pira Gulf Air have been advertising on pprune for F/O's on B767 and A320!!!

PS
pira A Gulf Air Ad has just popped up on pprune again!!

PPS Pira In case you did not see it go to www.gulfaircareers.com for full details

Thanks thegypsy,
the link you provided worked perfectly.
I'll try to send my application.
Do you know if they have a career plan for the First Officer, or it is just a permanent First Officer position, with no chances for upgrade?
Kind Regards,
Pira

I would not worry at all about a Gulf Air inerview, they need bodys in a bad way. Anyone who has a decent grasp of the English Language and can say yes sir to Cadet Captains is a shoe in . If you can live with the bond its a great stepping stone to a better carrier...... anywhere else! Best of Luck

What is the starting salary for an FO ? Can you live on it comfortably (married)? Is there any chance of upgrade? How do they determine which type you go on is it prior experience or just demand? End of qestions. Thanks in advance

Is Gulf Air still on the lookout for crew? Have been on the website and clicked under vacancies and it comes up as "no records found". I see there is still a banner that pops up every now and again on Pprune. I sent my application off last week Friday however and am still waiting to hear what the outcome is. I do know it takes a while!!!
Subsonic Mortal, did you go through your assessment at GF? Let us all know what the outcome is.
Any more info if anyone has any, would be greatly appreciated.:ok:

Hi Beechbum

I went for the selection in September and am starting in February '06.

Check out www.gulfaircareers.com - I think you will find what you are looking for there. I heard within two weeks after my second application and received the invite within 5 weeks after applying.

As far as the salary goes SAW, you will be able to live comfortably even if you are married.

Hope this helps.
Best regards

SSM

See you in Feb SSM!;)

Anybody serious on this forum, disregard "Dareya"'s observation regarding GF's recruiting standards...:ok:

Does anyone have the link to applying to GA
 

Does anyone have the link to the online application site for Gulf Air? And does anyone know if a CRJ 900-700-200 type rated Captain have a chance for GA, or if Emirates? Thanks in advance for the replies.

I went to the www.gulfaircareers.com website but I could not get to the Apply Online site. Can someone please paste the exact link to the application form for pilots? Thanks [email protected]

Hey ERJ145 flyer,
Yep I think the application process is closed at the moment. But try this.....go to the GulfAir Careers website and click on to register. I think it states "enrol" on the website and once you are in, it may allow to apply online. anyway try it and see what happens.

GF interview November 2005
 

Good morning everybody, i've been invited for an Interview with Gulf Air on November 2005.

I'd like to know some more information about Pay, Rosters and life conditions.

I already checked with the search option but i didn't find a lot.

I looked also PPJN but there are old information.

Thank you.

buboso

Hi me109

I have been with Gulf Air for about two years, and this is my 4th airline including a major airline in the US. Like any other airline there are alot of issues that GF has to take care of, but as far as the working atmosphere goes this is one of the most laid back companies I've worked for. I'm not saying they'll cut you any slack when it comes to standards and saftey issues but most of the people here are very cool. Like anywhere else you will run into some d***heads but not to many of them around. You can walk into the office and talk to your chief pilot or any other person in management without to much protocol. Not that they'll do much for you but atleast they will hear you out and it's a very pleasant atmosphere.

2lowgear hit the nail on the head. From what I,ve read on this forum, GF is definately a far pleasanter environement. You don't feel there is a fly on the wall watching your every move.( look at all the whingeing going on with EK and QR ). Maybe look at Oman Air, no-one seems to complain there!! I have friends in EK./QR and thats exactly how they they feel, from them and also from reading the many posts from EK and QR pilots. GF is very professional and, by and large you get treated with respect, not derision. Certainly, they are very very good when it comes to family issues, especially if you work with them and your family is in another country. Without question, after Dubai, it is the 2nd best place to live in the Gulf. Dubai is fast and the traffic is horrendous. Bah is slower and much easier. The working environement, also without question, is better than any of the Gulf states.

