PILOT JOB ROAD SHOW FOR QATAR AIRWAYS

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Obbie
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PILOT JOB ROAD SHOW FOR QATAR AIRWAYS

Post by Obbie »

For those considering a better oppertunity.......

http://www.qatarairways.com/global/en/p ... anada.html

Dates in Toronto, and Montreal in mid September.
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fish4life
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Re: PILOT JOB ROAD SHOW FOR QATAR AIRWAYS

Post by fish4life »

Anyone on here work for Qatar? Opinions?
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Last edited by fish4life on Tue Aug 30, 2011 11:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: PILOT JOB ROAD SHOW FOR QATAR AIRWAYS

Post by square »

Captains
Tax free salary of approximately US$ 11,300 (assuming 70 block hours).

First Officers
Tax free salary of approximately US$ 8,100 (assuming 70 block hours)

Holy crap
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bcflyer
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Re: PILOT JOB ROAD SHOW FOR QATAR AIRWAYS

Post by bcflyer »

If you are seriously about applying, go to PPRUNE and you have a good read. Granted you can't believe everything posted but there is far more to flying there than the money.
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Re: PILOT JOB ROAD SHOW FOR QATAR AIRWAYS

Post by Obbie »

There are many Canadian pilots here in Doha.
None of us are trying to leave.

Pprune is........well, Pprune is Pprune lets leave it at that.
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Re: PILOT JOB ROAD SHOW FOR QATAR AIRWAYS

Post by RFN »

Obbie,

How often do you get back to Canada?
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Re: PILOT JOB ROAD SHOW FOR QATAR AIRWAYS

Post by Sideshow »

Any one go to the road show care to post or PM? OR better yet any one currently working there care to pm?
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Re: PILOT JOB ROAD SHOW FOR QATAR AIRWAYS

Post by A330 »

It is an opportunity and worth looking into, but keep in mind Qatar is not the best choice for the ME. I''m sure Obbie''s #1 choice was Emirates, but you do what you have to do. Qatar is a very rich country but lifestyle and morale is not the best and it's certainly a sacrifice. One of the largest turnover rates of major companies in the ME. Pprune is just another rumor site, true, but where there is smoke....see fire.

Good luck
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Re: PILOT JOB ROAD SHOW FOR QATAR AIRWAYS

Post by atpilot »

I've been invited to an interview next month. Any tips or advice?
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Eric Janson
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Re: PILOT JOB ROAD SHOW FOR QATAR AIRWAYS

Post by Eric Janson »

square wrote:Captains
Tax free salary of approximately US$ 11,300 (assuming 70 block hours).

First Officers
Tax free salary of approximately US$ 8,100 (assuming 70 block hours)

Holy crap
This is a very common mistake in the Expat world. The important number is what is left at the end of the month after you've paid all your bills. You need to look at the total package - not just the salary.

I don't work in the Middle East but I've spent enough time there to know that it's a last resort. I'll work in India or China before I work in the Middle East.

As for Qatar:-

My least favorite layover - the mentality of the Qatari's has to be experienced to be believed.

You need a visa to leave the country.

You have no rights. If it's you vs. any Qatari - you lose every time.

Your contract is just a piece of paper - only a contract written in Arabic has any value (you won't be signing one).

You can be terminated at any time for any reason.


Make sure you do your research and know what you are getting yourself into.
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Re: PILOT JOB ROAD SHOW FOR QATAR AIRWAYS

Post by Obbie »

OK...time for some reality,

All pilots here hold a muli-exit visa. We can come and go as we wish.

You have the same legal rights as everybody else does here under Qatari law.
If you are up against a local and it is nothing more than your word against his,
then yes you will probably not win that one. But if you have a case with
evidence supporting you, you will win.

This is a full time opened ended position. It's not a contract, it's a set of T&C's.
When the world changes the T&C's change. Just like any other job. I flew
under a union for years, when the world changed. the contract changed.

Yes you can be terminated at anytime. You can be terminated at anytime
for NOT doing your job. Just like any other job.

Yes it is true, you need to know how much will be in your hand at the
end of the month after paying the bills. For me personally it is about
$5,500 CDN a month into the retirement piggy bank, but everyone is
different. That said, there is a big shinny HUMMER in the parking spot
to my left, and another big shinny HUMMER in the parking spot to my
right, so I think the other pilots are doing pretty good as well.

Yes, gas is 34 cents CDN a litre here.
But the locals drive like MAD MAX. :shock:
You do have to see it to believe it.
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Re: PILOT JOB ROAD SHOW FOR QATAR AIRWAYS

Post by Snagmaster E »

Obbie,

Any more details on what the lifestyle is like? (live there, live here and commute, etc etc etc)
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Re: PILOT JOB ROAD SHOW FOR QATAR AIRWAYS

Post by Eric Janson »

Obbie wrote:You have the same legal rights as everybody else does here under Qatari law.
If you are up against a local and it is nothing more than your word against his,
then yes you will probably not win that one. But if you have a case with
evidence supporting you, you will win.
@Obbie - How long have you been in Qatar?

Here's a case from Saudi Arabia - pretty clear cut. So far the Saudi's have not prosecuted anyone over this. It's no different in any of the other Middle East countries.

http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article116019.ece

It's extremely important to understand you are not in the West - it's a very different culture. Once again make sure you know what you are getting yourself into.

