To the OP
Depending on how old you are I would definitely look at EK first, there is no comparison between the two if you are looking at career longevity and financial gains if you are new to the region. FZ has had tons of pilots leave for EK and QR, including senior captains and TREs TRIs. Many FOs have left and many more are gearing up to leave. It is not because FZ is a bad place to be at, BUT, EK has much better T&Cs and works better in the long term.
At FZ you will have great co-workers to work with (pilots and cabin crew), well maintained aircraft, nice variety of flying and home on most days/ nights. But meanwhile it can’t be considered as a long term option IMO due to the lack of incentives or desire from managment to keep folks here long term. Examples would be the lack of incremental pay (Dubai is expensive), no pension plan that one could even consider a tip at your end of service, rostering is… Well "it is what it is" as FZ pilots would tell you, and no one to complain to (be careful if you do do complain because this is the ME and people do hold grudges here!), A-B deadhead night flights (2 sets of pilots on 1 long deep night turn around flight in economy to work 12-15 hour all nighters and arrive at noon the next day, somehow sitting in an economy seat or even the more uncomfortable business seats is considered adequate rest here as if you are sitting at home). Also, technically, the company policy forbids deadheading crew from using biz class headsets while deadheading and want you bring your own! Just pointing this out to illustrate the mindset at FZ!. Also, as a DEC you will enjoy being bottom of the list captain for years! 7 year plus captains here can’t get one week of summer off.
At EK you will be working for a legacy airline, you will make slightly more money, proper crew rest areas/bunks on long flights, you will see the world, 12% match for your provident fund (you will have 4 times bigger pension leaving EK than you would at FZ for the same amount of time served), you will be just as tired, much MUCH better travel benefits as you are not considered a second class employee on EK flights, much better medical benefits (FZ has downgraded their health insurance provider to the much cheaper for them and more expensive to employees option).
Not to say that FZ is a bad option, far from it as you could do definitely do worst but for a newcomer EK is the better option. Big portion of the guys/gals who stick it out at FZ plan to get a quick command followed by a couple of thousand hours in the left seat then bugger off to bigger and better things or go home. Others (minority) feel like they are too old/lazy to make a move or don't want to go back to the right seat.
Hope this helps.
Last edited by DH8_driver; 11th Dec 2019 at 00:30.