A310
The rules at EK mean you will be an F/O on the 310 fleet FOREVER and EVER and EVER......
You must have 3 years in the company before you are eligible for promotion.
The fleet is expanding but by the time your "minimum 3 years" in the company is complete you will probably find that the 310 fleet is at its maximum capacity and fully manned.
Now consider these rules:
No Transition upgrades i.e. you are tied to your fleet awaiting promotion even though the rest of the airline is expanding fast. Emirates is not set up like any other widebody outfit. Some very strange rules such as this.
THIS ANOMALY IS NOT HIGHLIGHTED AT INTERVIEW
Even though you will end up having more experience than the DEC's that are being hired in the mean time you will have to wait on your fleet. Transfers as an F/O onto another fleet are NOT entertained.
The reason you will see so many postings on PPRUNE regarding pissed off EK F/O's is because this is applied without exception. Management positions require flexibility, vision, and openness to conflicting views, a grasp of the big picture. When it comes to this policy we see the opposite applied. It is NOT just that a lot of people want their command in "super quick" time (even if they are not ready, this is the response you'll see posted here on PPRUNE most of the time). They just want a fair system with some sense applied to it.
What people want is a CAREER PATH. An idea of how their career is likely to progress as they continually assess their working environment. This is a natural and normal state of affairs for any employee.
Consider the F/O I met recently with 19,000 hours, transatlantic and widebody. Due to unfortunate downsizing in his previous company he had been put into the RHS for a few months before joining EK. The EK rules say because of this he must join as an F/O. Now any other airline busy hiring DEC's would take a serious look at this guy after 6 months or maybe a year. It's just the sensible thing to do. BUT the rules are rules at EK and NO flexibility so he's stuck on the bus. The bus may become the incredible shrinking fleet if they get rid of the 340's and according to rumours this will happen it also appears to make economic sense to lose the 340-500's.
Imagine you are on the 310. You are going to have zero chances of promotion and this is just plain madness. Emirates have applied this policy based on its historical view of the 2 fleet system. But this is no longer applicable. Think of the number of fleets they'll have soon.
1) 310
2) 330 (non MFF)
3) 330 & 340 (MFF)
4) 777
5) 380
Even if you're taken on by EK to fly the 330, you may find yourself stuck in the same position. Join in a year or two from now and the 777 looks like a risky proposition. If you've only got 4000 hours total time then the 777 is already looking like a gamble. Consequently EK are finding it hard to fill the courses for even this fleet!
There are plenty of good things (42 days leave, bidding system) but is it enough to go on a long career holiday? Can you afford that?
Cost of living is increasing at a massive rate. I've just popped back from Spinney's (my local supermarket) and 3 sweet potatoes cost me 12.55 dirhams. That's 2.78 euro or £1.93 or $3.41. Internet is $140 per megabit per month. Rents are not cheap but gasoline is very, very cheap. Talk of Value added tax being implemented.
Call the recruitment department and check this lot out. It would be wise to have the full picture before coming
Good luck