Gulf Air
 

tic,

You appear to have the wrong impression of Gulf Air.

"Very very good at family issues", Gulf Air are anything but! Recently a Pilot for the airline had to urgently return home due to family matters, unfortunately while he was there a member of his close family died (I won't give too many details as it is a sensitive issue). He asked for unpaid leave and was told by Gulf Air he could have 3 days compassionate leave then was expected back in Bahrain to fly!!

As for the airline being professional, I can imagine in the past it once was. The operational aspect of the airline today is out of control. You speak to any flight crew member for Gulf Air and I can guarantee most of them are fed up and looking elsewhere. The rosters are not stable and are frequently changed on a daily basis. From my understanding there are a number of small issues annoying the flight crew, however these small issues are starting to add up.

I have just heard the news that the Head of Flight Ops at Gulf Air is leaving for Etihad. Perhaps the flight crew should follow his lead?

gfboy
Sorry my friend, but you have the wrong impression, at least in my case. When my father died, I knew, that I was only entitled re GF rules for 3 days. That sucks, I admit, but in reality, I was given as much time as necessary. I thank them for that.
Regarding professionalism, GF is no better or worse than anyone else. Unfortunately GF is used as a stepping stone to EK etc etc. GF has many many problems, and yes, you can get totally peed off re the frequent roster changes, which I'm sure totally stuff up your plans for the month as they do mine. Perhaps our pilots shouldn't go sick all the time, for no real reason. Well, that happens in all airlines. At the end of the day the operation has to continue, and if you get a roster change, more than likely, it's not the Company, but your fellow operator that decides, he/she doesn't want to do that particular flight/block. Pretty selfish, but the changes are probably because of the crew, not the company. GF pilots run down GF, EK pilots run down EK, QR pilots run down QR, EY pilots run down EY. Point is, where will you be entirely happy.? Not going to happen anywhere is it?
Make your move according to what suits you. Stay or go. Quite easy actually. For me GF has been good to me, I like the guys I fly with, and I'm as happy as I can be. Hopefully you will find the " perfect" airline. Good luck, and I mean it.

GF
 

tic

well said, good for you.

I respect you and guys like you that look at the facts and have values for the company that they work for.

bustie

Ive been goin through the forums regarding the assesments n interviews with Gf. I have done my first assesment with Gf and im waiting for a letter of invitation for the 2nd assesment. Ive checked my status online and it says that Im on hold!!?? Have they frozen training until furthur notice due to the Abu Dhabi pull out?? It leaves me very confused and through sources Ive got info stating that I stand number 17 with one more assesmnt n interview to go. Could anyone make some sense out of it and how does my situation sound. Just for ur info its for thr Cadet Scheme

Cheers!!

I know that there is a ground school starting next week, one in December and I have been told I am starting in February.
I did the assessment in September.

thanxs limbo,but r u for the cadet scheme n i mean full pilot training from scratch?? Thats what im in for!

Ok everybody,

lets be fair with gulf air. It is an airline, and a business and they have to make money in a very competitive environment.

Maybe some stories will tell you that they do lots of bull**** and some others that they are not so bad.

So the truth lies in between. Most of the people (I will say 90%) I am flying with, are good professionnals and good guys.

So dont focus too much on one our two stories.

Yes they are short of crews and yes they have been changing my roster wildly, so what ? you will end up flying anyway, and once in a while you can make them a favor. Dont expect anything in return, but if you get called in your days off you get the extra money so is that not a win-win situation?

the next 6 months will be very interesting for Gulf Air so watch out!

cheers
BD

Is there any more news on re-equipment? Abu Dhabi's withdrawl may have affected this but last I heard it was either 737NG/787 or A320/350 to replace the current fleet, anyone heard anything?

Nope I am not in the cadet program.
good luck

Hi everyone,

I applied first at GF last year, with a quick negative response twice.

