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Virgins off to Emirates

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Old 16th Dec 2005, 23:41
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Virgins off to Emirates

It appears an increasing number of VB pilots have decided to pack their bags and head off to the sandpit.

Whats the latest on numbers, and Ranks ?
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Old 17th Dec 2005, 02:45
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4 in total in the last 4 weeks. 3 FO's and 1 Captain. With Emirates cancelling flights due to lack of tech crew and with an order of 1 aircraft a month through till 2012, I would expect to see a lot more people from all airlines in OZ moving off shore to here and airlines alike once they get a bit of jet time.
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Old 17th Dec 2005, 04:38
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In the inside back cover of the latest Flight Int'l, there is an interview with a Mr Rick Halliwell who's in charge of Emirates recruiting.

When he joined Emirates in 2000 they were recruiting 16-20 pilots per month.
That figure will shortly be increased to 100 pilots per month.

The following quote really scares me though........

"We already have some Chinese staff......mainly ground staff and cabin crew.......but we are also exploring the opportunities for Chinese Tech Crew"

I fielded 2 calls from mates that are A340 Captains in Emirates that are disillusioned with life in the sand pit, not to mention Emirates itself.

Rapid expansion maybe but these A340 guys would love to work in Oz........Virgin Blue Brissy basing especially!!!

As they say, the grass is always greener.
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Old 17th Dec 2005, 04:40
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I would love to hear their professional due diligence in making such a move!

Brisbane to Dubai? Living with Arabs? Possibility of a falling USD? Similar pay?
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Old 17th Dec 2005, 04:49
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Check out this

Looks like getting in was a piece of cake compared with trying to leave!

These guys holding your passport frightens the bejesus out of me!!

Last edited by TIMMEEEE; 17th Dec 2005 at 07:08.
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Old 17th Dec 2005, 09:39
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4 in total in the last 4 weeks. 3 FO's and 1 Captain
You poor ba**ards. Leaving a beautiful first world country in Bris Vegas and dragging your families to that sh**hole. Don't say that the boys and girls on Prune did'nt warn you.
"but Rat its a great company and endless money that's tax free"
Yeah right. !!!
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Old 17th Dec 2005, 10:15
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TIMMEEE

Not that l hold much regard for what 'Rick the dick' says, but when you qoute something it should be verbatum.

The article quote says...

“We already have some Chinese staff,” says Helliwell, “but this is our first concerted venture into China. We will probably mainly be looking for cabin crew and airport service desk staff, but we will also explore the opportunities for technical roles.”

He does not mention TECH CREW.

Yes. The grass is always greener.

halas

By the way, no-one holds your passport. How are you supposed to get into Australia as crew if they did?

Last edited by halas; 17th Dec 2005 at 14:08.
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Old 17th Dec 2005, 10:33
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At the risk of sounding like everyone's dad, my advice would be "keep your virginity."

I know no one will take any notice, but to anyone surrendering said virginity, please remember not so very long down the track: you were told.
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Old 17th Dec 2005, 12:09
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M rats

G'day,

You might find that guys leaving VB are guys that only know EK and DXB from EK's web site or because they've spent 3 days there for the interview.....

They have also converted what EK pays, 18000 Dirhams (which is crap!), into Oz dollars, not taking into account the cost of living.

Who cares about the "No income tax" salary??? the only reason people are not paying income tax is because of the indirect taxes (high cost of living)!!!!! nothing is free in this world......

Who ever thinks VB treat people like ****, wait until you get into EK.......you will only be "white pakistanis"!

I'm sure you know the say: "grass is always greener....." (yeah because it grows on ****!)

Cheers....

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Old 18th Dec 2005, 00:38
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The general consensus thus far is as expected. Perhaps there is potentially as much to look forward to in OZ as anywhere else at the moment.

