Arik Airlines?

[Dieterly]

Bling,
How long have you been doing overseas contract flying?

 

[Myster79]

All bow down to Metro752! Its funny when people post pointless negative comments to make themselves feel better.

P.S.- I used to dig ditches way back when. Some people don't know the definition of hard work these days.

I still dig ditches. I am an excavator on my days off from flying. Nothing beats someone flushing their toilet when you are replacing their sewer line.uke:

 

[2Green]

Don't come here.

I don't work for Erik but I'm in Lagos. Erik is a good company but the figures that have been mentioned are unacceptable. It is too low for anywhere, in my opinion, especially Nigeria. You take on a lot of risk just by being here.

I chose to move here because I cannot compete in the US market (and FedEx/UPS won't call). For now, this is where I can be fairly compensated. In the beginning it was so overwhelming I can't even tell you.

If you are building time or want to get more experience you will be disappointed. People come here to make money, nothing more.

You can get malaria or any other tropical disease and you can also get robbed....by the police. I had my car surrounded at an intersection, at mid day, by the police. They opened my back door and tried to enter. I freaked and dropped the clutch nearly hitting the one in front.

Most Nigerians are compulsive liars and scammers beginning at birth. It's in their genetic code and I find it laughable. They lie even when it's unnecessary.

I'm glad I came here but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

 

[GCD]

I have CRJ experience, I have Africa experience, I know of this airline and contractor and I know Lagos very well. Run, don't walk away from this one.

Lagos is a very dangerous place for anyone, African or Westerner. One of our crews had to escape the hotel and evade to the airport after the hotel was taken by guerillas. We don't over-night there any more.

The armed guard that will drive you to the airport may or may not feel like working for you at any particular time. Bribery is rampant, because that's the way of life, and someone may pay better for your life than your contractor. Oh, it's not just people that will hurt you. Malaria and other rotten diseases are common.

Need I say more? Is your life worth $4,500 per month?

 

[xshuttlefa]

Thanks to all those with experience on the subject of Africa. I am one of those "shoulda been a ditchdigger F/O's" who was considering African contract employment as a possibility. After reading this thread and others, I don't know what came over me.

As for the subject of pay, what are we supposed to do about it? I know that you more experienced guys and gals have seen pay rates drop over your careers. It sucks, there's no doubt about it. And while it's sad to see the decline in the profession, what can we do?

I WISH I could make $5000/month as an F/O. But pay rates are what they are now, not in 1975.We won't see $5000/ month (even $2500 is pushing it w/o per diem) starting F/O pay in the US ever again for a regional carrier (or any carrier the way things are going).

There is always someone willing to work cheaper, no matter if your a pilot, lawyer,doctor,ditch-digger,etc.

 

[CitationUltra]

Thanks to all those with experience on the subject of Africa. I am one of those "shoulda been a ditchdigger F/O's" who was considering African contract employment as a possibility. After reading this thread and others, I don't know what came over me.

As for the subject of pay, what are we supposed to do about it? I know that you more experienced guys and gals have seen pay rates drop over your careers. It sucks, there's no doubt about it. And while it's sad to see the decline in the profession, what can we do?

I WISH I could make $5000/month as an F/O. But pay rates are what they are now, not in 1975.We won't see $5000/ month (even $2500 is pushing it w/o per diem) starting F/O pay in the US ever again for a regional carrier (or any carrier the way things are going).

There is always someone willing to work cheaper, no matter if your a pilot, lawyer,doctor,ditch-digger,etc.

Actually, no--lawyers, doctors and ditch-diggers have had the good sense to remain in solidarity among themselves and keep their rates of remuneration at an appropriate and acceptable level. It is primarily among pilots that you find that "There is always someone willing to work cheaper..." and this is what has ruined scheduled commercial aviation in America, and what threatens to ruin contract aviation worldwide, as a profession.

 

[xshuttlefa]

Actually, no--lawyers, doctors and ditch-diggers have had the good sense to remain in solidarity among themselves and keep their rates of remuneration at an appropriate and acceptable level. It is primarily among pilots that you find that "There is always someone willing to work cheaper..." and this is what has ruined scheduled commercial aviation in America, and what threatens to ruin contract aviation worldwide, as a profession.

But the fair pay idea varies from one person to another. Someone might consider,for example $30,000 a good starting rate, another $35,000. If my fair rate is 30k and someone else wants to work somewhere for 25k, I can't stop them from doing it.

This hits the main point of your post, Ultra. We have no solidarity like the other professions or even organized labor. You would think it would be otherwise, since there are less pilots as a profession then some of the other groups mentioned.

But how can we fix our broken system,especially now? The other poster was right, in the fact I would have never considered Africa a few months ago. But now, being out of a job, I'm considering many different options. Many others are doing the same and some have a more adventurous spirit then me.

$4500 a month to be an F/O sounds pretty good when you aren't making any money at all. For me, taking other things into consideration,it's not enough to change my life completely, but for someone it may be.

 

[Dix-Bag]

Lagos ain't that bad.. Try living in Kinshasa..

Makes Lagos look like Club Med..

Africa is Africa.. As long as you're there for a finite period of time, and that period is less than a couple of months, (and you're not unwilling to adapt to COMPLETELY NEW ideals) it's an interesting experience that you can only walk away from a bigger and more appreciative person.

Do it for the experience though and not for the money.. If you go into something for "the experience" you cannot be dissapointed.. If you go purely for the dollars, than you will want to kill yourself after a month..

 

[Captzaahlie]

Sounds like a real party, I sent off for one of the contract packets and was not impressed that i had to buy my on flight to be "assessed" in Gatwick. then i could submit to Arik for half the price of the ticket refunded. Not sure I want to work 2 months on always looking over my shoulder.... maybe as a last resort.

 

[metrodriver]

Xshuttlefa and others: if you want to know what fair pay is for a contract job, try to find out what they were paying before, and take that as a guide line.
In case of Arik the $4500 a month is definately not enough. What is this? a bunch of kids that want to play in a grown men's world? With less than $4500 a month you can not afford a house, a wife and kids in the US. And even if you had them, you wouldn't want to spend 2 month at a time away from them. So you are kids. Africa is not a place to be if you haven't been around the world a bit. It is totally different flying than you are used to.
And then Lagos..... sadly enough that was in 2007 my most flown-into destination. Half the time I ended up in a hotel, a 30 room thing with 12 feet high walls with razorwire and 3 guards with AK47's, in addition to some unarmed guards who opened the gates. After dark there was a big chain with padlocks on the front door. This was in the good part of town. I have heard of several hotel robberies, including casualties (an american tv program maker got killed in one of them), robberies on the street are quite normal, usually by folks dressed as police. Some airlines like North American provide very heavy security, others none. I will do everything in my power to make it out of there. Sometimes the flighttime rules are what screws up the plans, 20hr duty day? Will do it if there is a better place to put your head to rest.
Sitting in a hotel with only the pool as entertainment for several days in a row becomes a drag very soon. And in Lagos you will not venture out of the hotel.

Look on the US dept of state website or the one from SOS international regarding travel advice to Lagos.

Happiness in Lagos starts at V1