EK: To Boeing or Bus - that's the question

[birdieonfirst]

Gents - advice wanted!

I passed three years as an airbus FO last month and have severe headaches trying to decide to stick it out on the bus or jump on AAR's unfair scheme on the Boeing. Anyone have any thoughts?

I mean, the way the resignations (apparently) are rolling in from the Airbus captains, it might still be possible to forsee 50+ upgrades on the Airbus in 2007. If they let a number of skippers over to the 777 that will of course help as well. Earliest upgrade with a transition to the 777 will according to my figuring be about a year and a half from now.

Your thoughts are apprechiated!

:cool: Birdieonfirst

[maddog62]

Gents - advice wanted!

Earliest upgrade with a transition to the 777 will according to my figuring be about a year and a half from now.

Your thoughts are apprechiated!

:cool: Birdieonfirst

Hi Birdie,

i think a year and a half the earliest!! Wouldn't be surprised with two years.....

I'm more or less in the same "seniority":mad: group you are and decided to stay on the bus. It's a gamble but hey...."what to do....":ugh:

Chow,
mad

[donpizmeov]

Fellas,

Make sure you have as much info as possible before deciding. Seems you can say send me over to the dark side, and then still pull out of the deal before it all happens.

Might be worth your while to ring your Fleet manager, Long range Ed or someone and asking them if A330s are still being removed from the fleet next year or not. Might be an idea to find out how many if any are going, and the time frame , before completely ruling out the 777.

Good luck.

Don

[mensaboy]

Good idea about the A330 aircraft retirements. I don't see the negative side of putting your name down for the 777 though. I believe you can always take it off up until 3 months prior to your transition, so that might give you a bit of time to further consider your options.


Then again, I suppose the problem with everyone putting their name in the hat might signal to fleet ops that this policy is something other than a result of the foolish policies in place over the past 2 or 3 years.... specifically DEC's, no proper transition upgrades, and a total lack of regard for seniority.


It should be another interesting year at EK.

[AutoAbort]

Doesn't hurt to apply to the Boeing as long as you withdraw your appliction before the "company has spent any efforts on you". I guess that means that you get at least a month or three to keep your options open. Maybe, maybe we know just a little bit more by that time. But if you don't apply before the 10th you probably won't be allowed later and it would feel :ugh: if you made the wrong choice, again.
AA

[birdieonfirst]

All valid points guys. Didn't know there was talk about retiring A330's quite yet. Definitely worth checking into as this will totally screw us for upgrades on the Airbus fleet if it's true!

:cool: BOF

[violate]

I really dobt hey will retire the 330's any time soon. Historically EK has never got rid of its aircraft quickly, we are always short of aircraft.

[Yossarian]

The last rumour I heard was an upgrade of F and J class on the 330. We need the capacity now more than ever so can't see the 330s been dumped anytime soon.

[fatbus]

The first330 was to retire in 07,cant see that happening with the drop in seats . TC has said new 330's may be the best option over upgrading the ones they have.Could see a short term increase in 330's until the 380's actually arrive. With an EK team in France to get there own idea of EIS more may be said after that.

WRT 777 looks like there is no harm in putting your name in, until they call you then you would have to pick, by then the AB picture might be a bit clearer.

rumour (all it is) 777 EK412 -jan EK 406 - may ,All PER 07

LAX 345 and South America 07

Madrid,Geneva 330 07

Should be noted that all of AUS is planned to go 380. Its hard or not a good idea to bid a airplane for the routes as they do change.My guess is once the route is 380 it will stay that way.

[MR8]

It would make sense to put A380's on all direct flights to Oz...

For the nearer future, heard the same thing about EK412 and EK406.. It's a shame, I love those flights.. I hope EK won't replace them without a good (ultra) long haul route for the A345. Anything below about 13 hours isn't really where the A345 was designed for. I heard we might be doing a direct flight to Brisbane... who knows??

As for those flights to South America... might be nice, but then again, 6600nm of which most are over African HF territory.. So long quiet trips over the CPDLC Indian Ocean. :*

And what about Copenhagen??

MR8

[mckaj]

CPH sometime in 2007 but no date yet

[Ramboflyer 1]

Only the 777 - 200lr can do 412 and 406 the 300er does not have the range.
The 200 lrs are still about 12 months away ,i believe.:ouch:

[Saltaire]

A lack of transparency and "guess" or "estimate" makes it difficult to make an informed decision. Can't think of any airline that lacks regard for experienced FO's such as this one. Que jumping and a mish mash of seniority. It's de-moralizing and embarassing. They have proven entities with three years in the company, most of whom have many years of international widebody experience and would rather hire Pablo from some tier 3 charter unknown who's never left his country on a layover. Big win for them I would guess, thinking they never had a shot at a "world class airline"....This outfit just has no idea on relevant experience, only hours in a logbook. Transition upgrade like every other first rate airline. It's like a bad dream...

[MR8]

Pablo??? Thought it was Felipe... :E

MR8

[L1011]

Trimotor you should know the answer to this one;
OMDB-KJFK (great circle route) 6849Nm
-YMML 7231, YSSY 7481, KSFO 8103.
The optimum route (very lonely over the Southern ocean) to Aus is probably shorter, not sure the 777 can do it due to ETOPS rules. Westbound from Aus will be this distance as the winds don't change much.
Can the 300ER go the extra distance without a payload penalty? I don't know - maybe you can enlighten us?
If ZFW is restricted, say goodbye to staff travel. EK will rather take another case of lamb chops than a pax on ID90 ticket.

[skymark]

Hi gents, first post on this forum. I am directly affected by the AB/Boing move. The big question is does anybody know in reality how many AB skippers the company will take accross, as this is the most expensive option, and as we all know, it is only about money at EK, never the staff or their loyalty!:ugh:

[Sheikh Your Bootie]

Trimotor saidReally? That's why it's not doing JFK DCT. Oh, I forgot, it is. And using about 10T less fuel and taking about 25 mins less flight time. Granted, the 200LR would be better

Yes, yes. But the reason its doing the nightshift JFK, is that the ER gets shagged by the temp's in the summer months, so its marginal on the morning JFK. Hence the 203/4 and the new HAM/JFK. No way will it do the direct SYD or MEL either, 200LR's no probs. The 340-500 may burn more fuel, but it has the range with no problems or penalties. Bottom line they are both good aircraft :E :E

Sorry 'bout the threadjack.

SyB :zzz: