Lets go to EK! maybe...
Hi Chaps. Particularly to the ones thinking of heading to the UAE (Dubai) for the first time.
To start, please answer with your rational mind:
Would you rather go to a financially thriving (or at least stable) company, or to one that is bleeding millions of Dollars?
I mean, this could go many ways in a few years, but in general, a company that is held by the money of a government or individuals that can decide to change course overnight, does not seem to be the most sensible of choices.
They still own 110+ A380, that canīt be filled, and must fly. That is bloody expensive either way, flying them or not.
Then again, they pay more and you get to fly the new, shiny jets.
They pay more. You save... the same, or more, or less, but in any case not that much. And you live in a different country, that you may like or not.
There is about four heavy summer months that you definitely won't like, unless you only watch Netflix and go to malls.
You will spend the prime of your life in an expat community, where everyone eventually leaves. I myself made really good friends, but I would have as well in my own country, and would still have my circle afterwards. Something to chew.
EK is a permanent contract job. They have issued warnings for petty stuff, then tension builds for a check ride or anything, and all of the sudden you are out. Pack home.
Everyone heard it once in a while. A friend, or a friend of a friend. A land mine. You only hoped to get lucky.
Only COVID made it so much more evident. They fired at will, without order, not based or seniority, and never announced anything really. We suspect it was based on the file, but who knows... Some of the guys that were let go, are really, really good pilots and individuals.
It was Emirates at its finest.
We always knew there was a chance of getting fired without really messing up, we just didn't expect more than a thousand guys to be fired in a few months.
Now... letīs go fly the shiny jets.
The duty, rest, inflight rest and all the limitations have been bent due to the pandemic. They know there is guys waiting to be hired, so it is not a problem now to max everyone out, and if anyone wants to leave, well... bye. How much is too much? If you want to try out, skip sleep for two nights in a row (three better), take a couple hours during the day, and thatīs how you are going to feel for many of the days you live there. Jetlag can be brutal.
Then thereīs polar flights. All the US West coast go by the North Pole. It's an experiment really. No other collective of humans have been exposed to north pole radiation in that manner, so the results will only show in years to come. And no one will ever know. Scary topic.
Upgrades. Ha!
There are Direct Entry Captains in both fleet now. And ex EK captains that could come back from other jobs.
And when they do upgrade guys... get ready for action. See other threads about training madness in the ME.
Things are improving fast.
Place your bets, Ladies and Gentlemen.
Best of luck to all.