millers
you are exactly right. It is something I didn't mention previously.
I figure it would be about cost neutral for EK. By the time they increased the salary to cope with taxation, it would roughly take out the savings made from education and accomodation.
So back to my original argument, why would they forgo all the money that pilots spend in Dubai for no significant saving.
The only reason is if they can't attact pilots (DEC's that is, F/O's will always come) or someone else offers a basing package that attracts large numbers away from EK.
dmf