Mullah - agree with most of what you write - not the tone of it but, hey, whatever you like.
However, you say the company shouldn't fully catar for inflation since expat pilot send money home. Why not?? First, not all send money home. More importantly, if the company wants to take that stand then it becomes an easy arguement to say that if they don't care about inflation here (due expay pilots sending money home) then they should care FULLY about exchange rates (becuase the pilot are sending money home) and adjust pay accordingly because. EK can't have it both ways!!!!! But then again, I have never heard EK make an arguement. I have only heard pilots on hear with opinions.
In the end the simple fact is that EK relies on foreign labour and skill. SO they have to counter inflation - or people leave and they have to deal with FX rates (which have the perverse effect of pushing inflation)- or people leave.
People can claim what they like about it not being the companies responsibility but the fact is, just like in any other country, the airline has to deal with all of these outside influences as best they can. It is a balancing act between pay/benefits and retention and ahppy staff. Somewhere along this sliding scale is an effiecient range of pay that keeps both side relatively happy.
So, in the end, everything is EK's responsibility to one degree or another.
Now that I am on a role I would also add that the benefits side of the pay equation could be used very effectively at EK. The added benefit of a good jump seat program are HUGE. Not because it might allow the odd guy to commute (because even
JS's can not ensure a guy can commute) but becasue it would make vacations, travelling etc more effective. It would also allow you, if structured correctly, to take your wife/teen etc on a trip. You work a lot here why not take the wife on a trip everty once and a while!
A properly structured program would do a lot to improve moral and could be developed so that a strict set of rules prevents abuse. To me it is a no brainer.
There are lots of non monetary benefits that cost little but could be used effectively to 'sooth' the employees.