View Full Version : I have a job offer at Emirates and Southwest Airlines
Longshank
30th Aug 2016, 04:48
By show of hands, should I stay in the USA and fly a 737 for Southwest or ditch everything and head to Emirates? May seem like an odd question but advice from all angles is helpful.
buggerall
30th Aug 2016, 23:41
By show of hands, should I stay in the USA and fly a 737 for Southwest or ditch everything and head to Emirates? May seem like an odd question but advice from all angles is helpful.
it depends if you are single or not. over 30 or not.
I will break it down:
Single over 30:SW
married under 30:SW
single under 30:SW
married over 30: Sw
Hope that helps breaking it down depending on your different life scenarios
HurryUp&Retire
31st Aug 2016, 00:26
Is this for real? It should be no brainer. Today SWA proposed TA with 28% increase in pay. B737 does suck compared to a WB, but still swa FOs are making more than EK CAs, numbers do not lie!
typhoonpilot
31st Aug 2016, 00:35
I know two corporate captains from Dubai that recently left for SWA.
SWA all day long and twice on Sunday. You'll have a life in your home country.
Thank me later,
TP
etops777
31st Aug 2016, 00:41
SWA all the way. Any base in SWA is better than Dubai.
ernestkgann
31st Aug 2016, 01:02
Gee typhoon, you've had a change of tune!
Laker
31st Aug 2016, 04:48
Longshank,
I'm a 777 CA. I have 8 days off in September. Not in a row, but total days off for the month. That should answer your question. I'm guessing that your question is a windup. Move to the ME to work twice as hard for 20-30% less money. Sounds tempting to me too.
Rather Be Skiing
31st Aug 2016, 04:53
Have I got a deal for you! If we can arrange it, I will happily swap my left seat 777 for your position at Southwest. Let me know when I start!
airbusgirl66
31st Aug 2016, 06:04
In my humble opinion there is NO question about it.
Hands down...go with SWA.
With the quality of life in the USA, and even more importantly, how SWA values, respects, appreciates, and treats its employees...well, there just truly is no comparison.
777boyindubai
31st Aug 2016, 07:40
It's a no-brainer! SWA all the way.
thatwasclose
31st Aug 2016, 08:04
Are you mad ? You even have to ask ? See a doctor .
JAYTO
31st Aug 2016, 08:11
I bet he still joins ek
J
fatbus
31st Aug 2016, 08:13
"Run Forest Run"
flaphandlemover
31st Aug 2016, 09:05
Many many many are leaving EK and you are seriously asking?
Please come to EK.
Would love to see you kicking yourself for such a move....
casablanca
31st Aug 2016, 09:16
I agree...Southwest has much better pay and contract, in the long run it is always better to be in ones own country.
If you are single and want to see the World you may actually enjoy the flying and destinations at Emirates....little more adventurous than 12 hour layover in Topeka
Monarch Man
31st Aug 2016, 09:54
Swswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswsw swswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswsw swswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswsw swswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswsw swswSwswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswsw swswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswsw swswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswsw swswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswsw swswswswSwswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswsw swswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswsw swswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswsw swswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswswsw
:ok:
Panther 88
31st Aug 2016, 10:11
Let me pose this question.....30 years and SWA? 30 at EK? Well, you probably won't be able to make 30 at EK. So after 15 or so posts unanimously suggesting SWA, what's it gonna be?
nolimitholdem
31st Aug 2016, 10:12
This HAS to be a wind-up. There was a time long ago when a comparison could be made that might somehow flatter EK (pay, career advancement, whatever). But the dismal, rapidly, ever-declining QOL at EK for several years now makes it a question that doesn't even bear asking.
Whatever advantages EK may offer "on paper" are absolutely obliterated by the negatives, well-documented, well, everywhere on this site. And there is no will to change that.
Southwest. Southwest. Southwest.
x infinity.
The Turtle
31st Aug 2016, 10:41
Whenever I meet an American new-joiner the first thing I think is "why"?!
Iznogood
31st Aug 2016, 11:13
Current match score SW 15 # EK 00...
