Good God !!! Neither have I. Hope he feels better for it.
Listen mate, you have to live witht the following : We're only truck drivers !! What need is there of us if there is no one to fly. Stop feeling like a martyr !! Cuz let me tell you there are many others in much worse situation than yours.
We are just a byproduct of economic growth. When the economy grows, then we're needed, when not...............well, then not. We're nothing special, just one of the actor of the economy.
You want to be on top of everything ??? Have a super amazing wonderfull idea, start your own business in your garage and become the Bill Gates of tommorrow. I believe these guys too have worked their tail off too.
I've tried having a super rewarding idea.........nothing came up, so for now I'm happy doing what I do because I am much too lazy to do something else.
It doesn't take a PhD in astrophysic to understand that the world isn't " unfair and mean " to us ". Sorry for your friend. I still have a job today and I hope I have one tommorrow, but who knows ?? I've been unemployed before.
For 20 years now, everybody and especially sectors of the economy like airlines, have enjoyed a totally artificial growth. We had pax to fly because people had the illusion the economy was sound. Everybody borrowed like there was no tommorrow chosing not to find the whole thing a bit odd and too easy...............and then the music stopped.
I am thankfull I was raised in the hate of debts and I never lived above my station and what I made.
The problem with airline pilots is they have always thought they were something special. Well, wake up and smell the coffee, we ain't !! Just pro's like there are millions other who by the way keep a stuff upper lip and move on.
As to DXB, here's what I just read on Nouriel Roubini's news letter :
White Elephants in the UAE: How Large a Property Slump?
- Average prices for Abu Dhabi’s major property projects have dropped by 15% to 25% since peaking in Q3 2008 (National Bank of Abu Dhabi). Dubai high-end rents may fall as much as 40% in 2009
- Vacancies in Dubai’s office market have doubled to around 16% over the past 6 months, the highest recorded. Hotels report lowest occupancy on record. More than 50% of the announced residential and commercial projects due for completion between 2009 and 2012 have now been either put on hold or cancelled (Jones LaSalle)
Doesn't look too good.