Guys, if you are coming across, just be aware of the problems with the promised villas, which do make up part of your package.The truth of the matter is that the FOs at EK are supposed to get housing, but the accommodation is a stuff up at the moment, pilots who joined from Februaury last year are still in temporary housing (apartments or ramshackle villas), with no sign of any permanent accom on the horizon. When villas do come available, they are allocated without any form of adherence to the seniority list. Even the flight-ops manager who puts out a weekly "update" is not told about them, so we all live like mushrooms
We would be better off if they had told us up front that they were incapable of delivering on the glossy pre-employment ads , then we could still be in our home countries instead of battling to keep our families together due to the terrible impermanance of this setup. Pity they also only allow us a pittance to find our own accommodation, it will hardly find a hamster cage even in these trying times!
So guys, you are forewarned, when you have been in temporary accommodation for 9 months, and your wife is going mental and your kids start to display signs of anti-social behaviour (real things which are showing now!) you cannot say that you did not know, unlike the rest of us poor sods who were hoodwinked! A few weeks in temp they told us
I can't answer that one for you. You must just be aware that the promised villa may well not occur for quite a while. I was advised only tonight of yet another of my coursemates who is having marital problems since arriving here, a major part of the problem is the lack of permanent housing for us.
All I can say is...if you are in a job at the moment, and are coming here for the bigger plane only, then think if the plane is worth your marriage. The strain you will be placed under, due to no fault of your own, is tremendous. If you don't have a job, or you are about to be laid off, sure, then come along, as this is better than no work at all.
Good luck in your decisionmaking. If you are aware of some of the pitfalls along the way, and your family is as well, you may be able to somehow prepare yourself.
No one can give you the answer. If your single it is a lot easier, all you have to worry about it yourself. Hopefully you know yourself and your limits. If your moving a family, consider the worst, and talk it over with your wife. My advice is do not go if your wife has not been there to see the culture, housing etc. You will really be in the dog house if she gets there and hates it and cannot cope. No job is worth you marriage. Be smart!
Considering the recent changes in rostering and overtime, I think it's fairly safe to say the requirement for new courses just got pushed back even further.
Personally, I'm not holding out much hope at this point that I'll get out of the pool but it is aviation and minor miracles have been known to happen
Location: I ain't as great as I once was. But I'm as great, once, as I ever was!
Posts: 232
Ladies 'n Gents
Let me make this perfectly clear fer y'all. Villasare no longer provided by Emirates, despite what it says on the papers y'all are gonna sign.
A villa is a stand alone building. A house to folks from north 'merica. What EK's offerin is, in almost all cases these days is a duplex or mulitple family dwelling. Think welfare housin' from Surrey. I've said it before an' I'll say it agin... it's one step outta tha trailer park.
The company is not payin' fer even these kinds of digs at the moment. There's been a little movement, but the locations are terrible. This Mirdiff area is right on the east side a tha airport. It's noisy as hell. Smells like sewage when the wind ain't blowin. It's a nightmare.
Think about the new work rules long and hard: we're facin' down 92 hour blocks startin' 01 Apr. (That ain't no April Fools joke at all). The rules here are terrible. I honestly didn't think that it could git any worse, but it has. It's frickin brutal...
For what ever reason, have been told it's DEWA who are dragging the chain on the releasing of the hundreds of Villas that EK are already paying rent on.
Not sure how that works as DEWA, as far as l am aware is part of the Dubai municipality, which in turn is part of Dubai Government, therefor a sister outfit to EK, no? And who are they paying rent to, the government real estate company?
All looks as logical as our recent T & C "adjustments"
halas
DEWA = Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (Note the subtle lack of inclusion of sewerage )
My question is;
Since Dubai is in such a recession and the housing bubble has burst as in the US, why aren't any of the pilots taking advantage of the market and buying there own property? Is Emirates still offering money if you opt out of company housing?
I think all those in the pool have read and heard enough about the housing disaster. There is no one to blame but yourself if you choose Emirates and become another number in line as far as housing goes. Choose you career path carefully.
Since Dubai is in such a recession and the housing bubble has burst as in the US, why aren't any of the pilots taking advantage of the market and buying there own property?
Maybe two things - the purchase financing being difficult to obtain (wrt, credit and higher down payments) and we have yet to reach a bottom, probably nowhere near it.
Is there any truth in what the Uk papaers are saying? Seen quite a few articles saying that Ex-pats are leaving and walking away from their commitments i.e home loans otherwise they'll be put inside? apparently there are over 3000 cars parked in Dubai airport with their keys left in the ignition and maxed out credit cards in the glove. Any truth?
The news papers blow things out of porportion. I was told there is a problem in Dubai and there are cars left at the airport due to "selling of cars" laws. My understanding is you have to own a car in order to sell it in dubai, or you can go to debt jail. Expats are being laid off and visas are being revoked, as a result people can pay their bills and flee. There is still a lot of traffic, but the gov't is trying to get rid of old used cars.
If you haven't got a job well you may as well come but if you are employed do not even think about it.
So far since Ive started they have reduced FOs from 3 to 2 bedroom apts and moved families from villas to town houses.
And many new joiners have spent well over a year in temporary accom.
Think 2 bedroom unit for a family with kids for months on end.
I hope you have a strong marriage as you will be living in a dog kennel.
They have taken away any chance of overtime they told us about when we joined (read new 92 hour O/T threshold) and now are restricting days off so you can no longer effectively commute.
They are just the big ones.
Don't forget this is not the USA.
There are no unions and if they find you even thinking about fighting back you will be in a whole world of hurt.
The contract is not worth the few sheets of paper it is written on.
I know this because I am here and have already had these pr*cks renege on the above and I'm sure there is more to come.
I don't know you all out there but I believe in Karma and letting you know just what is going on here.
BTW I am currently looking out of my crap apartment window at a sandstorm thinking about the beach I used to go to back home.
Really think very carefully about coming here and ask many questions to people already here.
Don't bother asking EK as they will just lie to you like they did to everyone else who fell for it.
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