Ek have been using leave days in lieu of days after ULR flights for some years . Now they are using leave in lieu of days off before ULR flights . The OMA states you will be non acclimatised after leave and will be given three local nights off prior to any ULR flight . This use to mean three days off after leave, allowing you to return to dxb on your last day of leave. This has now been adjusted, to only two days off . As your leave finishes at 2359hrs, it is considered that the period between 0000hrs and 0800hrs will be your first local night. So, the majority of pilots at this mostly Expat airline, travel will need to start on the second last day of leave to achieve feet on ground prior to midnight on the last day of leave. Several pilots have been caught out by this recently . They have been asked to explain why they were not acclimatised after leave, and are now awaiting sentencing . The funny thing is they were contacted after the trip, not in the days before .
Leave has been already restricted to only 30 days instead of the contracted 42 . With this new move, leave has been artificially reduced again .
The OMA use to state that a travel day off would be applied after leave . Oh how those days have disappeared .
This should help stem the flow of pilots leaving, and should be a great shot in the arm for recruiting . Great work DM and team .