5 all nighters is pretty standard, in fact bottom bid group is usually entirely composed of night turns - I didn't log a day flight for six weeks at one point last year! Also managed eight consecutive rosters without a layover.
Our only hope is that some new recruits do accept a stint on the 330 in order that those of us currently mapping the night time Arabian Sea can escape to the 380 at some point in the future. Currently my predicted course date will see me completing two and a half years of some of the worst rosters I have ever experienced and there is no guarantee that that date won't slip back if the 'golden boy' recruitment direct 380 resumes.
I know it makes commercial sense but it is pretty galling to watch a load of short haul easy/BA/Iberia pilots going straight to the top fleet when I'm getting up at 1am every other night to go to India...
On a related note the lowest guys on the 340 are scheduled for 380 courses around January I believe. Having heard that the 343 is not scheduled for retirement for a couple of years I wonder who will fly it? Seems to me one of a few things will happen:
A) Current 340 guys will be kept back. Current 340 guys get screwed
B) Experienced 330 guys will be kept back and CCQ'd. Current 330 guys get screwed
C) Any poor suckers who join onto 330 this year get cross trained but will there be any/enough of them?
I'm betting whichever option gets exercised somebody will be getting screwed, seems to be standard EK MO....
