N2rotation

Can anybody chime in on the safety of Lagos, Nigeria? They are hiring american CRJ pilots in their expansion with recent orders of the 787 and 777.

Any info appreciated.

dundem

I've heard of them and nothing negative so far, nothing positive either. However, it is Nigeria; not known as the safety capital of the world. I have worked internationally before and I have friends that fly in Africa now, but Nigeria is on the bottom of everyone's list.

Also, be careful of being contacted by anyone claiming to do recruiting for them- most likely a scam unless the email address actually ends in a '@arikair.com'.

That said, given their current expansion plans, I stilled haven't ruled out Arik as a possibility in the future.

rjjunkie

spent a good bit in Lagos and Abuja. It is a definite third world experience...i'll give the airline until its first crash. Danish Management with one solid nigerian private backer. They claim modern aircraft with the likes of CRJ 2's and 7's and orders for Dreamliners. However the market is not thriving and the aircraft they buy will mostly be secondhand. This looks enticing compared to the well aged BAC 1-11s(now banned) and Ex-Eastern 727's. However maintenance as well as the ever deteriorating Nigerian Airspace infrastructure... i hate to say it but you will be dead in two years give or take a day or so. Lagos is quite rough and typically flight crews are escorted to the airport never without a security presence. QOL in Lagos can be hard to find but in certain situations it can feel like home. Abuja is little newer more solid with the capitol and the airport is up to par. Most pilots are Nationals educated in Britain and the US at places such FSA in Vero Beach. I personally jumpseated on a EAS BAC 111 to Jos, Nigeria(a while back) and that was the background of my two Nigerian Pilots. However Many pilots hail from Eastern Europe and so forth. Be skeptical yet if you have nothing to lose why not ... Nigeria is raw and fun to explore. Make sure you have a friend on the ground before you step off that plane.

flyergurl

I lived in Nigeria for a few months after college. The other Americans and Europeans I had contact with only got on a Nigerian airline if there was absolutely, positively no other way to go. The maintenance is non-existant. I am sure flying newer aircraft would be alright for a while...

Don't spread around that you are a pilot. You will be a target since you will be seen as extremely wealthy (even if you aren't). Lots of prayers and a small security detail will keep your home and your person safe...

It is a fun adventure though, but the adventure does wear off...

tincan

I fly into Lagos on a regular basis, and I wouldn't work for any company within 1000 miles of that place. Security is a must if you leave the airport. The ATC system is non existent at best. Go to any crime web site, you won't find any statistic on crime rates in Lagos, because it is way off the scale and they can't keep accurate records. The absolute highest crime rate in the world with aggravated assault, murder, robbery, etc.etc.... I see no less than 3 public urinations, vendor fighting and police interaction every trip to the hotel (which is only a 10 minute ride). If you want adventure, then Lagos is your ticket. Good Luck!!!! If you are trying to build time in a 121 environment, there has got to be a better way.

threegreen

what are their mins??? is it different for every ac?

Speedbird34

Arik Air has B737 300/700 and CRJ 200/700. Maintenance is quite good for now provided by Luftansa tecniks solid German operation, Crews were mostly American, European and canadian from Avionco etc
Arik is now trying to do hiring of Pilots directly. i do not think that is working out so good due to the negative views about Nigeria.
Lagos is what you make of it. I know Americans who enjoy it out there. If you open your mind. A white man being killled in nigeria is a rare. You will be treated with respect. To enjoy life mix in the society and make local freinds amoung your peers the pilots, engineers, doctors etc. You will discover a new world or you can crouch in your hotel room like ur in a bunker in Iraq. Its your choice.
Abuja is a lot better than lagos safety wise and bueatiful. Lagos is a dirty choatic place just overstressed by a huge population of about 20 million people. A bit like India.
Good luck if you go there.
bueatiful women, Discover Africa fully and maybe get a nice wife. You do not need to find love only in Asia or china via mail order. Africa is a good source of sweet women who love white men.

Bloodhound

Here's am AP report from today.



LAGOS, Nigeria - U.S. and other Western installations in Nigeria are at risk of terrorist attack, the U.S. Embassy said Thursday, although an embassy official said no specific threat had prompted the announcement.

Nigeria, which has never suffered an attack by an international terrorist organization, is a top supplier of foreign oil for the United States as it seeks alternative sources of crude amid turmoil in the Middle East.

Days ahead of the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, the U.S. Embassy said in an e-mail to U.S. citizens here that "the U.S. Mission in Nigeria has received information that U.S. and other Western interests in Nigeria are currently at risk for terrorist attacks."


"Potential targets include official and commercial installations in Abuja and Lagos," the capital and main commercial center, it said in a consular message.

A U.S. Embassy official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said the warning reflected general security concerns amid news of a terror plot in Germany and the upcoming anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

"This does not suggest that we have hard evidence that anything is happening," said the official. When asked if there was any known terrorist plot against foreign targets in Nigeria, the official replied: "Absolutely not."

"This was considered prudent because 9/11 is approaching, and particularly after what we've seen in Germany yesterday," said the official.

The statement didn't indicate which terror organization might be behind any attacks in Nigeria, a country of about 140 million citizens roughly evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Nigerian officials had no immediate comment.

While Nigeria in the west has not seen an attack, east Africa has. International terrorists linked to al-Qaida were blamed for the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.

In a statement attributed to al-Qaida terror network leader Osama bin Laden in recent years, Nigeria was targeted for liberation. Nigeria's president at that time was a Christian, while current President Umaru Yar'Adua is a Muslim who was governor of one the 12 states across the north where an Islamic civil code was installed in 2000.

Nigeria is a secular nation where opinion polls consistently show widespread admiration of America and the country's military and civilian administrations have generally been considered pro-West.

However, security forces in Nigeria are often ill-equipped and prone to bribe-taking, meaning law enforcement is weak. The country's northern border runs along the edge of the Sahara Desert - a vast, unguarded space where U.S. officials say al-Qaida-linked militants operate.

German authorities said Wednesday they had arrested three Islamic militants suspected of plotting massive bomb attacks.

"It is possible that a certain motivation (of the plotters) can be attributed to this (Sept. 11) anniversary," said German Federal Prosecutor Rainer Griesbaum - although he added that there was no concrete evidence yet of a link.


On Tuesday, eight men - of Pakistani, Afghan, Somali and Turkish origin - were arrested in Denmark. Authorities said the men were linked to senior al-Qaida leaders, but have not revealed what their targets were, or when they planned to strike.

Wolfgang Bosbach, a key member of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's governing Christian Democratic Union, added in comments to N-24 television that: "When you leaf through a calendar, it's only a matter of hours until Sept. 11."

In Nigeria, the embassy warned U.S. citizens to be vigilant and aware of their surroundings at all times, saying "analysis has shown that individuals who appear to take basic personal security measures are often passed over by terrorist groups as a potential target."
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

cactusmike

It would be an interesting job - make sure of the pay and terms before you go and make sure you have a ride home if it all craps out.

I have seen several flight bags stickers that say "Happiness is Vr at Lagos".

BeenThere

Gentlemen:

Don't be so desparate for an airline job that you will put your long-term health and immediate personal safety at risk in this sh*t hole. There are diseases lurking in Africa your doctor has never heard of (and has no treatment for), your digestive system will be permanently damaged, you will be targeted for every shakedown you can imagine--including kidnapping, rape and extortion, and your life will also be in danger every time you fly in Nigerian airspace.

Not to mention that when a legitimate company tries to find you to offer a real job, you may as well be on the dark side of the moon. Trust me, you're better off doing anything than this.