority in their previous airline.
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No command at all
The most senior expat FO's are hitting 11 years and still waiting with promises!
Are they still hiring expat FO's for any equipment?
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Hello folks,
As far as I'm concerned, I joined the Airline one year ago. Yes I agree, training is long and painful, yes I agree the rate of failures is high and the process is painful to be released to line. But what I've been told was true eventually, I mean if you survive the training. Flying in the Kingdom is Something smooth and rewarding. Most of time my professionnal life is really enjoyable. Unfortunately, beside my job my family life is poor because I'm still housed in a hotel in Jeddah. Therefore unable to have family joining me for now. I was aware of the fact I was signing a non commuting contract,..., so complain about that.
The only issue I could complain about is future and money. As you know JED is not the funniest place on earth to leave in, especially for a non muslim pilot, used to fly in Europe previously. And I must admit I was teased, more than one year ago, by the recruitment team during the interview abolut Saudi Airlines benefit package. The salary, based on overtime, was depicted as the best in the Middle East, and sure it used to be. But today, everybody is overstressed and scared about the near future to come. For the first time in the airline history, a major economical crisis is about to come, threatening the airline structure. Apparently, the management is targetting to stop overtime for everybody. As a consequence we should be paid basic salary from now on... As a consequence unfortunately, many of us can no longer stay if Financial conditions do not meet anymore our initial expectations, as promised intially...
Finally here this is my only concern for now.
Regards an safe flights
As far as I'm concerned, I joined the Airline one year ago. Yes I agree, training is long and painful, yes I agree the rate of failures is high and the process is painful to be released to line. But what I've been told was true eventually, I mean if you survive the training. Flying in the Kingdom is Something smooth and rewarding. Most of time my professionnal life is really enjoyable. Unfortunately, beside my job my family life is poor because I'm still housed in a hotel in Jeddah. Therefore unable to have family joining me for now. I was aware of the fact I was signing a non commuting contract,..., so complain about that.
The only issue I could complain about is future and money. As you know JED is not the funniest place on earth to leave in, especially for a non muslim pilot, used to fly in Europe previously. And I must admit I was teased, more than one year ago, by the recruitment team during the interview abolut Saudi Airlines benefit package. The salary, based on overtime, was depicted as the best in the Middle East, and sure it used to be. But today, everybody is overstressed and scared about the near future to come. For the first time in the airline history, a major economical crisis is about to come, threatening the airline structure. Apparently, the management is targetting to stop overtime for everybody. As a consequence we should be paid basic salary from now on... As a consequence unfortunately, many of us can no longer stay if Financial conditions do not meet anymore our initial expectations, as promised intially...
Finally here this is my only concern for now.
Regards an safe flights
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I have to be honest, I do not understand why any First Officer, particularly a young First Officer i.e. Under 40 would want to stay at Saudia. Qatar Airways has an order book of 208 new aircraft arriving over the next couple of years. "208" New aircraft, after nearly 70 years of operation Saudia had a total of 120 aircraft.
I understand that Qatar are offering fast command now for suitably qualified First Officers. In any case you would join a fair seniority list in a company that will double in size in the fairly immediate future.
Even Etihad have orders for 116 Aicraft which doubles their fleet over the next few years.
I understand that Qatar are offering fast command now for suitably qualified First Officers. In any case you would join a fair seniority list in a company that will double in size in the fairly immediate future.
Even Etihad have orders for 116 Aicraft which doubles their fleet over the next few years.
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There's no "fast track command" at QR. You join the queue of many others who joined earlier and have the company mins already, Yes they need a lot of crew, so does EY as you say and EK (& Ethiopian, Jet, Ryanair NAS etc etc).
EK have had many aircraft rotated through being parked-up, for over a year now, due short flight crew and flighties! 500 crew short on 777 fleet alone without accounting for needing new recruits. They're even employing turbo prop guys now, they have dropped their minimums so low in desperation. EY quickly following behind with shortages. Now SV are getting 3 new aircraft / month from Dec'16 (yeh I know all about the dribble about retiring 772's etc but it's not a 1 for 1 swap, they need many of them still flying longer, if they are to reach their 2020 goals!)
Now do the crewing figures. We may be surplus on one or two fleets right now but SV are going to be short crewed next year and from then on... UNLESS they get better utilisation of local crew and changed work ethics (& we know what the chances of that are). That also entails a more efficient less corrupt crewing / rostering department (fat chance of that!) such as the Jepp bidding system promised over a year ago now. Also, many of the 400 ex MAS crew either aren't turning up or are resigning to return home to B737/A330/A340 gigs with MAS/Batik/Malindo etc and that will compound the problem further.
With the flood of Memos out before the new CEO arrives in Jan'16 there's a lot of change to "tidy up the place". Let's see what the New Year brings.
"Just keep Swimming, Just keep Swimming ..." :-)
EK have had many aircraft rotated through being parked-up, for over a year now, due short flight crew and flighties! 500 crew short on 777 fleet alone without accounting for needing new recruits. They're even employing turbo prop guys now, they have dropped their minimums so low in desperation. EY quickly following behind with shortages. Now SV are getting 3 new aircraft / month from Dec'16 (yeh I know all about the dribble about retiring 772's etc but it's not a 1 for 1 swap, they need many of them still flying longer, if they are to reach their 2020 goals!)
Now do the crewing figures. We may be surplus on one or two fleets right now but SV are going to be short crewed next year and from then on... UNLESS they get better utilisation of local crew and changed work ethics (& we know what the chances of that are). That also entails a more efficient less corrupt crewing / rostering department (fat chance of that!) such as the Jepp bidding system promised over a year ago now. Also, many of the 400 ex MAS crew either aren't turning up or are resigning to return home to B737/A330/A340 gigs with MAS/Batik/Malindo etc and that will compound the problem further.
With the flood of Memos out before the new CEO arrives in Jan'16 there's a lot of change to "tidy up the place". Let's see what the New Year brings.
"Just keep Swimming, Just keep Swimming ..." :-)
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Quite an interesting insight chocks, let's wait for Jan 17. Not to mention the parallel movements from 777 to 787/330.
SVA320 why don't you move into motel and get your family. It's not at all bad and much better than many hotels.
SVA320 why don't you move into motel and get your family. It's not at all bad and much better than many hotels.