Ok here it is from what I've heard.
Not 180-200 people there as per weekly update, only about 40-50 pilots, at least 20 management / fleet superintendents etc
Good things that have happened since last forum:
- Age 30 for upgrade
- Pay increment / step!
- Rostering - change of ULR- non-ULR time in Dubai to 72 hours
- Day off cap removed
Recruitment – was concerning, only keeping up with attrition. Now getting average 50/month!! Aug 82, Sept 80. Will take up to 6 months to see this improvement on line. Didn't specify if numbers were people passing interview or people accepting the offer or people actually turning up on day 1
Attrition – still 5-6% but said 4/5 had rejoined.
Fuel - cost up 30-40% over expectations, so fuel is the big topic now!
- soon will get fuel comparison chart so all Capt can see how their uplift compares to others.
TCT
No reverse rostering – due problems with sickness at home and covering it.
Part time – Freighter only at the moment, still looking at extending it but EK prefers having pilots in Dubai.
Meydan South – will not force people to move there, empty villas will be filled with new joiners
Training
Going well, Upgrade Boeing approx 5 years, success rate 98%, A380 approx 4.8 years success 83%. New joiners 99.3% pass rate.
Pay
Pay review – start reviewing data Nov for 3 months, March send details to Upper management.
Prov Fund – rumour about EK trying to move prov fund to Dubai wrong. EK can’t do it, its overseen in Isle of Man
Car Loans – removed 2016, no plans to bring back – from old days when banking was poor and hard to get loans, now no problem so EK sees no need to give interest free loans!
Rostering bloke
RSV month – looking at staggering starts through out month to allow for leave ie not writing off one month.
Trying to stop PPC immediately after leave.
TCT
- DEC A380 only to very experienced Capts, if from narrow body - 700 hours RHS to learn aircraft / 2 PPC
- Short of SIm capacity, not many A380 sims out there.
- Pulsar fatigue monitoring system using sleep scientist to look at our rosters! Therefore it must be better for us!
- 77X – trying to work out how to mix it into current 777 fleet. Will do route testing with Ek pilots to some not so nice destinations to see how it works.
- 2019 lose 13 777 tails, drop in numbers before 77X arrives
- IPADS decision made by end of November, connects with new 77X system.
- Runway closes May for 6 weeks over easter, trying to work out whether to park aircraft or use DWC but logistics hard, still working on it. May get increased leave availability then
Questions
- No plans for Mosque in meydan south but will get prayer room!
- Seniority in bidding - even though EK short of experienced Captains, was pointed out nothing being done to stop guys leaving, also not rewarding loyalty for senior pilots by giving seniority in preference bids. TCT says he doesn’t want to work new guys hard, want everyone to have same fair roster – in short doesn’t believe in seniority!
- Part time – stated Ek not a commuting airline and never will be, however it was pointed out that this was a decision made years ago, times change and EK should move with the time to keep experience here on all fleets.
- Freighter guy – want requests as they only get preference bids
- A380 guy happy with change in upgrade age but when will courses start as being moved back and cancelled in December. Was told by TCTs boss cancelled A380 upgrade in December to release trainers to fly the line as roster could not be made reasonable, it could be done without them legally but it would have been even harder than normal, so trainers will ease pressure.
- Open time – can it be brought back. Why if you can see a flight is not crewed, you had bid for it but were not given it and it is the same hours. why could you not be put on it. Will look into open time coming back.
- Rostering seniority – why can’t you be given 1 extra request every month after 10 years, 2 every month after 15 years etc. Will look in to it.
- Why getting so many flights after leave to cram in hours – Brian – its legal, “ I don’t see a problem”
- Why can’t FO after 10 years be able to buy Firm First class SRC – hard to move existing boundaries, but if paying for it maybe!