Gulf Air - desperation & woes continue
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Gulf Air - desperation & woes continue
Gulf Air - desperation & woes continue
The sad Gulf Air saga continues. The 54 year-old airline is so desperate for pilots that it has once again had to resort to paying premium fees to an agency, this time for First Officers.
While pilots are beating the doors down for even the chance of an interview at Emirates, Qatar and Etihad, Gulf Air cannot even find First Officers for itself. The pilots already at Gulf Air are all either waiting for courses at other airlines or simply cannot go anywhere else and moan constantly at their sad situation.
It is pathetic that there is one pilot at Gulf Air who thinks that being able to buy a new bicycle with his meager salary is indicative of a thriving airline. Wake-up and smell the coffee dude!!!!!!
Here’s some of the coffee smell:
Gulf Air: 54 YEARS-OLD - shrinking/self destructing
Versus:
Emirates, 19 years-old – expanding/booming
Qatar, 11 years-old – expanding/booming
Etihad, less than 1 year-old - expanding/booming
The Gulf Air woes took a new turn this week when a former Captain initiated litigation against them in the USA. The legal action is for breach of contract, recovery of salary damages, and compensation.
Gulf Air fired an American Captain after he disciplined a Bahraini purser for disappearing for 45 minutes to have a smoke and abandoning the cabin crew. The purser, not used to being admonished, decided that he would delay the flight by 2 hours by refusing to work (Gulf Air regularly only rosters a minimum cabin crew of 6 thereby not giving the Captain the choice to offload the disruptive purser).
On returning to Abu Dhabi the Captain was suspended without pay and tormented by being made to go to and from Bahrain to attend meetings and was ultimately fired. The purser was promoted!!!!!
Note: The Bahraini pursers are known as the “Untouchables” for good reason.
Any pilot who has considered going to Gulf Air should seriously reconsider or at least make sure you get a return ticket from them. Talk to BALPA, ALPA and the American Allied Pilots Association. They are aware of the Gulf Air situation.
Good luck, you will need it at dying Gulf Air……………
The sad Gulf Air saga continues. The 54 year-old airline is so desperate for pilots that it has once again had to resort to paying premium fees to an agency, this time for First Officers.
While pilots are beating the doors down for even the chance of an interview at Emirates, Qatar and Etihad, Gulf Air cannot even find First Officers for itself. The pilots already at Gulf Air are all either waiting for courses at other airlines or simply cannot go anywhere else and moan constantly at their sad situation.
It is pathetic that there is one pilot at Gulf Air who thinks that being able to buy a new bicycle with his meager salary is indicative of a thriving airline. Wake-up and smell the coffee dude!!!!!!
Here’s some of the coffee smell:
Gulf Air: 54 YEARS-OLD - shrinking/self destructing
Versus:
Emirates, 19 years-old – expanding/booming
Qatar, 11 years-old – expanding/booming
Etihad, less than 1 year-old - expanding/booming
The Gulf Air woes took a new turn this week when a former Captain initiated litigation against them in the USA. The legal action is for breach of contract, recovery of salary damages, and compensation.
Gulf Air fired an American Captain after he disciplined a Bahraini purser for disappearing for 45 minutes to have a smoke and abandoning the cabin crew. The purser, not used to being admonished, decided that he would delay the flight by 2 hours by refusing to work (Gulf Air regularly only rosters a minimum cabin crew of 6 thereby not giving the Captain the choice to offload the disruptive purser).
On returning to Abu Dhabi the Captain was suspended without pay and tormented by being made to go to and from Bahrain to attend meetings and was ultimately fired. The purser was promoted!!!!!
Note: The Bahraini pursers are known as the “Untouchables” for good reason.
Any pilot who has considered going to Gulf Air should seriously reconsider or at least make sure you get a return ticket from them. Talk to BALPA, ALPA and the American Allied Pilots Association. They are aware of the Gulf Air situation.
Good luck, you will need it at dying Gulf Air……………
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vfenext
Being ex GF years ago I think TCASTED has a valid point. No I did not fail the interview or sim and why do jump to that conclusion about TCASTED??
The T & C's in all Gulf Airlines has deteriorated through the years hence the shortage. I see no point in moving to the desert particularly these days unless there is a large financial advantage in doing so. Especially as once you join any of them you are on your own with absolutely no security of employment as so clearly demonstrated by what TCASTED has mentioned.
Being ex GF years ago I think TCASTED has a valid point. No I did not fail the interview or sim and why do jump to that conclusion about TCASTED??
The T & C's in all Gulf Airlines has deteriorated through the years hence the shortage. I see no point in moving to the desert particularly these days unless there is a large financial advantage in doing so. Especially as once you join any of them you are on your own with absolutely no security of employment as so clearly demonstrated by what TCASTED has mentioned.
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TCASTED:
Not entirely true, I put in my application and in the end I was offered the job, as I would think anyone who attended the interview was..
They flew you down there from wherever in the world you might be, put you up in a five star hotel during the asessment and they couldn't have put on a better show if you asked them..
Bottom line is, where I to be moving to the sandpit the pay has to be alot better than the pocketmoney they offer...