Patience is a virtue.....
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Old 18th Dec 2005, 06:41
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Just remeber that the more that leave Oz, just keeps increasing our job security and maybe pay packets one day. (fingers crossed) I'll even pay your one way airport tax.
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Old 18th Dec 2005, 06:54
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Virgin pilots pay for their training. Attrition means little to management; actually, they probably welcome a little!
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Old 18th Dec 2005, 11:16
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Halas.

While I hear what you say, the fact is that Emirates just cant get enough drivers.
Hell, its just so bad that pilot recruits dont even turn up to Dubai in the first place and some intake courses are left with gaping holes!!

Bet your gonads that they will be seeking pilots from China. Thats the way I read it and mates very senior in Emirates agree this isi the case.
These same people in Emirates claim they have been actively recruiting pilots from many third world countries (India, Pakistan, Philipines, Indonesia, former Eastern Block nations) and are paying them less than other expats.
China is only a matter of time.
To some of these guys its a great step up in both pay and conditions though!!

What other "Technical Roles" could the Chinese provide seeing that their major airlines are relatively new compared to their Western counterparts???

To quote the article,

You have three days to do all this once you have stopped flying, and you only get your passport back at the airport from Marhaba as you also get your release from Dubai ticket. Emirates will keep your end of service benefits, (ie your contributions) for three months just in case some one comes up and says that you owe them money.
I gather that when in the Emirates your passport is to be held and released to you upon departing.
Thats how crew get to Australia!

Arabs holding your ticket to freedom (pasport)................now thats a comforting thought!
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Old 18th Dec 2005, 11:46
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Here's some interesting info.
I attended a nationalisation ceremony recently at one of the Australian embassies (overseas).
Amongst the other "new" Australians was a quite well-spoken Chinese (Taiwanese) lady, who unlike the others, had no family or friends with her to witness her "Australianisation".
A little curious as to how she had qualified for Aussie citizenship, I asked her if she was married to an Australian. The reply was in the negative, and so I asked her outright how she had gained eligibility. She used a term like "skilled labour" or "desired labour", or something similar.
Previous to this, she had stated that she was about to embark on an examination shortly, that would better qualify her to continue her work in the country she now resided in - which is not Australia, nor is her employer an Australian company.

When I asked her if she would be applying for an Australian passport, she also answered in the negative.

So WHY would she desire Australian citizenship?

Apparently it had been "offered" to her (by whom, I have no idea), because of the labour category she fell into.
And that was........................an aviation avionics engineer.

There won't be any need to bring in "foreign" labour - they'll all be Australians!
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Old 18th Dec 2005, 11:47
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This is to clarify the mystery with your passport, before entering the country copies of your passport and passport photos are required by your employer.The number of passport photos required depends on how useless the operations office is at remembering where they are or then deciding that they require a different blue back ground.

You enter Dubai - with your passport - and get stamped into the country for approx 30 days.You may need to do a visa run to revalidate your passport if it looks like your going to exceed the 30 days - hey easy to do as you fly an aeroplane. Your company will then obtain a working visa for you.

Once you have all that all sorted out everthing is settled, all the time with your passport in your hot little hand.

The only time you surrender your passport is when you leave the company and country for good, I faintly remember its 24 to 48 hours before you leave the country you hand over the passport.
At the airport you are met by a company representitive who has your passort to ensure that you pass through immigration fully. Then your on your way home, all very painless and worked for me.

The passport deal is part of Dubais labour laws and no great mystery.It is also illegal in Dubai for your passport to be held so as you cannot leave the country, you can read about that in the Gulf news every so offen.
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Old 18th Dec 2005, 16:58
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Timmeeeee, you tool. No one keeps your passport. What the hell have you been smoking???

They take passports from the guys and glue a visa into it, then they hand it back to them a few days later.

What the hell good would an airline pilot be without his passport on him?????

