DHL Bahrain Pilots refuse to fly to Afghanistan
 

Dhl Bahrain pilots are beginning to refuse to take flights to Afghanistan after numerous attacks to both the airfields and surrounding areas. News spread quickly amoung the pilot group about the deaths of two DHL employees killed by rebel attacks in Kabul.. However, like always management are telling the pilots there is no threat to their safety. There is also the one group of pilots who are willing to fly into the gates of hell just in order to make money, and the other group who think it's just plain stupid... I guess it's not serious enough for management until another DHL plane gets shot down like what happened in Bagdad a few years ago.:ok:

I don't see how Afghanistan is more dangerous than it was two days, two weeks or two months ago, surely the pilots involved know that as well and they would be naieve in the extreme to think that they weren't at risk on a day to day basis.

Unfortunately, the murder of their colleagues doesn't mean that the place is a greater risk, but just that the people who carry out these senseless acts have found someone new to pick on, which is why I wonder if the battle will ever be won.

Do you fly there?

I do. No big deal.

Rebel attack in Kabul???, if these pilots got their facts correct and took the time to find out what really happened to their collegues instead of jumping on the bandwagon and using this sad unfortunate incident as yet another way to try and get more money for flying out to these places, then people might have some respect for these pilots.

Maybe the management are taking a few decisions about your safety, I see another A300 is joining the ranks out there. That will be a few less routes for these people to whinge and moan about.
Dont tell me, the next gripe will be that they arent getting enough hours because all the wet lease aircraft are coming in and taking the routes.

If they are so concerned about their safety, then why are they still there, flying to these places??. Plenty of other jobs out there in much nicer places, maybe if truth be told, they do it because of the extra money they get for flying to these places. As always they arent happy with that, they want MORE MORE MORE.

DHL Afghanistan?

I don't know what all the fuss is about. Well they have just had an employee shot dead a few days ago, in Kabal. But we must not let that stand in the way of corporate greed must we? Does the Chief pilot fly in there, by any chance? You know, lead from the front and all that?

Haven't read the article, but courisous... do pilots layover in Afghanistan or do they fly back out? Those killed in Kabal... were they killed on the airport proper or in the middle of the city?

Presently based in Kabul.Airside at Kabul/Bagram/Khandahar probably the safest places in the country.

People are being shot in the city as in many other cities in the world.You just have to be careful regards where you go and what you do.

Drug link in SA man's murder?
27/10/2008 22:18 - (SA)

Guard kills SA man in Kabul


London - DHL said on Monday it was cooperating with the probe into the killing of two senior employees in Kabul, as a report suggested the Afghan authorities were investigating possible links to heroin smuggling.

The South African head and British deputy head of the international shipping company's Afghanistan branch, Jason Bresler and David Giles, were killed by their guard outside their office on Saturday. The guard then shot and killed himself.

The Financial Times newspaper reported security officials as saying it was possible the killings were linked to traffickers angry at the duo's efforts to prevent DHL being used to smuggle heroin out of Afghanistan.

"DHL is fully cooperating with authorities investigating the incident," a DHL spokesperson told AFP.

"The DHL offices in Kabul have been closed as a security measure while investigations are taking place and will remain so until the investigation has been concluded.

"In order not to hinder the investigation, no further information can be released at this time."

The spokesperson could not comment on the FT report.

"Investigations into the incident are under way and... therefore we cannot comment or speculate any further."

The FT said Bresler had personally overseen the disposal of nearly three kilograms of heroin sewn into a quilt inside a parcel.

He also ordered a new set of sniffer dogs after the existing dogs failed to detect drugs hidden in parcels, the newspaper said.

In March this year, the International Narcotics Control Board said heroin production in Afghanistan reached a new high in 2007, an "exceptional quantity" of opium, at 8 200 tonnes, 34% more than in 2006.

The country now accounts for 93% of all opiates on the global market, the United Nations agency added.

And the plot thickens.... :rolleyes:

DHL
 

Of course it's dangerous to in fly there and all riks have a price.

If people were trying to shoot me down in my airliner when flying into specific ports, I might ask for a salary loading or the option to decline the duty.

I think that would only be reasonable. Just add any extra fees onto the cost of shipping into such ports.

In the long run, this is just a job...not a religion.

QED

I can understand they don't want to stay in Kabul. And an otherthing is the approach in to Kabul is also pretty, lets call it "exciting". Aircrafts with extreme decents and climbrates trying to get in or out of Kabul. You better have your **** together.

Are passenger flights allowed to fly in/out? If not why?
I am not talking about 'military specials' either.

Kabul
 

I've only been in a couple of times in the last year and it was quiet (as the grave?), but there again ANYWHERE is quiet if you're not being shot at.

When an incident occurs then all the armchair experts start theorising about the rights and wrongs of operating into conflict zones.

It's very simple, if you're not happy with going - don't. When I was in the military, I was paid to take risks - now I'm not. I shan't go again - for no reason other than it's a personal choice.

I agree with the comment that airside at Kabul is probably one of the safest places in Afghanistan - but only until it isn't.

PARC last week on the Flt Int web site was seeking a B767-200 crew to be based in Dubai with twice weekly layovers in Kabul... Anyone know whose 767 / Airline / Pax / Freight ?????

As previous posters said....it's not the military. I value my life too much to fly into hotspots or warzones . Forget the extra cash they may through at you. If it is that safe, then let the managers or chief pilot do them all.

The chief pilot should lead by example,he should do many of these trips if others hesitate. :suspect:

Wise words indeed!

You have more chance of dying from some common illness in Africa than getting unlucky enough to be at the wrong place at the right time in Afghan. Or to be more accurate, getting wiped out in a vehicle accident in South Africa.

There are many contract pilots logging many incident free hours in Afghan....as long as the military remain the main target, civillian's are fine in terms of 3rd world risks.

It is just like any other third world country, stunningly beautiful with stunningly stubborn governments / politics...:ugh: