meaw,
First, congratulations on your opportunity to come to EK. It is an accomplishment to get hired here!
I have been very forthcoming in previous post's regarding coming to EK. I am not influencing your decision, only giving you the information to make it! I suggest you look at my previous posts to find some of the answers to your questions. Send me a PM if you wish and I will get back to you, but for now I will tell you this:
I would not quit a good job with a stable company to come here. If your job is not so good or your company is facing financial trouble, then by all means come.
It is not as good as it sounds here, but then it never is. All in all it is still a good place to work.
The money is not that good for a first officer with a family. If you are single you will live very nicely. The benefits are good. All in all the package is better than average. Some have come here and gotten a raise from their previous job, and others like me have taken a pay cut at an unstable airline to come here.
I do not have any regrets. For my personal situation this was the right choice, but your situation may be very different.
I am home now more than I have been in the last 20 years, but the 777 guys are gone more than I am, so one of them may tell you something different. It is to the point now that my wife wants me to consider the 777 as I am home too much and under foot. This is a realy quandry that you will face. Many days at home and not enough money to play golf on each one of them!
You are treated very fairly. The training is very straight forward, but much of it is self study. You are allowed mistakes like any other company. The difference here is that if your mistake gets into the newspaper you are in big trouble. This is a government owned airline, and they WILL not look bad. If it is in the press, it will be your fault and you will be having tea and crackers with the CP.
I would reccomend EK to anyone who is in need of a good job. Do not leave a good job to come here as you will find that you have just as many problems and regrets, they are just different problems and regrets. Do not come to EK planning on a fast upgrade. If you are hired now it will be 3-5 years before upgrade, if that, because we have hired so many qualified first officers.
Hope it helps. Good luck.
330 man