Then i applied again last August and got this reply about a month later:

Thank you for Applying to the post of "GULF1229-First Officers for A320 and B767 Fleets"

Your application is currently under review.

We appreciate your time is valuable and will contact you as soon as our review process has been completed.

Good Luck & Best Regards,

The Recruitment Team


I haven't heard anything since, this was end of september.
Does anybody have an idea if this means that i'm still in the running for an interview, or can i expect to get no more info from GF ?
I do meet all minimum requirements by the way

Many thanks in advance

Fat Old Lady,
I thought I was the only one. I received exact same and have since updated since I applied in September and have got the same response. Well have been patient for a while now and have yet to receive any invite or proper acknowledgement besides the computer generated standard reply.
It wouldd be nice to know. By the way I also meet the requirements....!!!

some interviews yesterday in bahrain...

I think, that the database is full with thousands of pilots who want to join Gulf Air, so be patient...

I am not a GF HR, it is just my point of view...

Hi Boeing Driver,
Ive got invited for an interview with GF for the Cadet Pilot assesment to be held at OBBI. It would include interviews and group discussions. Could you help me out with a few tips about how the recruitment team at Gulf Air is? And could u plz find out if there was a group that has already been called to bahrain before the present date.

Thanxs

hey ramy sorry, I wish i could help you there but i am a direct entry, so i have no clue about cadets...

GULF AIR - JUST A FEW SHORT Q's
 

I would be grateful for some clarification on the following please:
1. Do non type-rated F/Os only go to the 320? Are the widebodies an opportunity for otherwise experienced applicants?
2. Is there a seniority list? What is the current time to command?
3. What is the total approx. package per annum for year 1 F/Os? I realise that most people are not comfortable sharing this, even anonomously. So would between USD50k and USD80k be a very ballpark figure?
I appreciate any feedback. Thank you.

If you interview with Gulf Air, one thing that you'll notice right away is that they will present themselves, life in Bahrain, including the package and all monetary issues up front even before they even ask "Why do you want to work for Gulf Air?"

Depending on your background, this can be a real refresher. I remember having gone to interviews where they play games and ask such questions like "do you know how much we pay?" and "what do you know about our company?" :hmm:

Traditionally, Non-Type Rated applicants have gone either to the Boeing 767 or the A-320-- these are considered to be the "junior" airplanes in the GF fleet. Last year and again this year they have announced the need to hire direct to the A-330-- this is a bit of a contentious issue, as progress from the A-320 to the Airbus widebodies has been by seniority. One thing that you should know is that Boeing FO's normally do not transfer to the Airbus fleet, nor vice-versa. So yes, there is a seniority list, however things do not happen "strictly" by seniority (current situation as an example, also upgrades are subject to passing a "command assessment").

As with your mutual fund, past performance is not an indicator or future growth, and it is hard to predict upgrade times. GF words the outlook carefully. In the past, the transition from the A-320 right seat to the A-330 or A-340 right seat has been less than 2 years. Given current demands it looks like there will be many opportunities for those with Boeing experience to make an upgrade in relatively short time to the 767's. It is generally accepted that GF has one of the shortest times from new-hire to the left seat in the region-- however, I would figure on at least 5 years (others might contest that).

Income will depend on the fleet you are on simply because of the amount of flying you do and overtime, as well as your family status (married/# children). The base salary without any family allowance, education allowance, communications allowance, housing allowance, time away from base, overtime, call-outs, etc. is 1443 Bahraini Dinars per month ($3848 USD per month).

Based on my personal situation, the average yearly income for a married FO with 1 child on the A-320 will definately put you well inside the income bracket you have mentioned-- in fact, probably on the top side of it. This is based on "money in the bank"-- with a furnished apartment already being covered by the company. Keep in mind that at present, there is no taxation in Bahrain. Based on your personal spending habits, there is disposable income available, as well as the ability (and need) for personal savings (no pension plan).

