There are many threads on the subject.
- F/O starting salary has decreased steadily for the past 7 years when measured against other currencies.
- Some Exchange Rate Protection (ERP) may be built in but it depends on where you come from. In any case it washes out with time. Pound based ERP has halved in the past couple of months for instance. The max you can possibly get is 7.5% of basic. (which is unlikely)
- The salary structure is moving to greater amounts based on flying pay while basic salary remains largely static in Dirhams (Decreasing in most other currencies). Leave and sickness will reduce you takehome pay by a greater proportion each year.
- Inflation is wild in the UAE. 36% reported by local papers since beginning of this year. 9.2% over 2007
- Bonus, ERP, Provident Fund are all based on the basic salary and not on Flying Pay. Therefore they have and will continue to reduce rapidly in real terms over the years ahead.
- The buying power of an EK F/O salary has approximately halved in the last decade.
- EK recruitment website figures, while accurate, hide many facts that could cost you dearly.
My advice: Think VERY CAREFULLY. Dubai is expensive with many hidden costs. Saving capacity of an EK F/O is basically zero unless he/she lives like a hermit. If you have a family, you need external savings or the wife must work. Leave will be miserable as you will face a reduced pay packet on your return and will probably pay for the holiday for the rest of the year....