Who filled your head with this crap and why do you automatically believe it.....
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Old 18th Dec 2005, 17:55
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Timmeee,

Ya know I do not think any part of your previous post has any truth in it all.
Further to the passport thing, all new joiners get paid the same. Regardless of where they come from. In fact we have a few fellows from the nations that you mentioned that joined as DECs, who get paid more than some of the captains that were already working here. (One of the joys of the sandpit).


Don

Edited to say I was wrong. You were correct in stating EK is finding it hard getting enough drivers.

Last edited by donpizmeov; 18th Dec 2005 at 18:19.
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Old 18th Dec 2005, 19:07
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The Saudis hold the passports of foreigners. That's where the confusion may have come from.

Merry Christamas in the sandpit people.
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Old 18th Dec 2005, 20:33
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De Burcs

Your inherent character is typified on this site when you lose the plot and call someone a tool for quoting another.

Yes - V1650 even states that when departing permanently your passport is handed over some days prior. That is fact.
Now would you feel comfortable knowing these people have your passport?
It can get lost, misplaced or they could make life hard for you.
Either way your freedom is in their hands some days before you leave as they hold your passport.

I for one dont find this practice acceptable.
By the way Halas, would you feel comfortable in Saudi Arabia?
They hold foreigners passports also according to Capt Sand Dune and that my friend is common practice.
Bugger that!

Dompizmeov.

My two Senior Check mates in Emirates claim that with the influx of pilots from Third World nations, the company will seek to further reduce both pay and conditions.
This has started already, particularly the conditions and shifting of the goal posts for overtime etc.
If you are happy with your lot then fine and good - all your mates think this practice is a retrograde step.
But then again Emirates are desperate for pilots and will take desperate measures.......apart fom paying more money!!

Whats to stop them reducing pay for new recruits Don?
Nothing!!!
They already amended your contracts for overtime without consulting you guys and trustworthy as they are (not) will do it again to suit themselves.
Try going to the union!!!
A number of check Captains that decided to resign as a group were threatened with a gaol sentence as mass resignation was considered as industrial sabotage.
They had to resign in dribs and drabs instead.

Further to this, my friends in Emirates all say the same thing now - the airline is good for short term only.

Anything longer than 6 or so years and you will be looking for another job......on that they are unanimous !
To quote someone that has flown for Emirates for the last 15 or so years, "Leave Virgin Blue or Qantas to join Emirates...........you gotta be fu*#ing braindead !!"

Shall I go on?

If you guys are happy there then wonderful and I wish you well, but to quote a relative that was deputy governer of a very well known bank that you probably have accounts with, "as an expat in the UAE, you are a second class citizen in what is effectively a very nice third world country.....with no legal rights "

Sleep well.

Last edited by TIMMEEEE; 18th Dec 2005 at 20:46.
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Old 19th Dec 2005, 04:39
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I can see you are full of Christmas Cheer Timmee.
We have enough to worry about over here with regards what is happening, let alone worry about what might happen. As has been stated already, you were wrong with regards the passport thing and EK, you were wrong with regards the pay issue and EK, you were wrong when you misquoted that dick rick. Not a good track record old fella.

Whats all this about asking if we want to live in Saudi? Nooooo we do not want to live there, so we don't...do try and keep up will you.

Now our conditions have been erroded a lot (12 months ago in fact). And yes they do change without any consultation. And no we are not happy with that. If you had of mentioned those things, I would have agreed with you.

But tell me, are the conditions at QF the same as they were before? Have you gone to your union to get it sorted? Worked pretty well didn't it. Guess we will not be seeing Porn Star take any of the QF flying will we. It is funny that you are worried about the pay for future recruits being reduced (which I can not see happening), as aren't QF doing this very same thing with Porn Star? Didn't you and the rest of your pilot union sell out new joining SO by voting yes to allow New SOs to be sent and based in SIN? Perhaps you are a bit confused.

For the record I do not think I would leave VB and Brissie to come and live here. But that is a choice that the individual has to make.

Now go away, talk to your two senior checkie mates, and when you have some facts, come back and discuss them.

Don
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