http://www.pprune.org/middle-east/53...-national.html The link above is to another very recent thread on the same topic.
I have recently faced the dilemma of going to UAE or staying at home and taking a command. I want the Dubai lifestyle and the long haul operation but financially as an expat I expect to be paid a significant premium for leaving my current life. however when I crunch the numbers the extra earning potential once offered by the UAE carriers is no longer obvious.
While crunching numbers for such a move a ten year plan is a reasonable point to start with. 4 years ago you could plan to live a good life saving a little money month to month but then pocketing a nice bonus. Saving was easy. Now however we must now assume at least an extra 2 or 3 years on an FO salary and it seems no bonus.
There appears to be the constant management squeeze on Pilots, it is taking place almost all over the world and UAE is no exception. Recently some of the threads on the pprune UAE forum read exactly like REPAweb.org the Ryr Pilot forum. Inflation is rising but the package on offer is not. Costs like school and accommodation allowances are rising but there is absolutely no sign on this forum that the UAE carriers will start to improve their package in line with the economic environment in Dubai. All this represents a dent in saving potential which gets worse on an annual basis. Over 10 years this adds up significantly. On top of the maths according to the forum it sounds like perks like roster bidding, annual leave and staff travel are not like they used to be, not a deal breaker but if things are not working out these are the things which make the difference between bearable and unbearable.
I do think there is money to be made with the UAE carriers however the margin versus what many of us can make in Europe is not what it was and as a result the decision is no where near clearcut anymore. I suspect the large easterly flow of Pilots from the likes of Ryr may be reduced due to the alternative offered by Norwegian who are currently recruiting in large numbers for both short and long haul ops. If the European flow of Pilots into UAE is reduced will UAE have enough supply of quantity and quality from other regions to care? If the answer is yes I can not see any reason the UAE packages would start to improve in line with inflation, rent and school costs. Even if the flow is reduced UAE carriers can still lower their entry requirements if they want to avoid improving the package.
All the above is just my opinion of course based on research directly from Pilots not on forums. I hope I am wrong. I hope the bonus returns and the package improves to recognise inflation, school fees and rent costs. If it does the decision to leave a stable European job will be easy again, as I feel it needs to be to leave your home.
Of course everyone has a different aim and for some to earn just 1 Dirham more will be enough to make the jump.
