Wiz, the FAA regs are there to establish limits which we rarely approached. The negotiated contracts improved QOL even more. The big difference is the lack of restrictions on front side and back side flying at EK. The FAA and the contracts had very restrictive limitations on front/back flipping and circadian adjustments and disruptions. Those consideration are non existent at EK. Min rest? No problem, you're "legal." It doesn't matter if you just got back from an all night HYD, you've got a day ATH tomorrow, deal with it. 8 days off? That's a joke with the type of mixed flying at EK. Min days off at some US airlines is 12 with all domestic and no red eye flying. Throw in long haul and back side flying and the days off increase significantly.
Now here comes the argument that the contracts are what killed the US industry. BS. It was the influx of low cost carriers willing to take a loss to gain market share and the response from the legacy carriers to combat it. The result was a reduction of service which reduced the market to a pricing point based battlefield and destroyed any consumer loyalty. Profit margins were cut to razor thin levels and the airlines squeezed the labor groups, cut pensions, reduced pay, eliminated jobs, and robbed all those responsible for what little profit remained. Thank god for the contracts which protected what little semblance of life style still remained.
At EK, profits are not an issue. At least that's what they say. Based on their words, EK makes more money than all the US carriers combined. That's easy to do when you don't give a crap about silly regulations that prioritize safety over profit. The GCAA regs, and all regs for that matter, are designed to demonstrate maximum and minimum values for operation. That doesn't mean that operating to those limits is safe, advisable, or sustainable. The regulations are backstops to use in extreme circumstances, not guidelines for scheduling or staffing an operation. The people in place at EK either don't understand that or just don't care.
The staffing problem could be easily fixed in the same way they solve any problem in this part of the world. Throw money at it. A significant increase in pay would attract all the candidates they need. The resulting numbers could then be used to improve life style by reducing individual flying hours and increasing days off. This would, in turn, attract even more people and make EK the premier job in the industry. Sure, it would cut a little into the 1 billion plus profits, but it would fix the problem.
The rhetorical question then: will EK management see beyond their short term profits (which would still be staggeringly high) and look at long term, sustainable and stable growth strategies?
The only thing stopping EK from taking over the planet is staffing and there is no one willing to turn the ship from the iceberg looming in front.
P.S. sorry for the drift, but I was just reading the staffing thread as well and the two seem related.