Would you fly to Saudi Arabia?
Join Date: Aug 2001
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just heard on the news: american aeronautical engineer kidnaped in Saudi Arabia,another one killed.It seems it's the first american kidnaped here.Things are getting worse,I guess will soon slip out of control.No place to be right now.Even on transit.
4holerpoler:i suggest you forget about your shawarma,or the souk.I'll do that,if I were there.
4holerpoler:i suggest you forget about your shawarma,or the souk.I'll do that,if I were there.
I am a figment of my own imagination
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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Shawermers tasted pretty good after being away for a while but yes the atmosphere in town has changed. Friends who have been here for years are concerned and even other non local arabs are getting a little edgey. The sad part is all my local friends are worried for me and that bothered me a bit. Its a real shame but then there are the fruitcakes and odballs in a lot of other places as well. I always felt decidedly uneasy in Lagos having had an exciting start in that town once.
Still heading on down to Africa now so perhaps a good time to be out of town.
Still heading on down to Africa now so perhaps a good time to be out of town.
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RH
Do many people fly to Torquay come to think of it where is Torquay
As for me off to RUH tonight in town for a night stop will not be venturing out of the hotel. Apart from going to the disco
Like must things paranoia can take control if you let it.
Do many people fly to Torquay come to think of it where is Torquay
As for me off to RUH tonight in town for a night stop will not be venturing out of the hotel. Apart from going to the disco
Like must things paranoia can take control if you let it.
I'm delighted to see that BA have decided not to night stop in the Kingdom, its an extremely sensible decision. However, I'm interested in knowing they they picked Kuwait this time and not Larnaca, any ideas?
For the first time in my memory, the UK Foreign Office are sending lower level diplomats and their families home from the kingdom.
I would strongly suggest that any other airline crews approach their own management to remove night stops.
Mutt
For the first time in my memory, the UK Foreign Office are sending lower level diplomats and their families home from the kingdom.
I would strongly suggest that any other airline crews approach their own management to remove night stops.
Mutt
Join Date: Nov 2002
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This in today's Telegraph may help:
"BA said it was eliminating its eight direct flights per week from London to Riyadh and Jeddah and re-routing them via Kuwait City. Staff would spend the night in Kuwait to avoid the journey from a Saudi airport to a hotel.
Fresh crews would board aircraft in Kuwait for the short flight to Saudi Arabia, where they will stop briefly before returning to London on the carrier's direct flights from Riyadh and Jeddah."
Looks like things are happening pretty fast out there, I left Riyadh 3 years ago when the bombings started and the anti-Western feeling was just gaining momentum and becoming noticeable - dread to think what it's like now.
4HP - I'm sure life was quite normal for all of the Yanks in the papers right now - up to the moment they were gunned down!!
MD
"BA said it was eliminating its eight direct flights per week from London to Riyadh and Jeddah and re-routing them via Kuwait City. Staff would spend the night in Kuwait to avoid the journey from a Saudi airport to a hotel.
Fresh crews would board aircraft in Kuwait for the short flight to Saudi Arabia, where they will stop briefly before returning to London on the carrier's direct flights from Riyadh and Jeddah."
Looks like things are happening pretty fast out there, I left Riyadh 3 years ago when the bombings started and the anti-Western feeling was just gaining momentum and becoming noticeable - dread to think what it's like now.
4HP - I'm sure life was quite normal for all of the Yanks in the papers right now - up to the moment they were gunned down!!
MD
Join Date: Jun 2004
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Regretably, Crash 1, flying to, transiting in, and departing from "Risky" locations are part and parcel of our profession. Sadly, for a large number of our colleagues, 'War Zones R Us'.
There always have been, and always will be 'Hot Spots' around the globe, and every aviator knows that sooner or later he/she will have to venture there, it's part of the job.
I live in a stable country, and work for a stable international airline but operate to danger areas such as Saudi Arabia, Bali, New York, Madrid et al.....If my company ceased operations to such danger areas, we might as well all go home.
If you have sufficient personal industrial insulation to stand your ground and refuse to operate to Saudie Arabia, you would, by your own evaluation of the risks there, be sending other substitute crews to their doom. Can you live with that?
Perhaps a solution may be to institute a voulenteer system for those crews who would willingly go to coutries categorised by the British Foreign Office as unsafe - for suitable remuneration of course!
