New to Foreign forum.
I'm thinking of applying for a position with Saudi Arabian Airlines based in Jedda. As far as I have heard life there is quite different from life in the US or the rest of the western world. I'd be gone alone, leaving the family in the US and commuting (it's a "commutable" contract). How are the working conditions with the company? Is life for a a guy without need for a lot on days off really that restrictive? (I'm not much of a drinker so the no-alcohol policy is not a big factor). How hard is it to do the commuter thing from so far away?
Thanks

 

I will only comment on the commuting part of your post, having been a commuter from Japan to the US for the last 7 years I can tell you that it depends on your commuting conditions, positive space business class round trip ticket every month then it is no problem (except for the jet lag issues, no way around it) anything less than that, ZED or space available, coach, the company always sending you on a different airline, different port of entry looking for the cheapest ticket....etc, then your commute will become the main reason of your discontent.....!

Good luck

 

Thanks Domimican,
I had no idea that those are the rules I thought that one would get positive space tix. I'll see if I can find out what kind of arrangement they have, I can't imagine having to depend on ZED on a different carrier for your only way to work and home.

 

Do NOT under any circumstances assume anything.........! Working overseas is so different than working back home (not bad in my case, just different) ask many questions, from what are your commuting arrangements to the hotels during the overnights, if they offer western courses on the crew meals. Don't take it for granted that this things will be a certain way just because it is that way back home. Just my 2 cents.

 

Thank you Sir. No, I'm not taking anything for granted, not intentionally at least. I was just going with what I thought would be "the norm" but I guess there's no such thing.
You mentioned overnight hotels and crew meals, good input, anything else off the top of your head? Keep in mind I'm as clueless as I could be. For example: do you guys working abroad have the paycheck deposited in a local bank, US bank, third country bank?

 

Saudi Arabian has historically not been a commuting airline. They have an entire city block or two that is their dedicated compound in Jeddah. That is where all of the expat pilots and other employees live. It is complete with school, shops, etc.

I do not dispute they may be offering a "commuting" contract, but one must understand they do not have the commuting history of Korean or the Japanese carriers. That most likely means there will be a learning curve. I agree with Dom, no way I would do it unless the commute is positive space business class.

Life in Saudi Arabia is very different. I've spent the better part of a year in Jeddah and flying at Saudia as an instructor on the MD-90. Luckily I was doing it on behalf of another company and had my own villa further north on the Red Sea coast at a place called Durrat-Al-Arus. Lived on the 2nd green of the only grass golf course in Jeddah and had a marina not far away. Wasn't bad in small doses of 2-3 months there and 2 months away. Had some students who were expats living in the compound. Most made their own beer and wine. That coupled with the embassy parties made drinking available if one wanted.

The Red Sea is a very good playground. There are private beaches where you can swim and play in the sun, as can women. SCUBA diving is quite good off the beach and offshore. That plus golf, tennis, and other sports can keep one busy while there.

The Saudi pilots are generally competent and reasonable to get along with. When I was there some American expats had been there for 25 years.

That's my two cents.



Typhoonpilot

 

Thank you Typhoon, the info and your take on their commuting contract is valuable.
So as I understand it living in the compound is not bad but could be better, sounds like your arrangement was better. Do you know if there are pilots who chose to find on their own a different place other than the compound to live in or is that difficult without a company acting in your behalf?

 

No experience with Saudia but I'm curious what type of commuting contract they are offering. The last contract offer I saw from them was for 5 (or 7? can't remember) consecutive days off per month with your name on the GD for those days so you could leave without an exit visa. Good enough to hop over to Dubai or Europe for a long weekend, but completely useless for commuting home to a family.

 

CR, unless there is some type of Month on/off home-based or similar arrangement, commuting while having a family in the States will be a very short term prospect. It takes a bare minimum of 19 hours from check in at home to arrive at Jeddah.

There are some that can deal with it. I commuted to Saudi for 4 years before I brought the family here full-time. As was said in a previous post, there are ex-pats who have been here for 25 years. I don't know any who have commuted for that long. We do have a few that have commuted for 14 years. Most of that time was on a month on/month off rotation. It was also home-based.

 

I think being based in Jeddah would be WAY more workable if you brought the family. I know a guy there, and he and his family fly on ZED tickets. They may have a different program for people trying to commute...he and his family just go home to Italy when they feel like it. He likes the job and living in JED.