u/Inevitable_Fruit8232

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to help a friend, so I'd really appreciate any advice or insight.

A few years ago, he joined an airline in a developing country and signed a 15-year employment contract. At the time, he didn't fully understand the terms, and the agreement apparently contains several one-sided clauses. One of them requires him to pay $120,000 if he leaves before completing the 15 years, and the amount isn't even prorated.

He's a U.S. citizen, and his entire family is relocating to the U.S. permanently but he isn’t able to move due to the contract. According to him, he has never earned anywhere near enough to repay that amount, and his family can't afford it either. He also says the airline has indirectly threatened him whenever he brings up leaving and has implied they could create problems with employment verification if he resigns and file cases against him and his family.

1. Do U.S. airlines generally care about a contract dispute or breach with a foreign airline in a third world country?

2. If he flees away to escape the predatory slavery contract, is it possible? Or will the airlines from third world country go after him and report to US FAA and PRIA despite him being a us citizen?

3. If he returns to the U.S. and doesn't pay, what are the potential consequences? Will us regionals ever hire him?

4. If the airline refuses to negotiate, what options does he have?

5. Will the U.S. regional airlines or Part 135 operators in the U.S. typically contact his previous employer or be concerned about this type of contract dispute? Does foreign dispute stay in his record somehow and will regionals look at them while hiring?

I'm fresh FAA CPL ME and 26 year old female, Us citizen.

Is it worth to spend pay 85k to fly Dash8 Q400 and A320 in a third world foreign country where my family lives? It requires a 6 years commitment with them so I'll be 3 years slower than cfi route to us regionals. End goal is us airlines. The 85k is a fine I need to pay if I leave the airline in 15 years contract which I will once I have my hours. I don’t need to pay for type rating but the contract isn’t prorated.

Or should I spend $40k usd to get my cfi, mei, cfii in an academy that hires instructors and grind my way to airlines in 3 years? I could use the rest 45k to build time instead or support myself if cfi pay isn't great.

Which one would be a better choice? The guaranteed airline job in foreign country or the cfi path in an academy that usually hires its instructors?

Do you think the 85k usd is worth it if I get to fly the dash8 and possibly A320 and also be 3-4 years slower than cfi route costing me seniority and uncertainty when I come back ? Pay here is $1600 for dash8 FO and $3000 for 737 FO. Cost of living is $700usd monthly maximum. The contract isn’t prorated or anything. Which one would u pick?

I'm fresh FAA CPL ME and 26 year old female, Us citizen.

Is it worth to spend 85k usd for type rating and line training to fly Dash8 Q400 and A320 in a third world foreign country where my family lives? It requires a 6 years commitment with them so I'll be 3 years slower than cfi route to us regionals. End goal is us airlines.

Or should I spend $40k usd to get my cfi, mei, cfii in an academy that hires instructors and grind my way to airlines in 3 years? I could use the rest 45k to build time instead or support myself if cfi pay isn't great.

Which one would be a better choice? The guaranteed airline job in foreign country or the cfi path in an academy that usually hires its instructors?

Do you think the 90k usd is worth it if I get to fly the dash8 and possibly A320 and also be 3-4 years slower than cfi route costing me seniority and uncertainty when I come back ? Pay here is $1600 for dash8 FO and $3000 for 737 FO. Cost of living is $700usd monthly maximum. Which one would u pick?

I'm fresh FAA CPL ME and 26 year old female, Us citizen.

Is it worth to spend 85k usd for type rating and line training to fly Dash8 Q400 and A320 in a third world foreign country where my family lives? It requires a 6 years commitment with them so I'll be 3 years slower than cfi route to us regionals. End goal is us airlines.

Or should I spend $40k usd to get my cfi, mei, cfii in an academy that hires instructors and grind my way to airlines in 3 years? I could use the rest 45k to build time instead or support myself if cfi pay isn't great.

Which one would be a better choice? The guaranteed airline job in foreign country or the cfi path in an academy that usually hires its instructors?

Do you think the 90k usd is worth it if I get to fly the dash8 and possibly A320 and also be 3-4 years slower than cfi route costing me seniority and uncertainty when I come back ? Pay here is $1600 for dash8 FO and $3000 for 737 FO. Cost of living is $700usd monthly maximum. Which one would u pick?

