I have been a vocal critic of the DEC policy but anyone now affected by it, should have known better. So to fast forward, anyone applying to EK should consider the negative affect that the DEC policy will have on their career. Aside from the countless alterations to our T&C's, which are always negative, the DEC policy should be a deal breaker for many pilots thinking of coming here.
Many policy changes are just annoying. But things like the max 5 days off, 12 max off in a month, OT only after 92 hours and the DEC policy are things that go beyond annoying. It does not matter how tolerant, keen, and thankful you are to have a relatively secure job flying great equipment, these policies will wear you down over time.
This is pure conjecture on my part, but in light of the worldwide economic crisis, (which blows SARS or 9/11 out of the water wrt their affects on EK) and the fact that most aircraft are leased, wouldn't it stand to reason that some aircraft will be returned to the Leasors in the near future?
For those in the hold pool, it is probably wise to consider the possibility of a stagnation in fleet size for the next period of time too. Yes we have a ****load of triple 7's coming, if that schedule is followed, but there is no guarantee that EK will keep all its present aircraft.
In other words, career progression will slow at EK, until two things happen. The economic crisis goes away and concurrently, pilots start leaving EK at the same rate as a couple of years ago. You might think this will be a good thing for F/O's already at the company, but EK will simply start hiring more DEC's to fill the slots that should be available to F/O's.
Since EK is hiring DEC's now, at a time when there is every reason not to hire DEC's, then when the supply and demand cycle reverses (hopefully), EK will hire DEC's even faster. This policy is engrained in EK now, in spite of the fact it contravenes the FOM. BEWARE is all I'm saying.