Mach.888
31st Aug 2016, 12:15
This got to be a joke.
There can't be a single pilot out there that doesn't know how things have changed in EK.
And for us here, it's very, very clear that they rather close down
then improving anything.
And I mean ANYHING!
When I joined long time ago it was different.
We were all told how much we ment to the company and how valuable we all were to the expansion of EK.
During those days it was wildly known how Qatar treated its staff,
reminding us how lucky we all were not working for them.
The other day I bumped into a Qatar Captain in the emigration que in HKG.
All it took was to get rid of one man and everything changed.
Bloody amazing.
notapilot15
31st Aug 2016, 13:36
I am with jayto on this one.
Recruitment can spin this as you guys are enjoying Dubai lifestyle, night life, tax free regime, brand name recognition and so many young colleagues, don't want others to spoil your party.
Macrohard
31st Aug 2016, 16:39
B777 Capt I know, left EK one year ago for SW. Says he wished he'd left sooner.
Neptune Spear
31st Aug 2016, 17:33
I left EK over a year ago and the only thing I regret, much like every other Emirates pilot that left is I wish I could have left earlier.
I feel so much better. My mind, my body and my soul. There is no comparison.
At SWA you'll probably get a 12-13 day line and the latest you will work is 11pm. What do you want to accomplish at Emirates? An early funeral?
mmorel
31st Aug 2016, 18:47
The salary of Southwest for captain is around 220k before tax which is around 150 k , how can you compare this to emirate salary?
Laker
31st Aug 2016, 20:55
Mmorel,
Your numbers are a little off. They just got a 28% raise. Top CA rate is around $280 per hour plus a 15% provident contribution. It's very easy for a CA to break $300k/year with minimal extra work. I know many FO's there exceed 200k. The minimum days off for a junior pilot on reserve is 15/month. Pretty sweet gig if you don't mind flying domestic.
in freedom
31st Aug 2016, 22:54
Forget about job and $$$ for a second. Are you really wiiling to step outside of a society which at least strives to provide freedom and justice for all, to become a slave for an authoritarian regime that can and will do anything to you to enrich themselves?
Wellbeing of expats is not a goal beyond keeping them functioning to get the work done. When they are broken, get the next one.
Because bad news get censored, we only receive good news about Dubai. Thus anybody's picture is utterly incomplete before coming to Dubai. I wish somebody had told me that more clearly before I fell into the trap.
Have a read, this is a pretty good summary.
The dark side of Dubai | The Independent (http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/commentators/johann-hari/the-dark-side-of-dubai-1664368.html)
Rotating Bacon
1st Sep 2016, 05:48
was a 380 captain with EK, left after 17 years with no job, would take SW in a second, my regret is that I didn't leave earlier, it became a horrible company
Panther 88
1st Sep 2016, 09:26
This has to be a windup or a BS post. No response from the originator. Several days gone by. Or if poster is real, too embarrassed to admit he turned down SWA or actually got a rejection from them. We'll see.
fatbus
3rd Sep 2016, 01:21
380 Capt 15 years after taxes 250k
propaganda
3rd Sep 2016, 08:11
Two bucket philosophy seems to work for most .....those who continue to seek the holy grail Dhm whilst continuing to live the dream must be in the minority these days.
Panther 88
3rd Sep 2016, 08:13
For those over 50, it's most likely the retirement bucket.
bringbackthe80s
3rd Sep 2016, 08:34
There is no way this thread is genuine.
Flyboy_SG
3rd Sep 2016, 10:20
In_Freedom...I second you !
HornetDrvr
3rd Sep 2016, 18:34
Southwest! Take it from an EK escapee, EK was THE worst job I ever had and I left after exactly 11 months.
B777EK
3rd Sep 2016, 19:45
Not sure how does it work in Sw, but the people answering you are in EK and not leaving.
I think they compare it with other Airlines and they prefer it.
Personally, i recommend EK and i prefer it because i am comparing with lots of other airlines.
in freedom
3rd Sep 2016, 22:14
B777EK, that is not correct. A lot of the posters have left EK, myself included.
In this very thread HornetDrvr, RotatingBacon and Neptune Spear state that they have left as well.
