QR or Skymark? Tough call.
If it were me I would go with SkyMark but you'll, 99.999%, never upgrade to anything bigger. By contrast at QR you'll eventually move on to the A330 or B777/ 787, and it will be a career airline
Living in the M.E. sucks anywhere you slice it with DXB is probably the only palatable place. Doha is far worse. But if you can get home once a month you might be able to tolerate it. Some of my friends love living and working in Doha, others hated it and bailed the first chance they got. Same goes for those working for EK in DXB. Sure you'll be a 777 Capt at 30 yrs of age but will you have a life? Working for a US major gets me 16-20 days off a month and flying with a pretty laid-back group of guys. Plus I'm home every night most of those days. Last month I bid reserve and flew one quick-turn trip. 76 hrs pay for 1 day of work all while living in my home country. That's far more important than the equipment I fly. 90 days after you check out it's all about days off and QOL (quality of life).
At least in Japan you won't be subject to searing heat, a lazy, arrogant and boring religious society. Nor will you feel like you're being treated like a second-class citizen (though some there feel they are treated that way but that exists everywhere, including your own country). At least in Japan you can have some resemblance of a normal life outside work (even though you will be working.. a lot!).
To each his own. I worked in the M.E. before and I know it's not for me. But some have no problem with it. For me, Japan would be a better fit.
Interview at both places and go with whomever hires you first!
You'll make money at either carrier. And both will drive you crazy but living in Japan in much easier than living in Doha. Then again, you'll layover a lot in Europe with QR, not so with SkyM.
Last edited by Geebz; 22nd November 2011 at 09:10.