Hope this information helps.

Nice post PJ, hit the nail on the head and would agree with all you say. Refreshing to see the truth without an axe to grind, well done!

Great post PJ - well done!

pj
 

thank you for your info it has answered some of my questions.

could you tell me what the other allowances are and also how much is the bond for training on the airbus.

thanks

gta

Like Jackbauer says: refreshing.
 

Thank you Panama Jack for your informative reply. It is welcome to read straightforward answers to straightforward questions.
I have 7000hrs TT and am currently heavy four-engine turboprop PIC, but only have 500hrs B737 co-pilot. I work for and have given my all to a respected company and they have treated me well in return. However the time has come for me to look after the next 25 years of my flying career and quality of life. Having trawled through the posts of the past year and done research on Bahrain it appears that Gulf Air is worth applying to.
All companies and countries have their negative aspects, but it is your own and your spouse's or family's personal happiness that is in the end the most important. Are Gulf Air crews and their spouse largely content with their T's & C's and living in Bahrain?

The short answer to that is yes it seems most are content, there is an 8% pay rise coming between now and July. As you probably know there is some bad feeling about DE F/O's to 330. It's not too difficult to have a decent lifestyle and save some money at the same time. There is no pension but there is a lump sum if you stay for the long haul and the longer you stay the bigger it is. It's not worth much for the first 5 years but then becomes something to consider before moving on. If you are not in a hurry to command and want a company with a future and the chance to fly wide body then it's a good place to be. Bahrain is the best place to live in the Gulf by a mile. It's not too busy and you can choose to have the life of a party animal or a family man. There is a chance to work hard, earn good money and the staff travel benefits are as good as anywhere else. Oh yeah as F/O on 330/340 expect to get between $6000 and $7300 US depending on overtime but never less than 6K, tax free of course.

Jackbauer, thanks for the input. I submitted an application today, so will see what comes of it. My low jet hours might be a bit of a hinderance in light of my age (35).
Time to command is not an overriding decision for me. I have spent enough time in the LH seat to not let that dictate who I would work for and where. A pleasant company and lifestyle is far more important. In the same vein, one doesn't want to spend 20 years as an F/O, but this certainly doesn't seem to be the case with Gulf Air.

gtaflyer,

The allowances that I can immediately think of are:

Wife Allowance (no girlfriends, no mistresses)
Child Allowance (up to four dependent children younger than 19)
Educational Allowance (depending on if Primary or Secondary level and if depending if being sent to a local or boarding school)-- probably will not cover costs in their entirety, depending on which school you choose.
Accommodation Allowance (if not taking company housing)-- you will probably have to supplement some money depending on your personal standards.
Transport Allowance (pays about a 1/4 of the two-year load I have on a new economy car)
Communication Allowance (a stipend towards your phone bill)
ATP Licence Allowance(they give you a few dinars a month if you have the ATP)

I will not mention the amounts since it would be pointless as it needs to be balanced in terms of the local economy. Costs of living are less though than in Dubai and Qatar.

Likewise, as far as the Bond goes, I can tell you that it is a three year, pro-rated bond with two different amounts depending on the type of aircraft you are training on (the A-320 bond is slightly higher amount than the B-767). It accrues in cost until you finish your training, and reduces in amount for every month you are working with the company after finishing your line indoc. After 36 months, it is at 0. Off all the monetary issues that are important, I worried least about the Bond because if you are planning a career with GF, it is rather irrelevant.

Echoing jackbauer's comments, Bahrain is definately one of the more livable places to be in the Middle East. What he has not mentioned, and still remains to be seen, is that there is no shortage of rumors on that a Muscat, Oman base will be opening. One could easily argue that Muscat is an even more attractive place to live than Bahrain-- many experienced Middle Eastern expats rate Oman hands-down the best place to live in the region-- more laid back than Bahrain and especially Dubai, offering a nice atmosphere for the lifestyle conscious-- especially outdoors or water-sports lovers. If it does happen, Gulf Air will, IMHO, have bases in two of the most liveable cities in the Middle East.

