The new CBC at EK

[mensaboy]

I did a tour of the new CBC today. I am interested in thoughts from others, here are mine.

Good points:

Efficient for sure.
Much roomier, yet from briefing room to bus is quite the walk with 3 escalators involved.
Impressive technology in some respects
Check in Kiosks are great (if they work properly). Simply verify your 'lined up' bag when getting onto the bus.
Shorter trip time to new location. (5 minutes on average).
Shorter bus ride to aircraft. (guessing on another 5 minutes)
Probably better access to the office types........ after a pairing.



Bad points:

Sterile... in the bad way.
Horrible environment for the cabin crew in my opinion.
Basically no contact with other crew members.
From briefing until embarking bus, the idea is to have crew stay together. Pilot self-brief in room next to crew briefing room.

Clock on the wall counts down 'things to do' prior to leaving for bus. We get the last 3 minutes of their crew brief for our chat.
No area for pilots to congregate. Pursers have been given a separate room for whatever purpose they see fit.

During check-in, if allocated a random drug test, supposed to proceed immediately to the little office and get it done, after FDM advised......... likely an hour or so before actual report time for duty...... NOT going to happen....... as a matter of principle.

In order to access mail boxes, must enter 1st check-in area (prior to airside area) then take elevator to lower floor and back, then move through to airside.

Parking, parking, parking. P2 was almost full today, took me 10 climbing circles in the smallest parking lane on the planet, to get to an open spot. I don't know about P1. Just imagine when the place fully opens.

[GoreTex]

mensa get a life, dont you have better things to do than wasting your off time?
you sound like brian, I am sure he was there for some brown nosing

[Cloth Ears]

Oooh that's harsh .. Mensa was giving his opinion bet you will take note tho :ouch:!!!!!!!!!

[Kennytheking]

Mensa,

I haven't had a chance to see the new center but will check it out next week. Pretty interested to see what its all about.

Goretex,

I don't really know how to respond to a comment like yours without sinking to your level.

You are a parasite here and I suspect you are one at work too. You don't seem to understand that there are people that actually enjoy their work and do take it seriously.

This was a perfectly objective post and yet you find it nessesary to turn it into a "brian/ek-bashing" which seems to make up 90% of the crap on Pprune these days. Perhaps you should toddle along and let the adults continue their discussion in peace.:ugh:

[Fugazi]

Totally agree Kenny. Really appreciated mensaboy's post, as unlikely I will be able to make it over myself. Any other feedback would be most welcome. Goretex......f**k off................

[Lord Flashhart]

Mensaboy-

I agree with your summary. I raised the issue of not having the mailboxes on the departure level and the FDM told me that the higher powers had decreed that there was no need to collect personal mail prior to departure..

There will be no parking for crew. She said that it was for HQ people only, and crew are supposed to use the buses and Audis.

Im not sure the initial E gate entrance will fit all our luggage we enter.

Seems a backward step having to print off our individual plans and notams but the computer facilities do allow for more pilot access function then at present.

I also brought up the issue about not having contact with other pilots, as it is both social and can be informative when we are all in the same area prior to departure.

It is definitely an impressive set up though if you compare it with other airline's facilitiies (certainly pisses over my previous airline's CBC).

[EGGW]

Just a thought, but wouldn't this thread/subject be rather more securely posted in the Emirates Forum :=. I have been clearing things up down there, and giving the place a makeover, i am a rather easy going Moderator! I am no management wannabee, i can ensure you.

Just sign up, it IS totally anonymous, but if you are paranoid, i guess i will not be able to persuade you, thats your choice.

I am realistic though, that some things are better discussed out in the open, as we have no representation.

See you in there.

EGGW

[AREBEE211]

Thanks for the effort Mensa.

Saves me a trip down

RB

[White Knight]

Don't see what's wrong with this thread on the ME forum....

Thanks Mensa, I won't be driving all the way to the new site and struggle to fit a Patrol into small parking spaces so good info...

I'm concerned about not being able to mix and socialise with the other flyers- my briefings are just that - BRIEF (I read fast...) and I'll brief the crew when I'M READY - not at the behest of a damn clock:yuk:

[White Knight]

Oh yeah - Goretex, you're way out of line:mad:

[Roster Change]

And FYI....roster planning is up on the 08th overlooking the airport side.

