Missing the forest for the trees???
There are a couple of things that have really been omitted from this discussion.
First, EK have never sought for their pilot’s opinion on DEC recruitment, and consequently they make their operational decisions very much regardless of the preferences of the F/Os that are waiting to either transition or upgrade, and definitely without consideration of the accepted practices in other airlines. They have done it in the past and will continue to do it in the future. It is a short term fix, which will have longer term implications just like all their other decisions.
Secondly, at EK a DEC candidate will normally undergo a full selection process, a full company induction, a full GCAA type conversion (regardless of it already being on his licence), a full EK command upgrade course (regardless of it already being on his licence) and then be subjected to the same line training and checking requirements as an upgrade candidate. In short the process of DEC recruitment is actually longer than a right to left upgrade! While many have passed, it is true that many a DEC has struggled with simultaneously joining the EK culture, doing an EK type endorsement, and doing an EK command course at the same time. Admittedly in an attempt to reduce the failure rate, this advertisement is only seeking A330 A340 previously qualified applicants.
Thirdly, DECs never leave the bottom of the seniority list. They are jumped by every F/O recruited ahead of them throughout their entire career in EK. Therefore within their bid group they will always have lower bidding preferences, and always get the least desirable flights……and the least desirable on the A330 network is pretty unimaginable!!
Fourth, the current A330 captains have been told they will be flying with new recruits. There will be an influx of low time, low experienced national cadets graduating in June, and they will be forced on to the A330 rather than any other aircraft because recruiting can’t find willing DEFO candidates.
Fifth, the admission that DECs and cadets are being recruited is a tacit admission that the A330 fleet will be retained for longer than previously predicted. There has been no announcement on the replacement type for the market that the A330 serves. With the ever shrinking A330 route network and existing company rules, it would take a new DEC at least 3-4 years to qualify for a A380 transition, and the type of flying and fatigue they would be exposed to during this period is pretty well documented on these forums. Even at the recent management wash-up they said that the aircraft will be retired next year, which begs the question why would you be desperately recruiting such large numbers to both seats of a retiring type???
The last round of DECs are already whining about their decision to join, so in my opinion any DEC who considered joining the A330 fleet would be reconsidering their quality of life decision in well under 6 months. Good luck....
The G.