Gulf Air
 

If you have an interview or is getting close to getting one, beware! They will ask you to buy your ticket and they will 'reimburse' you. Tell them NO (you are unable, they WILL get your ticket, and no, I didn't fall for that). They will book you confirmed on OA, but your troubles may begin once you get to what ever conx city. You will be 'waitlisted'. They WILL NOT put you in First/Buisness. They WILL not Positive Space you. Anticipate getting stuck in LHR or where ever,and, upon return, expect the same mess. Could take you 2 days to get out of there! So either Tell them you want confirmed seats/seat number on GF both ways, or you should make arrangements for extended time off to get home. Also, check in for your flight on GF at least 4 hrs early if you do take the chance on standby. It also wouldn't hurt to copy their employment requirements on their website and keep that with you (they seem to forget what that is).

Cheers

Thanks for the info.
Also, I was wondering, how long did it take you to get an interview with them?

from the time i applied, approx 4 weeks.

Seems like your interview process was less than wonderful from your perspective; are you still considering working for them?

the interview was good, just a hassel with the transport. sim on the first day, then a full day of group/indiv flight plan exercises, 'what's next in the pattern' test and one on one interview with hr/pilot. lots of 'tell me about a time...' from them. yes, i am considering the job. i am pleased with the pay, location, and schedule for the A320.

I have an interview scheduled with Gulf Air next month. Can you give any more details about what the interview was like? Also, I haven't been able to find any details about the schedule. Is it a 6wk on/3wk off like in NAS Air? Bahrain seems like a nice-enough place. Better than Riyadh, at least. Thanks in advance for the info.

From what I understand its all non-commuting. Standard schedule as most US majors.

From GF website:
http://www.gulfaircareers.com/career...aspx?PageID=10


Day One

On the first day, we will conduct an informational presentation on working for Gulf Air, living in Bahrain, your career as a Pilot, and the benefits you can expect to receive.

Then you will receive four psychometric written tests designed to assess the following abilities:

Verbal reasoning
Numerical estimation
Spatial checking
Computer checking

A practice session will be included at the beginning. The tests are timed, and the entire tests will take two and a half hours to complete.

While you are being tested, your documents (such as log books) will be checked. The tests will be scored on the same day, and if you succeed you will be informed on the same day and will proceed to the next stage.

Day Two

The second day is comprised of a panel interview, a written individual planning exercise and a group discussion. Additionally, if you are a type-rated Pilot, you will be given a technical written assessment.

The panel interview will be approximately one hour duration. The panel interview may include behavioral questions where you describe actions and decisions taken during specific events based on your own experience. We encourage you to be candid in your response as there are no right or wrong answers. In addition, we may ask you knowledge-based questions covering topics specific to Gulf Air or related to the aviation industry.

In the individual planning exercise you will be presented with a scenario to which you will be required to provide a written response. The group discussion is an interactive session where candidates are presented with a topic/scenario and are asked to discuss it.

A panel will evaluate your results from all the components. Within 10 days you will be contacted by our Recruitment Team and informed whether you have been selected. We may contact the people in the references you provided during this time.

I would like information about their payscale. Anybody?

gulf air salary...
 

here is a breakdown...

Basic = 2100BD + (50BD for each year of service)
Housing = 650BD (married)
Pay per block hours = 6BD (average 60 hours = 360BD)
Meal Allowance per hour TAFB= 1.5BD (average 150 hours = 225BD)
Wife allowance = 42BD
Wife allowance = 12.5BD (per child)
Communications = 13BD
Utilities = 48BD
Transportation = 40BD

Total = 3490.5BD or $9,319.65

TAX FREE...

good luck everybody...

Thanks! Got a big dilemma: Qatar or Gulf Air. Interviewing at both, Qatar this week and I'll be heading out to Bahrain early next month.
Bahrain seems to be more welcoming to foreigners and more tolerant, and apparently the benies are pretty much the same.

Cheers!

Good luck. If you can, make a posting or PM me because I will be in Bahrain in mid-October for the interview.

Thanks to everyone else for the info.

I had the same dilemma 2 years ago... got hired by both at the same time... started GF in September and told QR I would join in January; backup in case I don't like it or don't make it in GF... but all worked out well here at GF and the place is much more easygoing than QR and the pay got a lot better since I started...

obviously there are benefits and drawbacks to both, I recommend you keep all options open till the last minute...

best of luck

Probably negative...but try Ethiad...they've got a cadet program and I don't believe you have to have your CPL/ATP or be a UAE citizen...pretty sure they're doing interveiws for it...just go to their website

Are you friggin kidding me????? 250 hrs and expect to be hired? Huge cajones for just asking but then again, in the US, they will just about accept anything now.

kc10/c130

i know a guy that just got hired at a mexican airline(A320 equip) with those hours. iraqipilot try ethiad like someone else mentioned. good luck

Anyone heading to GF anytime soon for an interview? I have been in contact with them about interviewing over the end of November/early December. Last I heard from them was five days ago asking for my nearest international airport to fly from. Supposedly the assessment starts in about a week (30th), but I have yet to hear anything else from them, ie: travel itinerary, interview schedule, hotel, what to bring... Anyone else out there going through the "GF process"?

