one a the more 'ntelligent (rare in itself) things I ever heard KG say over a coffee some years ago (not long after he joined EK) was that this company (EK) don't plan strategically...
he emphasised thet there's a strength in the inherent flexibility permitted... 'n that's true commercially for EK, cause she's always openin' up places and makin' plans at the last minute but god knows there's way too many chiefs and not enough indians...
lack a strat plannin' is what causes these kinds a little upsets in the career plannin'...
it ain't tha fault of flight ops manglement (lord knows I don't come ta their defense very often!) it's the way other departments do their thing 'n change the ops requirement at the last minute...
Where this overlaps with recruitment and pilot numbers causes this domino effect and ya get this kinda disappointin' news...
In tha grand scheme a things, a 3 month delay ain't no big deal... there's some guys 've had a whole year 'n longer tacked on 'cause the A380 slowed things up a mite. 'N they were told unequivocally thet the upgrade would come at 3 years.
I wouldn't be too 'fraid of too many more DEC's joinin' either - the package jest ain't good 'nough to attract 'em. And it ain't jes the EK thing anymore either - it's tha whole DUBAI thing... the ****ty infrastructure, rampant and extortionate inflation, get rich quick schemers, accomodation issues, the drivin' of course, schools, crowded conditions... it's the general malaise a tha place - it's just a false fronted town hidin' a credibility gap behind the facade 'o frills...
a buddy bought hisself one a those leather flight bags from the EK store at tha old DNATA buildin' @ flame roundabout there, it's a little over a year old an' he showed me how the whole wheel assembly has gone askew. Each wheel mounting is stitched on to the outside leather of the case... there's no underlyin' support frame inside the case. It's jes' like little ol' Dubai herself... nice lookin' on the outside but in terms a substance 'n real stuff to support the flash, she comes up kinda like this flight case... it's bogus goods.
But y'all ken bet that the suppliers, an' the retailer all got their more 'n reasonable profits... it's the end user thet gets screwed.
Hang 'n there ladies 'n gents...it's gonna get worse... Dubai's just the painted lady 'o the Gulf Region.