REALITY CHECK!
LHR Rain - I don't disagree with your views, or those of others here, and I sincerely hope that you, and all the other qualified FO's, get your upgrades as quickly as possible.
HOWEVER, what's happened so far is nothing compared to what's about to happen in the coming 2 years.
FACT: DEC's are going to be employed onto the 777 Fleet as a joint measure of avoiding transition upgrades, while meeting Fleet expansion (in significant numbers!)
FACT: Our management has recently reviewed the policy on transition upgrades, and have decided that DEC's are the better choice for the company, for one reason: $$$$ (their conclusion, not mine!)
FACT: DEC's will be hired onto the 380. (This will be done as an additional carrot to those DEC candidates that aren't convinced by the "movie star" salary)
FACT: DEFO's will also go onto the 380, but I don't think any sane peson is surprised by that fact: its a necessity.
CONCLUSION: Things are not going to get better. Make your decisions based on your own personal and professional requirements. All airlines needing pilots are going to feel the pinch soon, if not already. Don't be so naive to believe that red carpets will get rolled out to anybody with a rating; they will control staff movement simply by increased bonds and penalties for leaving. And so far EK has not done that!
And always remember, green grass can grow atop very deep sh&^t, so don't be too quick to jump the fence!
Also, for what its worth, the experience we have in the right seat of EK is hugely appreciated and respected by the Captains. Weather the storm if you can, get your upgrades, and THEN re-assess.
CTOAN