Emirates FO or Qatar CPT

[Paul737]

Hi,
I am currently flying as a Captain on the 737 in Norwegian and I have the option to join Emirates as a FO or Qatar Airways as Captain. What option do you think is the best? How long does it take for the upgrade in Emirates?
Many thanks.

[CACTUS 25]

Is it Accelerated Command you are applying to in EK or just regular FO position ?

[Paul737]

Regular FO position. 10000 TT, more than 6000 on 737, 4000 PIC on 737

[flyTheBigFatLady]

Hi,
I am currently flying as a Captain on the 737 in Norwegian and I have the option to join Emirates as a FO or Qatar Airways as Captain. What option do you think is the best? How long does it take for the upgrade in Emirates?
Many thanks.

keep the captain - EK is 50/50 chance the promise of accelerated will come true - you never know what the think in 1,5 years - a promise, even written on paper has absolute no value

[FMCspeed]

No question, as you got the four bars no need for hearing bllsht on the RHS. Keep the left.

[swh]

It is like an analogy of going from Life in Prison to the choice of Electrocution or Lethal injection.

Neither option is particularly appealing.

[Nicknamechosen]

Hi,
I am currently flying as a Captain on the 737 in Norwegian and I have the option to join Emirates as a FO or Qatar Airways as Captain. What option do you think is the best? How long does it take for the upgrade in Emirates?
Many thanks.

Why would you want to give up your command?
You're basically telling you like Emirates more but Qatar gave you the better offer.
Essentially it depends what you look for in your job and life.
Qr offers more money and your captain position but absolutely no social/family life, brutal rosters and a very toxic working environment.
Ek offers less money, loss of command with little certainty of getting it back but a better lifestyle and more chances you'll actually do your job there still in a few years.

I'd probably stay wherever you are until EK is offering Dec positions if its Long Haul you're looking for, maybe look once at FZ if money is what you're after. Sometimes it's better to wait for a better offer, especially if you're already employed!
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[1+F]

Stay in the left seat, the packages are similar and if you want, you will end up on a long haul aircraft some time

[FlightDetent]

I am honestly curious to hear why is EK such a better place, worth the risks associated with leaving 0A.

Eye of the beholder, sure, but what rings the pleasure bells? I could see the 'home every night' @DOH bears little weight, clear on that....

[enzino]

Never give up your command. It took you hard work to get the fourth stripe and you may never get it back if sh*t hits the fan.

[nimrodjoe]

Qatar is better money and generally a more respectable airline these days especially in the west. When I joined ek all those years ago, I never would have expected that Qatar would in fact become the biggest and best of the ME3. Doha will weather the next storm better than Dubai I’d say . $$$

accelerated command in emirates means absolutely nothing - a lot of Qantas guys had issues in their upgrade and the process for quick upgrades has been significantly slowed down since then.

[casablanca]

If you have to ask…. Like previous people stated never trust the quick upgrade- policies change rapidly.
while I think Dubai is a step above Doha , Qatar has done much to close the gap.
generally speaking I think terms and conditions are similar and sometimes favoring Qatar
I left Qatar- joined a very reputable cargo company in USA. Lots of Emirates guys coming- everyone happy to be away and now working here. On the other hand I have talked to handful of Qatar guys- many like me wish we hadn’t left
Seems like we hated Qatar a lot less than Emirates guys hated it there. They both have very similar management styles that can be a challenge

[fdr]

Have you considered Norwegian?

[nimrodjoe]

Qatar is a much better gig than emirates these days! Since the pandemic ek has been seen as a joke by most guys

[BANANASBANANAS]

I am not going to comment on EK v QR. You will have to make your own judgement there.

But, as an expat (which you will be) never, ever give up your command unless there is no other option.

[PoppaJo]

I am not going to comment on EK v QR. You will have to make your own judgement there.

But, as an expat (which you will be) never, ever give up your command unless there is no other option.
Some of us value lifestyle/family vs dollars and stripes. I changed employer about 15 years ago, was nervous with the medium/long term sustainability around the employer at the time, took a RHS with the competitor, got the upgrade 6 years on, and been happy ever since. My employer that I left is no longer in operation.

Do what works for you and your family. That’s first in my book. If I need to walk away from this job I would to put them first.

[level_change]

Either way, if you take one of these, you will likely be back here in 3 - 5 years trying to figure out how to return to the next best option in the motherland, but probably this time on lower pay, on the newest and ****tiest sub-contract of the lowcost airline you are now trying to leave. Been there, done that. Think twice, if you have family , an acceptable lifestyle in the middle east will cost you a ton of money that you will not be able to save, with zero job security.

[BANANASBANANAS]

Some of us value lifestyle/family vs dollars and stripes. I changed employer about 15 years ago, was nervous with the medium/long term sustainability around the employer at the time, took a RHS with the competitor, got the upgrade 6 years on, and been happy ever since. My employer that I left is no longer in operation.

Do what works for you and your family. That’s first in my book. If I need to walk away from this job I would to put them first.

Whilst I don't disagree with your sentiments and admire your principles, the harsh reality of expat life, particularly in the middle east is that if you give up your command and then have to find another expat job, that too will be as an F/O - no matter how much you may like or dislike the lifestyle associated with the old or the new company. Giving up a command as an expat is very different to giving up the command in your home country with union protections, family support network, welfare programmes etc. And the lifestyle that you sacrifice the command for in the expat world can be lost anyway in the blink of an eye if you fall the wrong side of an arbitrary line on an excel spreadsheet or someone in management takes a dislike to you. Just ask those made redundant in 2020. That is part and parcel of expat life and, imho, makes hanging on to the command far more important than it would be in a 'home' country. Just my thoughts but I would not give up the command as an expat unless there was absolutely no alternative.

[Mute hyena]

If someone values lifestyle/family above dollars you would expect he/she would never consider middle east. Your children will be breathing one of the lowest quality air in the world(ask the question how many pilots children are allergy free) and will be spending more than 6 months of the year indoors. Yes maybe you can buy them the latest iphone and send them to good schools but you are exchanging more than you think.