Good for you that you like it on the 777. None of my classmates and friends have said that to me in the last 2 years.
In fact, their identical words from each of them are that rosters on the 777 are worse than ever.
speedbirdhopeful1
3rd Sep 2016, 22:48
Not sure how does it work in Sw, but the people answering you are in EK and not leaving.
I think they compare it with other Airlines and they prefer it.
Personally, i recommend EK and i prefer it because i am comparing with lots of other airlines.
Either brand new, or came from a third world airline they wouldn't be hiring from if it wasn't so crap that no one from the civilised world is applying!
I can assure you the 777 fleet is the worst possible lifestyle and roster it is possible to have. It's taken quite a few years now for the fatigue and cumulative tiredness to really set in and it's taking years of my life. I have been invited to 6 leaving parties in the last year alone and am working on my own. Do yourself a favour and don't come here.
or came from a third world airline they wouldn't be hiring from if it wasn't so crap that no one from the civilised world is applying!
Waw if the world that you came from is that "civilised" why did you come here at all?
You are pathetic
speedbirdhopeful1
4th Sep 2016, 06:18
Waw if the world that you came from is that "civilised" why did you come here at all?
You are pathetic
Good question. Back in the day it was a good job that offered the balance of making a lot of money, lifestyle, career path and a nice roster to justify leaving somewhere civilised. I needed 6000 hours on decent sized jets to even get an interview - people left good jobs to come here. The place has deteriorated so quickly and dramatically there's no way myself and others would come here now if we were doing it all again.
Now all of that is gone and we are scraping the barrel with guys that have fake logbooks, crashing simulators in assessments and very limited experience in countries with questionable safety.
I'm pathetic? You're the one who has repeatedly been told all the facts about how bad it is and will probably still join..
parabellum
4th Sep 2016, 09:02
Longshank - Notwithstanding everything that is written here, what have you been offered by SW? Is it full time, part time, temporary contract etc. etc. How long to command? and so it goes, would a few years wide body in Dubai eventually improve the balance of your career in the US, for example.
BigGeordie
4th Sep 2016, 09:31
It's not "a few years" anymore though. The bond is now 5 years and $50,000 even if you are type rated. That is a long time to sign up for, especially knowing that conditions aren't likely to improve here in that time.
Have you ever tought about this may be you are one of the cause of this deterioration????
6000 hours doesn't mean a lot you find poeple with just 2500 hours or 3000 hours that have more experience and are more profetionals that the ones with 6000 or more even if there hours are TP hours
What's a good pilot ? A pilot that is trainable , adaptable ect.....
At EK they lowered the minimums to get an interview but the process of the interview is still the same no?
So if guys with 2000 hours on TP where succesful on the same interview you had with your 6000 hours on a decent sized jets what does that tell us?
giving your opinion on how bad it is to live in dubai and work for EK is your right
But judging people by the amount of total hours they have and the contries they come from no you have no right to do that.
Trader
4th Sep 2016, 10:24
dhc8d---passing an interview is not experience. Hours IS indicative of experience!! A pilot with 2000 hours right seat is not, usually, the equivalent of one with 6000 hours and left seat time.
speedbirdhopeful1
4th Sep 2016, 10:29
Actually no, they changed the simulator profile quite significantly due to high failure rate. Just have to show 'trainability' whatever that means. There are days now where hardly anyone passes the interview/selection due to the low standard of applicants. The head of pilot recruitment was replaced with a non-pilot and we have several serious handling issues/takeovers on the line every week that never used to happen. So it's all working out well so far. Have fun joining this circus.
Enough of the thread drift.. Southwest all the way!!
The Darkness
7th Sep 2016, 04:09
Longshank,
So, what did you decide?
I have it on good authority that SWA isn't a bad place to be. Fairly flexible online and instant scheduling changes (some restrictions on certain days of the month, varies). As an example, a close friend had 18 days off (14 in a row, with no holiday/vacation days used) and was credited about 105 hours of pay. 21 days off this month, which includes a week of holiday/vacation.
parabellum - there is no part-time, contracts at SWA. It's all full-time.