Craggenmore
No problem, and thank you for your pm.
I've always assumed that EK have to pay good money in order to keep people in the sandpit. Not because they are simply a generous employer!
For me, 40-50 degrees heat would be unsustainable for any period. I also love the seasons we have here. Being close to people I grew up with, and my family is priceless. Do it long enough, and long haul flying can feel a pretty lonely existence even at the best of times. (and even when surrounded by fun crew!) Feeling lonely at base too must make life difficult... Working for a respectful employer is a bonus, and having a union on my side, with rights enshrined in the law of the land, when things don't run smoothly is a massive comfort.
Great beer, brewed in the local brewery (Tom Woods - Fabulous!) tastes great in the beer garden this time of year, or in front of a log fire when it's cold outside. It's only £2.45 a pint!
I'm not a golfer I'm afraid, though I believe it's a good thing to do to pass the time on longhaul.
A take home pay of £9000 for your ex Mytravel captain doesn't sound as good as it used to be. (I guess T&Cs are on the slide there too! Do you negotiate changes with your employer as we do...) Particularly bearing in mind some of the very long two crew sectors EK fly. Nor would that sum be unusual for a fair number of our pilots, particularly so if they choose to live on the Isle of Man, or just across the channel.
But for me, working for somebody like EK wouldn't come down to money. There would just be too much I would miss. Money comes and goes. Time just goes!
As I said, horses for courses. Good that we are all happy with our lot, eh!
Enjoy
Last edited by 4468; 8th Aug 2011 at 08:16.