Might I suggest that since 9/11 the cockpit of an aeroplane may be a more dangerous location than the comparative safety of your hotel room in Saudie Arabia.
If you can't stand the heat - get out of the kitchen!
There always have been, and always will be 'Hot Spots' around the globe, and every aviator knows that sooner or later he/she will have to venture there, it's part of the job.
I live in a stable country, and work for a stable international airline but operate to danger areas such as Saudi Arabia, Bali, New York, Madrid et al.....If my company ceased operations to such danger areas, we might as well all go home.
If you have sufficient personal industrial insulation to stand your ground and refuse to operate to Saudie Arabia, you would, by your own evaluation of the risks there, be sending other substitute crews to their doom. Can you live with that?
Perhaps a solution may be to institute a voulenteer system for those crews who would willingly go to coutries categorised by the British Foreign Office as unsafe - for suitable remuneration of course!
Might I suggest that since 9/11 the cockpit of an aeroplane may be a more dangerous location than the comparative safety of your hotel room in Saudie Arabia.
If you can't stand the heat - get out of the kitchen!
quidquid excusatio prandium pro
Join Date: Jun 2001
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Wise words, Old Smokey, although I doubt very much that most aircrew have the ‘sufficient personal industrial insulation’ to refuse rosters allocated to them by an uncompromising management. I suspect many aircrew will simply ‘go sick’.
I think many of us have operated in the proximity of hot zones before, the major hazard has been that of the stray bullet. The difference with this one, however, is that the passports we carry now automatically award us combatant status in the eyes of the insurgents.
I sincerely hope that it does not take a catastrophic hull loss to persuade management that this time, all necessary precautions must be taken, immediately and aggressively. Collective heads in the desert sand will only lead to disaster.
A wise first step, as BA has done, should be the cancellation of Kingdom night stops.
I think many of us have operated in the proximity of hot zones before, the major hazard has been that of the stray bullet. The difference with this one, however, is that the passports we carry now automatically award us combatant status in the eyes of the insurgents.
I sincerely hope that it does not take a catastrophic hull loss to persuade management that this time, all necessary precautions must be taken, immediately and aggressively. Collective heads in the desert sand will only lead to disaster.
A wise first step, as BA has done, should be the cancellation of Kingdom night stops.
Join Date: Feb 2002
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I for one won’t have to go there any more I have just taken a job with EUjet at Shannon, based in Kent but working with some of my old TransAer friends.
I was at Shannon recently and they are rely nice and building a team in advance of introducing scheduled services later this year.
They have a great office and lots of vacancies for experienced office based people
I was at Shannon recently and they are rely nice and building a team in advance of introducing scheduled services later this year.
They have a great office and lots of vacancies for experienced office based people
Join Date: Feb 2002
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They have three senior captains in the office all with Airbus experience! I can’t see the F100 having a long life: although it is a fine aircraft and probably the best available for building the business:
Join Date: Feb 2004
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Lockheed Engineer Killed
Spreading like wild fire in this part of the world.
Saudi is only the begining. Who's next Quatar, UAE? This area is a hot bed of activity that will keep the professionals away in droves.
The Saudi's will be looking for a lot of qualified individuals very shortly, as most of the 60,000 or so are going to leave.
Good luck to all.
terorrist
Saudi is only the begining. Who's next Quatar, UAE? This area is a hot bed of activity that will keep the professionals away in droves.
The Saudi's will be looking for a lot of qualified individuals very shortly, as most of the 60,000 or so are going to leave.
Good luck to all.
terorrist
Might I suggest that since 9/11 the cockpit of an aeroplane may be a more dangerous location than the comparative safety of your hotel room in Saudie Arabia.
Join Date: Jan 2003
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As professional as I can usually be, let me tell you that the only problem that could have grounded my aircraft in RUH this afternoon would have been a double flameout while taxiing.
Now enjoying a cold Carlsberg in AUH after a very quick turn in the ****hole
Yoyo Disco
Now enjoying a cold Carlsberg in AUH after a very quick turn in the ****hole
Yoyo Disco
BA stop services to Saudi Arabia ???
Verbal reports this evening from people who tried to make reservations on BA revealed that BA has stopped services to Saudi Arabia until further notice.
Mutt.
Mutt.