A friend of mine observed that after 3-5 years (if not earlier) many expats do suffer from homesickness. Regardless of how liveable a foreign country may be, it will still be a very different environment and what you get out of it is directly proportional to what you put into it. I've observed that Gulf Air, like other companies hiring expats, do look for people with a multi-cultural/expat/multinational background as there is a greater chance that they can weather trying times. On the whole, I've found GCC locals to be extremely welcoming and accepting of expats.

thanks panama
 

very informative.

do you have to do a technical exam if you are not rated on airbus or boeing?

is there any point to having own car and if so how much will it cost me to buy a medium car.?

do gf provide transport from home to work?

thank you again

gta

You do a tech exam regardless of what aircraft you are rated on. The exam is not type specific, just general ATPL type questions multiple choice. Cars are cheap typical medium size new car for $12000. No transport provided but as said already a transport allowance is paid.

What is the current status at Gulf Air?, management-pilot group relationship, QOL, schedules, days off, etc, in comparison to the current situation happening at EK? I've read lots of bad stuff from pilots working at EK, would this be the same case for Gulf Air?

Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

To be honest with you, I can't really comment much about management-pilot group relationships because I try to keep low key on politics, however, everyone in management I've ever had to deal with has struck me as pleasant and sincere-- but take that from someone who is pretty inexperienced (and a little apathetic) in the political scene. Having said that, in-cruise flight deck discussion doesn't normally revolve around how Management is screwing us, although occasional grievances are aired like in any company. I would like to mention that I was surprised though when James Hogan, our CEO, walked in on our new hire class to introduce himself and wish us luck-- at my previous airline I had never met the CEO in person. When I finished my line indoc-- I found a letter from him in my mailbox congratulating me on my success and wishing me a good career with the Company. Little things making it a nice touch.

What I do know is that the atmosphere on the job is good. Most of the crews are nice and I have yet to come across the backstabbing that one hears about at other airlines in the region, where there is a culture of crews confidentially reporting each other for really petty things. The cabin crew have a pretty rough life, we have a very high-turn over there which is unfortunate, but most are fantastic and they treat the flight deck crew very well (be careful or you'll put on weight).

We do work a LOT at GF-- I count 8 days off on my March roster, but with "non-ops" days (because after returning to Bahrain at about 1:00 am the rest of the day is off but not legally an "off" day) I can add on an additional two days. Our December and January schedules saw me logging in excess of 100 hours a month! January was a real eye-opener-- I hadn't worked that hard in years! Gulf Air runs lean and is quite creative in using it's limited resources-- beit in marketing, crewing, etc. This month's roster has been idyllic showing just under 60 block hours for me, with about 70 in April.

Keep in mind that in the Gulf Region, things may sometimes be a little slower or less organized than in English-speaking North America or some parts of Western Europe or Asia. On one of my first ex-pat gigs I ever had I was advised by our mentor "in the US we might make a list of 10 things we want to accomplish in a day. Here in this country, be very happy if you manage to accomplish three." Getting used to the local flow might take adjustment, but once you do, you might find it is quite a nice flow.

I have no idea on what is happening at EK, however, whenever I read the posts there I also cringe and am happy that I am not there. Fortunately, we do not hire DEC's at GF, and that makes for an overall happier climate. Like at EK, there are some people at Gulf Air who are unhappy. There is always room for improvement here at GF in a number of areas, but overall, I count myself as one of the people who is overall happy with his situation. We recently had one fairly junior FO resign to accept a position at British Airways-- and I cannot argue with that decision.

Like at any place, there are good days and bad days. However, when I look at all the major airlines here in the GCC-- Emirates, Etihad, Qatar, Saudi Arabian and Kuwait, I am convinced that I am working at the one with the best overall environment for pilots.