Thanks!

Things happen slow, just be prepared to go at a drop of a hat.

Most of the new hires at all the European, Asian, Middle East Airlines are hired with those times, difference is they have a FROZEN ATPL, and pass a hard interview, nothing like the US. Bad or Good? I won't get into it ...! Being a CFI building 1000 hours going to the regionals and then the Major if your lucky doesn't exist outside of the USA.

My son just got a class date with GF starting in March. I'm not sure if he knows the answer yet but, what will his options be with regard to getting back to the US from time to time? Also, do most US carriers have CASS (jumpseats) for Gulf Air? Thanks

No carriers have jumseat agreements with them. Gulf Air doesn't allow jumpseaters. The jumpseat is normally only a US Carrier benefit. Most overseas companies don't use them like we do.

As for time to come back here. He will need to use his vacation time. Their schedules are not built to support commuting. Gulf air used to give 52 days of vacation a a year but I believe that was reduced recently.

Having lived in Bahrain and met many Expat pilots over there, do not expect to return to the US or "home" very often. A commitment to work for GF means you are commiting to living in Bahrain. That being said, Bahrain is a GREAT place for singles of all kinds... not so much for couples. That is an OPINION, of course. :D

PM me if you have questions about Bahrain as I still know several of the "good" places for night life and expat life. :rolleyes:

3Wire,
Unable to access your pm for some reason. Please pm me at [email protected]
Thanks

You need a few more posts to be able to pm.

I would COMPLETELY disagree with it being a great place for singles... I was in the military when I was there so im sure that doesnt help, but it is a very dirty and small country.. There really isnt a whole lot to do other than drink and avoid the police as a "out of towner".... It is a big lifestyle change for a westerner, and if you dont adapt to different surroundings you will not make it a month... It is not a TERRIBLE place to live, but it is much more traditional than the UAE (lived there also)... The island is very small and the only other body of land it is connected to is Saudi Arabia, so no driving vacations.. haha Feel free to PM me if you wanna know anything else about either.. I lived between Manama, Bahrain and Dubai, UAE for almost 2 years....

I didn't know that there was a minimum before able to PM. I'll keep this thread in mind although I have a feeling that my son has found out all that he needs to make his decision. He's got a couple of months at least in which to find something better...I'm retired TW and have flown quite a few charters to the mideast in the past and, while not too excited about that part of the world, I can definitely say that the GF F/As that I met while there were all close to tens! :D ...well, sevens at least! Thanks all for the info.

I found that most of the military people I knew did the typical military things in Bahrain... hang out on base, go to the same bars, assoicate with only other military folks, etc. If you are expecting a country in the Middle East to look like the USA, then yes, you will be quite disappointed. The Middle East is NOT pretty. Bahrain does not have nice mountains, canyons, beaches or forests. What it does have is some good food joints, good nightlife and a good network of expats. It takes a little exploration to find it, but I went with an open mind and found all that I needed to enjoy my experience.

The UAE is much more westernized than Bahrain but also is much more expensive and the traffic is a NIGHTMARE. I would probably prefer to live in the UAE but this thread is about Gulf Air.

PM me for specifics.
:D

GF gives you ID90's. Rostering does not work like the States. You start out with 8 days off per 28-day period. However, you do get two blocks of 25 days off for vacation each year. And the company pays for one round trip ticket. So your son won't be getting too many consecutive days off.

Bahrain takes some adjustment. Things don't work as efficiently as they do back home. But people here are really nice and very welcoming. Patience is a must with all of the hoops you need to jump through to accomplish things.

I was also in Bahrain for a bout a year and a half with the military. It is what you make of it. True, it is a small dirty island, but there are some positive points to it. I would go back and fly there, but anything more than a couple of years would really wear on me. The social life revolves around where you are going out to eat or drink. The rugby club was a great place to meet other expats, but the social life is a little bit like a fish bowl. The FAs are beautiful, but that pool is also like a fish bowl.. If you single, and a pilot with the company, you will have a reputation and the girls will know who you are quickly since they have nothing better to do than sit in the back of the plane and talk on long trips. A long term relationship at GA is about 3 months.. So that gets old quick.. Not to generalize, but most of the FA have issues there..