Originally Posted by
Kennytheking
Spot on
The problem is, you don’t really know about the culture and environment until you work in EK.
We have all heard the stories of say, the former A380 Captain who had cancer and was dismissed in COVID 19 and is now working in a supermarket , the many guys who’s family has left him alone in Dubai and moved back to their home country for whatever reason, the senior pilot who had a night in the sim which resulted in a further check with the pressure on and ultimately his deportation from the country. I often hear the argument that “this will never happen to me”. It doesn’t matter how good you think you are at flying , or how fit you think you are for the medical , you are an expat . You are not a local and you will be treated accordingly.
Emirates dismissed many pilots over COVID , including guys who had served for a number of decades. After they were told they would lose their lives , their homes , there kids lives , their kids schools , their wife’s lives , their incomes , their careers , the company didn’t even acknowledge this for 6 weeks. These were people who dedicated their lives to Ek refused the right to leave with dignity because of the implications of media attention should they acknowledge the redundancies.
It’s often argued by a small minority of egocentric individuals that this would “never happen to me” I’d suggest that some may actually get off a little bit when they can put themselves in a different bucket. The fact remains that all pilots who leave their home countries to be an expat and fly in Emirates are vulnerable . This is often reflected in performances inside the sim and on the line with decisions made in an environment of fear of implications to your career and families security.
It is certainly possible that a pilot who attended a medical and shown to have a low white blood cell count may be off for a few weeks of sickness and this would make them very unattractive to HR on a continued career in the carrier . Regardless of decades served and proficiency in the role , it’s done.
I don’t suggest that Emirates is bad career decision for every pilot but it’s important to know the stakes and the security in the job . The competitive salary comes with other costs . There will always be those selling the dream ,inspiring people with images of them driving down the marina in a new shiny Porsche or Tesla which I certainly wouldn’t advise as a good use of your money FWIW.
I am surprised to see new joiners moving to the UAE soon recently armed with the knowledge from strangers on here that the best place to live would be downtown or the marina. It seems strange to me that pilots who have already passed the assessment have knowledge exceeded by a quick google search and is a reminder of limited understanding of what they are getting involved in pre joining.
I wish those who join all the best and I am sure many will have an enjoyable time in the UAE.