Not entirely true, I put in my application and in the end I was offered the job, as I would think anyone who attended the interview was..
They flew you down there from wherever in the world you might be, put you up in a five star hotel during the asessment and they couldn't have put on a better show if you asked them..
Bottom line is, where I to be moving to the sandpit the pay has to be alot better than the pocketmoney they offer...
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Gulf Air never will improve. Since before the first Gulf war, conditions have declined. Too many fingers in the till. The days of high salaries in the Arab world are over and even EK now pay peanuts. If you find another job get out, if you need one don't bother with GF.
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Have a look at the Tues (13th) edition (business section) of the Gulf News boys, does this sound like an airline in decline? Not really...
Sorry no link available at the moment.
Sorry no link available at the moment.
Last edited by Left Coaster; 16th Jul 2004 at 16:11.
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enough with the insults please, there is no need for them... I cannot comment about GFA... but can comment about what the media reports in this part of the world.
the gulf news reports alot of BS about many things, of course they will say GFA is booming etc.. just a few days ago the headline read "Gulf Air soaring to new heights"... another example.. the Bahrain F1 GP; healine "HUGE SUCCESS!!!'... yeah right, now nowhere did they write that half the tickets were given away to fill the stands. everything is controlled out here, there is no free speech, yes they have made alot of progress on democracy out here but it's nowhere close to being a free country. newspapers, tv, radio..everything is sensored..
the gulf news reports alot of BS about many things, of course they will say GFA is booming etc.. just a few days ago the headline read "Gulf Air soaring to new heights"... another example.. the Bahrain F1 GP; healine "HUGE SUCCESS!!!'... yeah right, now nowhere did they write that half the tickets were given away to fill the stands. everything is controlled out here, there is no free speech, yes they have made alot of progress on democracy out here but it's nowhere close to being a free country. newspapers, tv, radio..everything is sensored..
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There is a lot of bs in the local press here, but publication of audited financial statements signed off by one of the "big five" global accountancy firms carry a different level of credibility altogether.
And to the mod-bod who deleted my comment about F1/Dubai/Sand, it's a valid point. It has been stated many times by F1 teams that racing in Dubai would be virtually impossible. The sand is desert sand, very fine and plays havoc with the air intake filters. The sand in Bahrain is entirely different from a geological point of view....brackish, salty (it's actually formerly seabed) and much larger particulate size. Doesn't have a problem with intake filters.
And to the mod-bod who deleted my comment about F1/Dubai/Sand, it's a valid point. It has been stated many times by F1 teams that racing in Dubai would be virtually impossible. The sand is desert sand, very fine and plays havoc with the air intake filters. The sand in Bahrain is entirely different from a geological point of view....brackish, salty (it's actually formerly seabed) and much larger particulate size. Doesn't have a problem with intake filters.
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Like many other airlines it is going thru a period of change and if correctly managed should survive. As with many other established airlines pressure has grown and it has been difficult to adjust. We at BA know all about that and I must assume that there are a number of unhelpful ideals left over when they were in bed with GF.
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I do not know of any other airline in the Gulf that is having to use agencies because it simply does not have anyone who is even interested enough to send a CV/resume.
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We have all heard stories about Expat Pilots being fired after a confrontation with a local. I saw it happen at Saudia in '79: Tri Star Capt fired after fight with ground crew. I was reprimanded, and almost fired after an arguement with a security guard. The IFS (pursers) are well known for being "little caesars" at Saudia!
Probably the same all over the gulf.
Probably the same all over the gulf.
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Hmm. Another issue is: just how many big airlines can survive in what is a very small region of the world? The Gulf is certainly a good place for a "global" hub - a meeting point for Europe, North and South Asia, Africa, Oceania (though not the Americas). But four global airlines? Naah, something has to give. With the exception of oil, all it has to offer is secondary service industries - it doesn't have a home market (wealth concentrated in the hands of a relative few, who often have private travel arrangements anyway), it doesn't even have a significant financial market.
In the medium to long term (15-20 years?), I'd suggest that at most two airlines will continue to thrive, if the Airbus view of the world (A380's) dominates. But if the Boeing (B7E7) view dominates, the Gulf will gradually disappear into obscurity again.
In the medium to long term (15-20 years?), I'd suggest that at most two airlines will continue to thrive, if the Airbus view of the world (A380's) dominates. But if the Boeing (B7E7) view dominates, the Gulf will gradually disappear into obscurity again.
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Facts! Tcussed, Facts! The ref you make to some "sabotage" BY A PURSER in Columbo was no such thing...Maybe you know what actually happened, maybe you don't but don't try to intimate here that someone actually sabotaged an airplane unless you know it for a fact. I know what happened and it's very much an internal matter. The Sri Lankan authorities really don't need to be involved. Unless any of their laws were broken. Don't think so in this case. Please report the facts if you have em!
LC
LC
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Left Coaster:
How you disappoint (once again). Your naiveté regarding Air Law, International Conventions and Treaties is blatantly obvious.
