GoForIt,
No the paycheck never did bounce or was late. It was though, in a 6 month period 53% less than it had been. And in October of last year they took another 18% pay cut. In 1994 we were within 1 week from running out of cash (that was from our ceo and wall street) before BA invested 450 million dollars in U. This is a company that in one year lost 1.4 billion dollars. There was never any stability. We had pilots furloughed for 8 years and were recalled only to be furloughed again 3 years later. 3 times in my career I was displaced from the left seat back to the right.
Public education in the states is free and depending on where you live it is good or crap. Where I live is was crap. I was spending $15,000 a year for school.
I was paying $400 a month for health insurance that required me to go only to the "in network" doctors, that were hit or miss. We did have a great family doctor.
You are right I could have lived in base instead of cummuting. Unfortunately in my career at U, I changed bases 12 times, only 4 by choice. The other times I was displaced. How many times do you think I should make my kids change schools and friends? And as soon as I move and get settled, I wiould be displaced again. And yes your 401k can not be terminated, but it may have your company stock in it that is deems worthless in bankruptcy.
I was not furloughed, I resigned.
Here are some good things about EK. I am on the AB so a Boeing comparison would be worthless. I work 12-14 days a month and get 90-95 hours in my top 3 bid months. That is overtime in most months. With the overtime, and tax free, I am now taking home more than my class mates at U and working 5-6 days a month less. Add in the other benefits and I am even more money ahead. Depending on the package adjustment that will take place in May, I may be money ahead of my classmants with no overtime. Ghostflyer makes a very valid point regarding tha package. It is not even coming close to keeping up with inflation. the new joiner of today has about 50% less spending power than those who joined 10 years ago. That is something that EK will eventually have to address. It takes 20+years to upgrade at U and that will be to the 737 as a reserve. Here is is currently 3.5 years on the bus to the 330 and you are on reserve 1 out of 10 months. The route structure is great at EK. I very seldom have to fly a short sector, and am overnighting at some amazing places. I already mentioned the health care and education. I am home so much more now than before, that I am once again nearly a full time dad. I can come home from a trip in the morning, (flying all night is one of the drawbacks at EK by the way) get the kids off to school and then go to bed. We can do almost anything here that we can do in the states except eat at taco bell (there are none), and listen to a country western music station. (those either). My wife does not have to work because of the financial unstability of my job, (first time in 15 years) and she is loving being a full time mom.
Lastly, I think it would be a mistake to turn down the interview,(unless it is for a DEC). You would be making an uneducated decision. Come for the interview, check it, out ask questions, meet other pilots and get their prospective. Then you will have learned enough to decide. I would never make a decistion on reading the posts on pprune. I also have said on other posts that I would never leave a left seat position to come here and that is still true. (unless you are trying to aviod an ex or something)
gj18457:
TP told me to not expect the accelerated command and to plan on 3 years. I did not believe him!
Regards,
330 Man