I think the problem here is really that EK moves the goal posts all over the place, and alters conditions of service as they wish. Many of the F/O's who have been affected by the DEC's joined before DEC's were employed. They thought they were joining an airline like CX (pax fleet), that offers career progression through ranks for expats, and supplements the numbers with national cadets. But after joining, the DEC issue was thrown at them. And EK does not pay F/O's with families enough to sit around for too long in the right seat, especially given inflation here and the demise of the USD. Some of you may remember the meeting in Oct 2000, when the command requirements were altered from 4 PPC's and 4,500 hrs, to 4 years and 8,000 hrs. And as an FO at the time, I remember how p*ssed off that made me, because I could see the now airline president using it as an excuse to get DECs back then. This is not a pro or anti DEC comment, just one to say I know how the FO's feel, and how nice it would be for EK to actually leave our contracts alone.