Further Speculation
 

A rumour doing the rounds of the Sydney CC base is that the LHR base will close and be replaced by a DXB base.Doesnt seem viable or cost effective.But then again airline management make some very strange decisions.
Whichever way it goes good luck to all those who may be affected

Any news on changes/closure of the Qantas UK base and how the DXB trips will be scheduled?

Patterns for the next roster when DXB starts should be out in the next few days. LHR base to stay for the moment and possibility of new recruitment for Arabic speakers (as has been advertised in Australia) and also opportunities for Oz crew to do the 2 year stint.

in the long run I can see why they'd close the UK operation - they'll probably just be flying into LHR with a stop in DXB and most other European flights will be provided as code shares by Emirates out of DXB

Keeping a Uk operation for a few flights a day won't work

plus you 'll be able to get cheaper CC's eventually out of DXB

From where though? They won't be UAE natives, which gives QF the choice of opening up an expat base there with the associated accommodation/health insurance/travel costs, or running Ozzie crew on through DXB to Europe with associated slip costs in DXB and LHR.

Don't most of the UK base commute? Who is going to pay for flights commuting to do a flight with no overtime and with a small allowance for a 17 hour layover?? 3 day trips that = about 11-12 a roster and on base wage.

Looks like the Union/Crew had something to say about the short slip. It appears they now have 41 and 17 hour slips. Wonder how long the 17 hour will last. As has been said....most LHR crew commute. Hardly worth it on the 3 day trip. Surely slipping during daylight hours will be impossible. Not the smartest move but obviously the cheapest.

"From where though? They won't be UAE natives, which gives QF the choice of opening up an expat base there with the associated accommodation/health insurance/travel costs, or running Ozzie crew on through DXB to Europe with associated slip costs in DXB and LHR."

You assume the CC will be Aussie or European - I'll bet they will be fareasterners -Thais, Filipinos and staff from the sub-continent - that's how Dubai runs after all

EK in the UK
 

If you have a look on the EK website for their UK operation you would see there are 5 x LHR-DXB, 3 x LGW-DXB, 3 x MAN-DXB, 2 x BHX-DXB, 2 x GLA-DXB and 1 x NCL-DXB per day.
That's a lot of seats.
The current venture with BA routes passengers to Australia from the UK to Heathrow and then onwards. I wouldn't expect that to happen once the EK business venture starts.

There are quite a few LHR-DXB-MEL 8/9 day trips I see.
That should appease the commuters.

So now that the DXB trips have started, what are the crew trips/schedules? How is DXB being received compared to SIN?

I was in BA Cranebank doing my recurrent SEP the other week and the QF crew were there too... On the table next to me at lunch, banging on about how amazing DXB is going to be, how much better it will be than SIN, how they will be able to have a better time in DXB and have more potential "fun" in DXB, whatever that may mean. I do wonder if they have any reality of the Middle East in their minds...

Hey guys just to update you.The LHR base is doing fine and there is no mention of closures and merging with EK have put qf in a better spot then before.The LHR base is infact recruiting.We do miss Singapore but just coming back from Dubai Singapore will soon be forgotten.Tray surfer you really don't need to worry about us as we are capable to look after our self and for those who speculate or want the base to close sorry to dissapoint but thanks for investing the interest to write about it.Happy flying all

Just do be careful... More than one or two of my colleagues have fallen fowl of middle east laws and it has not been good...

Why would they close the LHR base, when QF will be operating DXB - Berlin in the near future. They're still going to need low cost QF in the Northern Hemisphere.

I do wonder if it would ever be possible that a MAM-type arrangement would eventuate, where EK provide crew to QF, based in DXB? Plenty of Aussies in DXB who might be interested in working for/going back to an Aussie airline but for whatever reason prefer to remain in Dubai (family, connections, lifestyle etc)

Purely speculation of course but I reckon more than a few would jump at it. (Also could work with Aussies doing a 2 yr secondment a la LHR base)

It would be interesting to know if QF would still have to operate by Aussie HR/hiring/recruitment laws if they did sucj a thing or if local rules would apply- I guess the second if the crew were based in DXB. If so, then yes a lot would probably be Asian- but- look at EK. *IF* the package is right, plenty of 'westerners' would apply too. It's not the same as what QF make but once you compare the whole package it's not as different as you may think. Particularly when you factor in rent, (official) tax, job security etc etc

Traysurfer,

A Gulf slip is not new for Qantas. Before the advent of the 747-400, jumbos could not do LHR-SIN direct so Qantas tech stopped (with a crew slip) in Bahrain. I am sure the QF crews will enjoy DXB as much as they enjoyed BAH.

aaahhhhh.....I can still remember the beer drinking competitions in the Gulf Hotel Barain with Qantas crews. The beer can pyramids were a sight to behold.

beerdrinker,

With the greatest respect, I don't think the vast majority of the LON based QF crew who were sat alongside were very old when the -400 started flying, so probably have a different take on the ME than the slightly more "worldly" crew who flew on the pre-400 era 747 frames.

TS

Tray surfer just to update you. We all love it here and no one is getting in trouble. The majority of us are ex flyers and been to far worse places then Dubai. Please mind your own current affairs. You airline almost got expelled out of Nairobi and it made news headlines. (Due to crew behaviour):-p so let's close this topic and leave the worrying to us as we don't need babysitting