[Marooned]

So if we can't pick up the updated company CD prior to departure from our mail boxes I assume we can't sign that we have received it on signing in without going through to arrivals to pick it up, come back up and sign in again?

EGGW: Pays to be paranoid here, besides which a more public forum helps to air some of the more contentious issues that are of interest to those considering the move to utopia.

[Lord Flashhart]

Broken English-

You will still be able to access the mail boxes, but they are quite a ways away from where you sign in. I guess there will just be a stream of people leaving there stuff up stairs then making their way to the mail boxes prior to returning back up stairs - (the pilots mail boxes are the furtherest away).

[Marooned]

EGGW: I gather from your private message to me that you are less easy going than you would have me think... I think it best to stay out here than in the privacy of the EK forum for now.

[Private Pike]

1. arrive EGHQ, proceed to grd floor,pick up mail
2. Take mail to Costa Coffee, 2nd floor, meet other pilots. (day-time deps only!)
3. STD -88, go to 1st floor briefing, check-in bags and check flt details
4. STD -83, brief crew.
5. STD -70, jump on bus
6. STD -60, duty starts!
:ugh:

[BUSTRASH]

The new cbc at Emirates is probably bigger than some airlines entire headquarters. Money does buy happiness

[harry the cod]

Bustrash

You sound like an ex girlfriend of mine, "the bigger the better" she'd always say! Don't know what she saw in me then. :O

Harry

[puff m'call]

Harry Old Chap, by far the best yet. :D

[mensaboy]

Actually I'm not offended by GoreTex taking a shot at me. Honestly though, I was just trying to pass on info to others and trying to get their opinions. I just wandered around on my own, not joining one of the tours, and made some pathetic attempts at utilizing the computers.

For those who don't want to make the effort on a day off.........it is definitely NOT a necessity to pop over and see the place, it is pretty straight forward.

The overiding impression I got, was that it is going to be a change for the better, yet the inability for 'social' interaction with our peers is a bit disappointing and it is so geared to operational efficiency it does not take into account normal human needs for socializing. I stood outside the Pursers communal room and shook my head thinking....... '' this is typical '' . Kind of makes me laugh actually.

It is even worse for the rest of the crew, other than the Pursers. At least we can hole-up in our little rooms until the self-locking door between the crew and us, clicks open at T minus 83 minutes. (that last comment was meant as a joke)

[NautiFlyer]

Mensa, your observations and opinions are well within reason and provide us with something to think about and evaluate.
But like any new airplane, or new anything for that matter...it will take time for us all to break out of the current mold and make the new place work... it's forums like this that help us understand not only some of the deficiencies, but some of the bright spots as well.
I'm completely confident that we all will adapt to the new facility, and the rough spots that are currently obvious will be smoothed over.
As pilots..we will always find a way to socialize and improvise were necessary... I'm sure in short time we will "break the code" at the new CBC, and life will continue to on as normal.
Just my two cents, but I think the new place, even with it's short-comings is a far cry better than our current surroundings...
We will adapt...we will fix the obvious... and in short time we will all be scratching our head trying to remember what it was like at the "old CBC"!!
Life moves on...
Good luck to all!!
NF

[oz in dxb]

Most will remember the "old" CBC, but how many guys remember the OLD TBF?
At least that was on the correct side of the airport for our transport to the aircraft.

Those squeaky floor boards, suitcases outside in the hot, humid air.
Going upstairs for our mailboxes, computers.

Hey, where did that shoe shining machine go???

[White Knight]

I quite liked the quaintness of the old TBF - the mailboxes rattling as you walked by 'cos the floor was shaking so much, waiting for transport outside in the humid 40 degree temps...

[Wiley]

I should go into the soothsaying business. I predicted the once suitcase rule when I saw the style of bag check in they were providing, and sure enough...

I wonder how much extra fuel burn all those captains' golf clubs and second suitcases have cost the company over the years? Increased bonus for someone next year for plugging that particular gaping hole.