On the subject of the pros & cons of EK.
There are some questions I urge prospective EK pilots (especially those with family) to check CAREFULLY prior to commitment.
Firstly, and most importantly, insist on knowing where you are accommodated. The majority of accommodation is fine, however, there are a few inappropriate locations and once you have been allocated a location there is very little chance of moving under the new rules. This is a commonly trivialised issue, usually by those in good accommodation, but where you expect your wife and children to live can make or break your life in an expat environment. There is an option to take an allowance and make your own arrangements but this is 70% of what the accommodation dept. has been allocated for you so you are not going to find much better on that amount.
Secondly, do make time to think about schooling. There are a rapidly increasing number of expats needing schooling for their children in Dubai and very little expansion in schools and no known plans for new ones. Ask about schools and prospects for your children getting into them. Don't get brushed off with generalised statements like, "it'll be fine."
There are a few other issues that I could mention here but they are small compared to these and we were lucky and pleased with the schooling so that is fine for us but we do know of several parents that have been very unhappy with the schooling here. I do appreciate the many pros to flying for EK and contrary to some suggestions I believe command will be quicker than suggested due to greater numbers of aircraft arriving than projected.
If you are well accommodated and your children are well schooled then all the other issues here may be important but are not critical.
I left an OK, secure, command job to come here, and on the issue of accommodation alone I question whether it was a good decision. May be time will tell.
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As for the comments of wilco77 may I suggest that he is not who he appears to claim. He is most certainly not a professional aviator.