C'mon girls. Look back 10 years or so and did you say to yourself, Gee, I really want to work in the M.E. for Emirates.....We are all here because (insert the reason). Ask your friends if they plan to stay here for a 25 year career. Failed carriers, furloughs (redundacies), loss of pensions, politically unstable countries, zero upgrade opportunities, etc. Not to defend the inane polices coming from the perfumed princes, but anyone want to name an airline that isn't FUBAR in some way or another and that includes FedEx, Delta, BA, AirFrance, KAL, SQ and any carrier in the ME. Find a United pilot and ask him how he is enjoying his little job. Sure those others have union protection, but the polices coming from their perfumed princes can be as F.U. as it is here. They just have a "legal" recourse. And sure they don't have the wonderful opportunity to live here in this man made "paradise". And that, EK has no control over (basings? Yeah right). I'm serious, please name me one management team (take a look at Southwest's web boards, they ain't happy either) that really cares about the well being of its pilots and employees.
So just suck it up, help a guy out if he needs a trade for an extra day of leave, help the DEC out who has no idea what a FIR boundary is, set an example for the cabin crew somehow, enjoy your time off with the kids......There is a lot to do to mitigate the miserable policies that land on us. Just do your best and when the world economy turns, there will be jobs to head to. I would leave this place in a minute, if there were an equal opportunity almost anywhere. Take a look at who's hiring and tell me it's better there, please.