ECQLO

Here is something that might be useful for those considering either FDA.

ONE-- French: "Cet appartement est très gentil mais il est trop cher. Pourriez-vous me montrer un autre endroit à côté des voies de chemin de fer ou peut-être près de la centrale nucléaire ? Ces prix pourraient être plus agréables?"


TWO-- Cantonese: "這棟公寓是非常好的，但它是太昂貴的。 您或許可能在鐵軌旁邊顯示我另一個地方或在核電站旁邊？ 那些價格也許是更加愉快的?"

Just in case you are thinking in commuting from Spain

THREE- Spanish: Este apartamento esta muy bueno pero esta muy caro. Podria mostrarme otro cerca a las vias del tren o quizas cerca a una planta nuclear? Los precios deberan ser mas comodos?

English: "This apartment is very nice but it is too expensive. Could you show me another place next to the railroad tracks or perhaps beside the nuclear power plant? Those prices might be more agreeable?

Can't take credit for it.

prezbear

Hey ECQLO,

Is your avatar one of our Memphis flight managers going out to actually fly?

ECQLO

Check your email

HerkyBird

Here's a quick clip of what HKG 20,000 (US $2,666 - company offering $2,700) will get you ...
Hong Kong Apartment http://youtube.com/watch?v=JVtSvNTecvY

If you listen up, you can hear her say "540 sq. ft., 20,000". She later cut off the video, saying prior permission of the owner was needed. So, there's your freaking "luxury", folks ... note only 2 burners on the stove, mini-microwave, mini-fridge, kitchenette (and that's a stretch).

Can you hear me now?

You have to put up three months' rent in advance, PLUS pay the agent's commission of 5% of the annual rent (or 1/2 a month's rent, whichever is less). That's for a lease of over 3 months. For a short-term lease (3 months or less, the commission (out of YOUR pocket, folks), is 10% or 1/2 a month's rent. Did you also note the teeny little glass-top table? That's not a decor item, folks, that's your dining room table. So this is what Webb considers "luxury" digs in a "luxury area"? Spare me. Here's the link to that particular complex: http://conventionplazaapartments.com/ Check it out for yourself. This is not the kind of place you can come home to and decompress after a long trip -- not by a long shot.

HerkyBird

Examples from that one complex: rent a basic 1-BR, HKG 25,000 (US $3,333/mo.); with any kind of a view that goes up to 38,000 ($5,067/mo.). To buy a 3-BR is HKG 19 million (US $2.5 million), and let's see how far your $1,200 buying allowance goes on that, huh? To rent a 3-BR is HKG 80K (nearly US $10.7K PER MONTH). Two-BR (rock-bottom for most of us) rents for HKG 46,000 (US $6,100+), for 1,200 sq.ft.

So, to move into a 3-BR, you're coughing up $32,000, PLUS the agent's fees, right up front. How's that $10K seed money look now? More than just a little anemic, isn't it?

130JDrvr

Posting on one thread would have been ok. I'm sure we read all of them. Cherry picking and yell'ing about the cost is not helpful.

Why not go look outside the Harbor area.?

Past...

Gunter

Good night! Another rent thread!

prezbear

No, actually 130J, why don't you show us where you might live?

Prez

FlynLow

Not on the drunk part at the blue rock...but agree, there is not grand conspiracy and that this was the best the NC could get, big picture, with a lack of leverage and with members that tends to be self centered and only care about one or two issues, mainly paycheck and how is ruins their personal good deal... IMHO.

(On a personal note, I do alot of ALPA work, not elected. No way I could be elected, as no matter how well you do, it is thankless and everyone still *****es. Getting people to volunteer amazes me, because they always say they are too busy, but man can they complain and don't work to be a part of the solution. For those of you that volunteer, thanks for your time and efforts)

I don't like the loa. BUT, many people from other carriers still wouldn't hesitate to suck this up to go over there, because of the dismal conditions and pay they have now. A friend commented, wow, a housing allowance...tax offsets...cool. The grass is always greener for some.

I also am one of the people that would like to live there...but...Edgar voted no for a reason. I know Edgar well, and respect him on this. BUT, I also think he knows that this is more than we otherwise will get if voted down. I think he voted it down on principal for a number of reasons, which again I respect him for.

I do think if we vote this down, we get nothing and it still be opened. People will bid it. They will get nothing more than what we have now. (based upon the postal contract past)

People talk alot on the boards and rant and rave, that is good and bad. I can only say, look at the big picture, get more FACTS from your elected officials, and go from there. Don't base it upon rumors and interpretations from rumor BB's on the web. There isn't a grand conspiracy taking place in East Memphis, and I do feel the MEC with the facts they have is trying to do the best with what they have and the support and leverage they do and don't have.

I am more on the no side, but afraid of what will happen when and if it is voted down.

Before you flame away, I'm not a blind ALPA cool aid drinker...and pretty untrusting of this company and management. I'm a liberal conservative, or a conservative liberal...okay, now you can flame away.

A300_Driver

I will just say that I emailed my concerns to my LEC rep regarding the "up to $2700" in the LOA (mostly about our company's ability to find a loophole in any contractual language and abuse the spirit, in addition to maybe preventing two F/O's from sharing a place and pocketing some COLA money for living expenses).
All I got in return was a statement that the "Management is on record that will be the amount paid".
This means nothing to me and any pilot that has flown for this company for more than a couple of years!!!