Am I right in thinking that grade 9 positions are manager positions in EK. This means as told before that First Officers are managers. Grade 9 positions are allowed Business Class travel. Captains are grade 10 positions. Therefore allowed First Class.
The JUNIOR manager who suggested (if not a rumour) this would be well advised to visit a Proctologist. We come to this job as qualified people the same as the junior management. We put the time in and get the priviledges. I have been bumped before by a more senior rank who was not a pilot.
If this priviledge is taken away then I really think this will cause big problems and huge resentment amoungst an already very dispondent pilot force.