A More Balance View?
Firstly I don't work for flight ops and have never not called a spade a spade..........more like a F###ing shovel!
EK suits some though not all.
Personally we, my wife+ 2 teenagers, love it. Compared to the working patterns in my last company EK is a breeze. Honest. There you would get a max of 8 off per month,a w/e every 3 mths if you were lucky and between 85-95 hrs per mth for 9 mths then bloody stbys etc mucking up any routine.
EK has a good bidding system so, within reason, you choose what you fly. Me, I bid to avoid the sub continent etc as turnarounds are something I did for 17 yrs. It works for me as I get 16- 17 days at home per month, not all are days off, some are "rest days" but I am still with the family.
The cost of living has risen here recently, that said if you are in company accom you don't pay any utilities or rent, petrol is cheap as chips compared to 1st world countries, thus you salary is yours and not already "spent" on bills.
It is vital that if you decide to come you do not wear rose tinted specs,you have to see it worts and all.
We are saving money, the exchange rates aren't great at the moment and sending cash home for bills there is less than great.........but you can't blame EK for that.
We have a 10 yrs+ plan which will see our kids through uni etc.
Life here is what you decide to make of it, as I said it's not for everybody.
Good luck with your deliberations.
Alwayz