SEEKING SUGGESTION ON: Should I take the guaranteed Airline Dash8 Q400 job and spend that $80k and get the multi turbine hours and apply for
US regionals or should I spend 40k to get my CF!,lI rating, try to get into cadet programs and do the CFI route to the regionals? They'll be bringing 320s too so can upgrade in future but is spending 80k for getting here a good decision. End goal is US regionals and us majors later on. I understand the cfi route maybe a bit faster but should I leave the guaranteed job and do CFl route or is it worth it to spend $80k and live in the country where my parents are and build the multi turbine hours.

26 year old FAA CPL ME holder with 340hrs with Us citizenship. Got a guaranteed offer to fly a Dash8 Q400 turboprop at my home country where my family lives. I do have.. However the contract is brutal: 5 years on Dash8 v slight chance of being upgraded or a320. I have to pay for type rating, license conversion and then there's payment for line training. Inclusive of everything I would need to pay them $50,000 for the Dash 8 job and pay is $1500/ month. If I leave at year 3 at 1500hrs, I would need to pay and additional $20k as fine making it $70k usd in total.

Is it really worth it to spend $80k but it's a guaranteed job or should I come back to usa and do the CFl route? In that case I'll need to get my CFl, CFIl ratings, do my Multi engine time building and living cost for a year which would end up being about 40k but the CFl job in my academy is 80%-90% guaranteed.

CONS of ASIA route is that: It'll cost 40k more, won't get PIC hrs when I apply for us regionals so will be low with 250hrs PIC but 1250+ hrs of SIC multi turbine, IMC time will be low since I'll only be logging actual IMC in airlines.

SEEKING SUGGESTION ON: Should I take the guaranteed Airline Dash8 Q400 job and spend that $70k and get the multi turbine hours and apply for
US regionals or should I spend 40k to get my CF!,lI rating, try to get into cadet programs and do the CFI route to the regionals? They'll be bringing 320s too so can upgrade in future but is spending 70k for getting here a good decision. End goal is US regionals and us majors later on. I understand the cfi route maybe a bit faster but should I leave the guaranteed job and do CFl route or is it worth it to spend $70k and live in the country where my parents are and build the multi turbine hours.

26 year old FAA CPL ME holder with 340hrs with Us citizenship. Got a guaranteed offer to fly a Dash8 Q400 turboprop at my home country where my family lives. I do have.. However the contract is brutal: 5 years on Dash8 v slight chance of being upgraded or a320. I have to pay for type rating, license conversion and then there's payment for line training. Inclusive of everything I would need to pay them $50,000 for the Dash 8 job and pay is $1500/ month. If I leave at year 3 at 1500hrs, I would need to pay and additional $20k as fine making it $70k usd in total.

Is it really worth it to spend $70k but it's a guaranteed job or should I come back to usa and do the CFl route? In that case I'll need to get my CFl, CFIl ratings, do my Multi engine time building and living cost for a year which would end up being about 40k but the CFl job in my academy is 80%-90% guaranteed.

CONS of ASIA route is that: It'll cost 30k more, won't get PIC hrs when I apply for us regionals so will be low with 250hrs PIC but 1250+ hrs of SIC multi turbine, IMC time will be low since I'll only be logging actual IMC in airlines.

I’m 25 years, FAA CPL ME pilot with 300TT (0 failures, US citizen). I got an offer to fly Dash8 Q400 transition to A320 in Asia in 2 years after that. However it’s 10 years commitment and $70,000 usd if I ever leave the company which is absurd. The job is guaranteed tho but the contract sucks. Being in Asia I can enjoy the airline glamour, have a bit of self satisfaction and be with my friends and family but it comes at a hefty price - time and seniority, contract money since final goal is US airlines.
So should I do that route or come to USA spend about 40k to get my cfi, CFII, mei, multi time building and try to get a cfi job and hustle my way to the airlines. It’ll take less time about 3-4 years I’m guessing but then again the cfi job is not 100% guaranteed but highly likely as they hire 80% of their graduates.

The Asia route I can fly A320s internationally and leave them at year 6 by paying 70k usd if I want but that’s still slower than CFI route to us airlines but I’ll get a bit of experience flying jets internationally to Dubai and turkey and places like that but might regret missing out on 4-5 years of seniority by coming to usa a bit late.

Would you do the guaranteed Asia route and fly the Dash8 Q400 being locked up in a 10 year commitment but which gives you the satisfaction of flying international at such a young age or would you come to the us and do the cfi route and get to the regionals asap to get the seniority number. Cfi job is 80% guaranteed but then again it’s not 100% but I can get my cfi and cfii done in 6 months. Would you do the guaranteed Asia job and get locked up in a 10 year commitment but at your home comfort or come get your cfi and hope for a cfi job and do the cfi grind to the regionals.

Which one would you pick?