Of course the Sri Lanka CAA are involved if a serious incident occurs on board an aircraft on the ramp at Colombo airport……!!!!!!!!!Derrrr
Did you pass any Air Law exams at all?
I say again:
The Sri Lanka CAA are investigating an incident in which a Bahraini Purser SABOTAGED a Gulf Air flight and delayed its departure for over 2 hours.
The Purser, after being reprimanded by the Captain for disappearing for 45 minutes to have a smoke, then refused to follow the Captain’s instructions. After a telex was sent to the Purser from GF operations in Bahrain to notify the Purser that the aircraft commander was the lawful authority on board the aircraft, the Purser then went out of control preventing passenger boarding and causing distress among the all female cabin crew. Gulf Air ground staff (Sri Lankan citizens) witnessed the incident.
The flight was GF443 from CMB to AUH. The incident occurred in January.
The Sri Lanka CAA has stated that Gulf Air “is not cooperating” with the investigation.
I provided a contact for the Sri Lanka CAA in the post to which you refer. You may contact them for confirmation of the above.
The manner in which Gulf Air handled this matter is really quite astonishing although typical if you examine their 54-year history of internal management conflict and the mind-set of the indigenous male population.
After returning to Abu Dhabi the American expatriate Captain was fired and the Bahraini Purser was promoted! The Captain even had to buy his own ticket home from Abu Dhabi.
This incident certainly is NOT an “internal matter” any more. ICAO is now involved along with numerous international agencies and authorities. Gulf Air code-share partner American Airlines are also “looking” at the incident.
Additionally, the Captain has begun litigation in the USA against Gulf Air for Breach of Contract, compensation and damages.
No doubt the matter will be comprehensively reported in the press when it reaches the courts.
Surprisingly, Gulf Air still thinks it can resume service to New York and other points in the USA. It would seem highly improbable that USA flights would resume given the potential for SABOTAGE as demonstrated by the Purser in this particular incident. If such incidents can happen on the ground, they can certainly happen in the air.
Gulf Air really needs to be more cognizant of the potential for disaster.
Left Coaster:
May I suggest you further study Air Law and perhaps glance at an English dictionary, starting with the word; SABOTAGE.
It may also be prudent for you to review the definition of duties for both the Captain and the Purser as defined in the Gulf Air Operations Manual. I am certain what you find there will help you reach a more sensible conclusion, although the obvious loyalty you have toward Gulf Air is commendable.
Alternatively, you may wish to consider keeping your trap shut for the next twenty years or so, until you have enough experience to make an educated comment.
Anything else?
How you disappoint (once again). Your naiveté regarding Air Law, International Conventions and Treaties is blatantly obvious.
Of course the Sri Lanka CAA are involved if a serious incident occurs on board an aircraft on the ramp at Colombo airport……!!!!!!!!!Derrrr
Did you pass any Air Law exams at all?
I say again:
The Sri Lanka CAA are investigating an incident in which a Bahraini Purser SABOTAGED a Gulf Air flight and delayed its departure for over 2 hours.
The Purser, after being reprimanded by the Captain for disappearing for 45 minutes to have a smoke, then refused to follow the Captain’s instructions. After a telex was sent to the Purser from GF operations in Bahrain to notify the Purser that the aircraft commander was the lawful authority on board the aircraft, the Purser then went out of control preventing passenger boarding and causing distress among the all female cabin crew. Gulf Air ground staff (Sri Lankan citizens) witnessed the incident.
The flight was GF443 from CMB to AUH. The incident occurred in January.
The Sri Lanka CAA has stated that Gulf Air “is not cooperating” with the investigation.
I provided a contact for the Sri Lanka CAA in the post to which you refer. You may contact them for confirmation of the above.
The manner in which Gulf Air handled this matter is really quite astonishing although typical if you examine their 54-year history of internal management conflict and the mind-set of the indigenous male population.
After returning to Abu Dhabi the American expatriate Captain was fired and the Bahraini Purser was promoted! The Captain even had to buy his own ticket home from Abu Dhabi.
This incident certainly is NOT an “internal matter” any more. ICAO is now involved along with numerous international agencies and authorities. Gulf Air code-share partner American Airlines are also “looking” at the incident.
Additionally, the Captain has begun litigation in the USA against Gulf Air for Breach of Contract, compensation and damages.
No doubt the matter will be comprehensively reported in the press when it reaches the courts.
Surprisingly, Gulf Air still thinks it can resume service to New York and other points in the USA. It would seem highly improbable that USA flights would resume given the potential for SABOTAGE as demonstrated by the Purser in this particular incident. If such incidents can happen on the ground, they can certainly happen in the air.
Gulf Air really needs to be more cognizant of the potential for disaster.
Left Coaster:
May I suggest you further study Air Law and perhaps glance at an English dictionary, starting with the word; SABOTAGE.
It may also be prudent for you to review the definition of duties for both the Captain and the Purser as defined in the Gulf Air Operations Manual. I am certain what you find there will help you reach a more sensible conclusion, although the obvious loyalty you have toward Gulf Air is commendable.
Alternatively, you may wish to consider keeping your trap shut for the next twenty years or so, until you have enough experience to make an educated comment.
Anything else?