i came here because at that time (2000) it was much better than my previous job and ek sounded like paradise.
in all it is still ok, even though most of the guys i fly with are upset and demoralised.
but i believe for pilots in general that does not take much.
if ek would have left the package as it was, i for my part had nothing to complain about.
but they did not and we just see paradise turning into the place we previously left, without having the chance of going to court or effectively fighting for our original contracts.
(maybe one could go to court here in dubai, but we have this fear/doubt, it might harm us more or it would not do any good.
this might be very well true or is just our perception of things, but who is going to find out first?)
iŽd be probably stupid enough.
yes, the salary is very much improvable, (mainly because of the weakening dollar), but housing is good and many of us take the opportunity to make use of the housing allowance to buy property, which turns out, so far, to be a very good move.
this putting us in a slot, where one actually settles in dubai, so making a move more difficult.
in all, if the current package ek is offering, is better than your existing, come by all means, i agree time to command in my opinion would be now at least 5 years.
but be prepared that this package will be opened and played around with.