Maldives Good? Bad? Kenn Borek

[KenoraPilot]

Hey,
Just wanting to get some information about Kenn Boreks operation in the Maldives. Whats the pay like, the flight hours you'll rack up? Good times? Opinions? Thanks

[Captain Crunch]

I have a feeling that all of those factors are better then the ramp at PAG

[Rowdy]

As an FO or as a capt?

A quick search will reveal a TON of info.

[johnholmes]

Maldives is a shithole. The pay for an f/o is even shitier. Works out to about $7/hr or $1700/ month. You will work 14 hours a day 5 days a week. Captian pay is a little better, starts around $4000/month. Still very shitty in my opinion for the amount you work and where you live. The company in general treats you very shitty, you get treated like shite at the resorts. You better like getting up at 4am 5 days a week. There is FCUK all to do there on your days off. I hope you also enjoy prayer time blasting on the loud speaker 5 times a day and your favorite tv program gettting interupted so you can pray to Alah with the rest of the Muslims you live with. You will share a small 3 bedroom apartment with 2 other people. You share a 5sq/km island with 80,000 smelly locals. Rotations are 6 months on 1 month off for f/o's 2 months on 1 month off for captains. If you quit anytime during your shift you will pay your own way home. You will get treated worse than the local pilots. You will have 6 hour layovers and be given one room with ONE bed to share with THREE grown men. F/o's share rooms on overnights at resorts with their Maldivian F/A's (there has been sexual harrasment issues when the F/O was female). If you are a woman or your wife comes with you, the locals will grab her ass and try to grab your tits and CREEP her out. Captain minimums are 2500 hours ATPL and 1000 hours on floats. If after all this you still would like to go there DO NOT go work for Maldivian Air Taxi. Go and work for Trans Maldivian Airways. (Although still shitty) They are treated much better as they own a stake in alot of the resorts. If you think I am full of shite, I encorage you to go find out for yourself. Borek is one if not the cheapest company's to begin with, add all of the bullshit of dealing with the politics of locals and foreign policies and you have one of the worst possible scenarios. Don't let the pictures fool you.

[raven54]

Gee John, don't sugar coat it, tell us how you really feel....lol. But seriously, good post. I've heard a lot of the same from friends who have worked there. That sched would lick.

[Scuba_Steve]

wasn't so bad when I worked there but that was almost 7 years ago and I worked for TMA, however I have friends who work for both companys now and they are all saying the same thing as johnholmes...

and from the sounds of it, there is a islamo-facist insurrection going on...although its kept quite hush hush since the tourists would leave that place like rats from a sinking ship.

Cheers

[Wacko]

... since the tourists would leave that place like rats from a sinking ship.

Cheers

talk about play on words considering the ocean level is rising and they are one of the first nations who will be greatly impacted.

U coming tomorrow?

[KenoraPilot]

Well the wonderful thing about a 6 month tour is its not that long! I've spent longer times in places that suck. I will go and make the best of it, if I want it to be a good experience and go in with a positive attitude i'll make it what it is. If nothing else its going to be an experience! The money...whatever, i've been payed less for more work than 4am. I've been getting up at 4 am for the past 7 years of my working life. That is nothing, the politics i'll deal with when I get there and no I will not be bringing a female partner so no worries there. Plus 2 roomates will be good. When I lived in Fort Simpson NWT I had one roomate and it was awsome. Roomates are better than being alone! I lived alone up there for a while and it sucked! Plus i've been to muslim countries before and I quite enjoyed them. Have only had good experiences in North Africa with the islamic people. Just keep your hand on your wallet in the streets!

It is what you make it!

[Scuba_Steve]

lol, sounds like your mind was already made up...have fun and hoist a beer for me at the Airport hotel.

Cheers

[CJ3PILOT]

I agree the place sucks.When I was there M.A.T. airplanes had 2 engine failures and a near miss all in 2 weeks .The airplane are all shit.If you think you have flown shit in Canada go to the Maldives because shit is not the word over there. And I pray that we don't hear of one falling out of the sky with some of our friends in it . Good luck

[rightseatwonder]

Don't forget... there is a sign on the Captains pub door "free beer tomorrow!"

have one for me D,

Take care down there and have as much fun as you can.