@Snagmaster E

The Middle East is all about control - the last thing they want is you living in a country where you can take them to court or form a union. That is why commuting and/or basings will never happen.
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Last edited by Eric Janson on Wed Oct 05, 2011 9:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
Always fly a stable approach - it's the only stability you'll find in this business
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Re: PILOT JOB ROAD SHOW FOR QATAR AIRWAYS

Post by Changes in Latitudes »

I think choosing Saudi Arabia as an example may be a bad approach when compared to Qatar. Also you said you'd live in India over Qatar, for me that doesn't add up, but to each their own. I am guessing you have had some kind of experience over there that has formed this opinion. Everyone that I know would somewhat mirror Obbie's opinion; its definitely a different culture, but it is doable if you don't mind making some adjustments. I have encountered the same thing in my travels. It's definitely not for me over there, but I could see why and how some people make it work.
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Re: PILOT JOB ROAD SHOW FOR QATAR AIRWAYS

Post by Sideshow »

So what are they looking for in terms of time and experience to get on?
Is it a career airline?
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Re: PILOT JOB ROAD SHOW FOR QATAR AIRWAYS

Post by Panama Jack »

I am no fan of Qatar, but I would likely choose Qatar over India as a place to live. I do enjoy my Indian night stops (staying in a top-notch hotel makes it all so much more palatable) but after 24 hours I am happy to get out of there again.

Got one friend who is at Qatar after having done a stint in India. He explains that India stands for I'd Never Do It Again.
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Re: PILOT JOB ROAD SHOW FOR QATAR AIRWAYS

Post by Obbie »

For those who missed the first chance, they are returning again, Montreal Sept 21 and 22
at the airport Marriott.

The market is a little more flooded this time, current on type is now a requirement.


http://careers.qatarairways.com/qatarai ... geID=12045
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Re: PILOT JOB ROAD SHOW FOR QATAR AIRWAYS

Post by AutoPilot Off »

Obbie, from what I see on this thread your over there in Qatar. Im curious what you have to say about life,pay,flying,outlook coming from someone who is from these parts (Canada) and flying over there. Pm if you prefer.
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Re: PILOT JOB ROAD SHOW FOR QATAR AIRWAYS

Post by complexintentions »

I have to second (or third) the opinion that I would never in a million years work in India. As it is I live in an Indian-dominated place, with an Indian-dominated company, and it is enough to do your head in, on a good day. And colleagues/friends who have worked on contract for Jet (737 & 777)...don't exactly have a lot good to say, to put it in civil terms. Corrupt, inefficient, disorganized, and oh yeah, corrupt. Just like the country. I would prefer to work in Saudi over India, any day. Better pay, there's actually a real cameraderie amongst expats, and most Saudi jobs get you out of country half the time anyway - more than I currently spend at home now. And China is really the last frontier for true growth, even as their economy "slows" to "only" 7% growth YOY. But then it's all relative: Guangzhou, Beijing, SIngapore, Hong Kong are all a lot closer to home for me than Dubai. For the Europeans, it's only a 5-7 hour flight to get a taste of home from Dubai.

But India? Notachanceneverinhell.

As far as the comments about the important figure being what you can put in your pocket, that's true. But that has a lot to do with taxes, or the lack thereof. If the package includes housing, there is absolutely no reason not to save almost all of the paycheque, unless you have expensive taste in toys. (Or a wife. Or wives.) The ME majors, for all their faults, do pay what their contracts state. You'll earn it, for sure, flying 92 hours/month with zero regard for timezones, and have zero control over your roster. Yes, there is far more to it than the money, but the money is at least real. So is the bs. Much of the risks Eric mentions exist on every expat contract, i.e. being subject to the bizarre laws of your adopted country, not having contracts honoured, unfair termination, and so on. No risk, no reward.

I can't speak specifically for Qatar, but with EK, it isn't hard on a captain's salary for a single guy to save a low five figures a month. They pay similarly to Qatar, and when you take the utilities allowance (a payment in lieu of taking company accommodation), and choose to rent a place less than the allowance, it frees up basically entirely the whole paycheque, which goes in the complexintentions "can't wait to never fly airplanes again" fund. I don't even know what you'd have to gross in Canada to save 10k/month after expenses. A fair bit, I'd guess. But that's after multiple years, wiping out all debts, and acquiring the crap we all think we need. I'm not sure I'd do it again unless I could have the rapid upgrade again, the FO salary isn't bad but it wouldn't be enough to tempt me now knowing what I do. With growth slowing from the exponential rates it was 5-10 years ago, the upgrade path is slower. And that's crucial if you intend to parlay the experience into a DEC job somewhere.

Best of luck to anyone considering the move. It'll be an adventure, I can tell you that much.
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Re: PILOT JOB ROAD SHOW FOR QATAR AIRWAYS

Post by Panama Jack »

complexintentions wrote:
I don't even know what you'd have to gross in Canada to save 10k/month after expenses. A fair bit, I'd guess.

I can tell you now, complexintentions, I did this calculation a few months ago and I figured the equivalent Gross Salary in Canada would be just a sliver under $200,000 CAD. I shared that with an astute friend and he disagreed; he figured the amount was higher than that.

Unlike you, though, I don't want to never fly an aircraft again. My ideal type is an aircraft without an electrical system, so I don't have to fly at night. When I want, where I want.
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