[ils09]

I had an alright time there i suppose. Nothing fantastic but not a nightmare either. How you are treated is definetly a down fall but what i think was worse than prayer call was the same god damn cd that they play over and over at the airport hotel bar. Sara Sara!! oh god! Shoot Me

[av8tor_assrope]

The Dives are what you make of it. I did a tour down there as an FO….and honestly I had a blast. Borek has been great to me as well as Maldivian Air Taxi. You couldn’t ask for a better CP or OPS manager down there right now. I would have stayed longer if I could have. Most of the guys that become miserable or bitter down there are the momma’s boys or the guys that could never get laid…..these are the guys that are too busy complaining about how shit there job is when all they have to do is look up and realize where you are. There’s a great group of pilot’s down there right now. There’s always a party going on at someone’s place and always something to do. Tuff choices on your days off. Hmmmmm shall it be surfing, scuba diving, going to a nearby island to drink your face off or just sleeping off your hangover. Great group of Capt’s down there too. You’ll learn lots about the twotter and flying floats.

From my own experience putting up with the small inconveniences was way worth it.

[SQ]

please excuse Johnholmes who's not used to travel and to sleep in another bed than his, eating a different food than his mama's, swiming in blue water, diving, surfing, lay dying under the sun for hours, having sand in his shoes, feeling the taste of salt on a sweet brown skinn, being curious about other's culture and religion, aviation, seaplane, coconut milk shared under moonlight on the beach, fishing a night, etc etc...

in fact he wanted a 3 stars hotel lost beetwen to highways circling dallas airport with nobody inside but old tv yelling alone and forgotten, pushing a button at 400' and release it at 1000', listening for the old captain who doesn't believe in his job anymore, going to bed with a stupid blonde while thinking about his kid bad marks at school, his wife bored of being alone at home, taxes, the same car-employee's bus-legs-airport-employee's bus-hotel, then he will become an alcoolic killed by Borekingdom Airline at FL340 on the same everlasting legs...

and after all this year, while he would have becomen an ooooold pilot suffering of blood pressure for seating 15 hrs behind his autopilot he will say to his first officer with some proudness in his voice : I've been a twotter pilot in the maldive for Kenn Borek my boy ! do ya know Kenn Borek my son? the best of the bes, and I was there!...
then the boy will nodde and they'll both look at the blue and unlimited sky, the old johnholmes thinking, thinking, thinking... thinking about the past and what he could have done in his boring life.

[johnholmes]

Ummm yeah..... Do us a favour SQ and don't post right after you put your crack pipe down

[5400AirportRdSouth]

in fact he wanted a 3 stars hotel lost beetwen to highways circling dallas airport with nobody inside but old tv yelling alone and forgotten, pushing a button at 400' and release it at 1000', listening for the old captain who doesn't believe in his job anymore, going to bed with a stupid blonde while thinking about his kid bad marks at school, his wife bored of being alone at home, taxes, the same car-employee's bus-legs-airport-employee's bus-hotel, then he will become an alcoolic killed by Borekingdom Airline at FL340 on the same everlasting legs...

Dude, thats poetry.

Seriously, thats phuqin deep shit.

[Cat Driver]

SQ....

That was superb ...bang on...poetic...

And most of all the truth.

[rightseatwonder]

so they changed the cd at the pool bar did they!?! It was the best of the Eagles when I was down there...for 3 years! lol... good times for sure.

[KenoraPilot]

Off to Calgary in 6 days and then to Male in less 18 days! Lets just hope it all goes well cause im looking forward to the new experience.

[Rowdy]

Assuming you pass the written and the ride

[SQ]

new experience you bet man
enjoy and keep us informed about how the training is

[tired of the ground]

I wouldn't worry Rowdy. If you passed there's hope for us all.

Except maybe the fox.

[johnholmes]

Ahhh! I love it. In all honestly Kenora Pilot, good luck to you my friend. You have heard my spiel. Try and make the best of it and let us know in 6 months. I wish you all the best, and hope you can prove my post wrong. If you have the chance to take any pics of the Russian flight attendants at the hotel bar make sure you post them. And if you can send us pics of two hotties at once I take it all back

[Rowdy]

Hey man... if I can pass.. ANYONE can

Just remember Lever A and lever B

[MAR67]

The Russians dont's stay at the Airport hotel anymore, too bad for you! As shitty as it can be there you will also have some fun for sure. The small shit will bug you after a while and six months is too long. Go to build some time and try to find the best out of it all.