Emirates coming to town..THEY WANT YOU!!
Oh is that right? Honestly you lot are absolutely pathetic. THIS is one of the things I hate about EK - miserable old buggers willing to tear down their own colleagues if they don't like what's being said. You are half the reason this bullying culture flourishes, by targeting your own if they don't feel as bitter and twisted as you. You have absolutely no idea who I am - and trust me I'm not a 'Costa Coffee Dweller' - I just know that the grass isn't always greener and although I'm working like a dog it's still worth it for me and my family.
And SOPS - you don't work for EK anymore. Get a life or at least enjoy your own and let go of the bitterness. It's embarrassing.
And SOPS - you don't work for EK anymore. Get a life or at least enjoy your own and let go of the bitterness. It's embarrassing.
For the record, I did 7 1/2 years. There is no bullying culture among pilots (only a Costa Coffee dweller would think there is), the bullying is management to pilot. EK was, without doubt, one of the best flight decks I have worked on regarding camaraderie . But perspective? Camaraderie was huge in the WW1. WW2. Korea. VietNam. The Gulf War.
There is a reason for that. In time, you'll work it out.
Last edited by mmmbop; 15th Jun 2018 at 21:47. Reason: Spelling
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For over 10 years out of this sand hell hole and enjoy paying my tax(because I know for what I am paying after I have seen the Landcruiser faction), enjoy living in europe, enjoy seing my kids grow up in a FREE society with proper education, flying for one of the low costs here in Europe(yeah, I know, no fance first or biz class food or food at all, but you know what, I am living in a free country and more importantly, see wife and kids EVERY bloody day of my life(ok, can be a downturn for some of my fellow skippers, I know, I know ;-) ), sleeping in my own bed EVERY night.
Thought about frigging China for a second or 2, read the (very funny) "magic" book, shared some laughts with my first officers reading it and clearly came to the conclusion. MONEY counts NOTHING if you are not at the place you want to be(and together with a happy family). I have been for sooooo many nightstops in HK, know bloody Doha much better then anyone would like to know, same goes for Dubai which is a tad better(but not really that much to be honest). Still I cannot understand WHAT the attraction of this places are to so many pilots to give up a civilized life(especially if you come from (Western)Europe or Australia/NZ. I understand that money is a big attaction for guys from Africa or Southeast Asia, but really, all the rest.... No idea. I guess marketing isreally a bitch and to many fall for it.
Steer clear. Build a proper career in a free country(nope, ME does NOT count to that, sorry to destroy that dream), be happy with a bit less money on a slightly smaller airframe(WHO really cares HOW long that thing is AFTER the cockpitdoor, at the end it does not matter if it is a 737(apart from the prehistoric cockpit I am "enjoying" ;-) ), 747, 767, 777 or a flying almost alone 787(if you are a airbus jockey but the other figures in). To be fair I have been a Widebody skipper so I know what I am talking about. I understand the "attraction" of widebody aircraft have to some of us and I have met actually really a bunch of people that REALLY enjoyed sitting in that stupid thing for 17 hours in a row. Even their agurmentation sounded fishy to me(why they like it), but at the end it is their choice. I guess if it is just money you are after long haul makes more sense, less sectors for much more money. I want to belief I am not the only one that still likes flying(even after sooo many years) that actually I enjoy a nice approach and landing and the interactions during a turnaround on a 4 sector day. For me THAT is flying. The other thing is riding a bus to it's end, managing some ETOPS checks, maybe the occasional drift down calcualtion, that's it(let's be honest).
As an European being around in the Biz a while I only enjoyed 2 places very much - Australia(was once with long dead Ansett) and of course more or less all "gigs" back home. Protected by proper laws, there is always an agency you can turn to if the employer tries to trow some good old BS at you and at the end they will have to take all back with that bitter old sorry smile, hehe. Never happened during my time in the ME. Was always me with that bitter smile....
Think well.
Last edited by tomuchwork; 15th Jun 2018 at 22:40.
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If you intend on remaining single and childless for the rest of your life, and are perhaps a bit nomadic, then an expat job might tick a few boxes. If you want a normal, settled and relatively stable life, with the best chance for your family to grow roots (both geographically and morally), then the best (and frankly, only) option is to build a career with a decent airline back home. As the OP suggests, MONEY is the worst reason to choose a job/career. Chasing that through CX will lead mainly to frustration, misery and regret.
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Why do the same sorry few write the same sorry stories about Cathay. I have friends flying all over the world in most of the main airlines. From what they tell me CX is no better and certainly no worse than most other places. I have been here a long time. The Company ALWAYS helped me when I really needed it, bereavements etc. I will show loyalty to them just for that fact. I can assure you that CX is still providing support to all workers when they need it. It's about time the wingers left and we sorted out the differences between us and them. I am happy to take a little pain for longer term gain. You think the sand pit is better mha ha ha. An expat lifestyle can be a joy, it all depends how YOU approach it.
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When 999 people reach the same conclusion, yet you’ve concluded something else...you are either incredibly smart or incredibly wrong....
Shortly2...You might see yourself as a “worker”, and that’s fine, but the obvious inference I draw is that you’re not a pilot. So while you think about the above sentence, tap your pencil on your chin and try to consider why so many people disagree with your assertions. Then snap out of it and return to your critically important clerical functions...
Shortly2...You might see yourself as a “worker”, and that’s fine, but the obvious inference I draw is that you’re not a pilot. So while you think about the above sentence, tap your pencil on your chin and try to consider why so many people disagree with your assertions. Then snap out of it and return to your critically important clerical functions...
Last edited by raven11; 17th Jun 2018 at 07:48.
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When 999 people reach the same conclusion, yet you’ve concluded something else...you are either incredibly smart or incredibly wrong....
Shortly2...You might see yourself as a “worker”, and that’s fine, but the obvious inference I draw from that is that you’re not a pilot. So while you think about the above sentence, tap your pencil on your chin and try to consider why so many people disagree with your assertions. Then snap out of it and return to your critically important clerical functions...
Shortly2...You might see yourself as a “worker”, and that’s fine, but the obvious inference I draw from that is that you’re not a pilot. So while you think about the above sentence, tap your pencil on your chin and try to consider why so many people disagree with your assertions. Then snap out of it and return to your critically important clerical functions...
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An expat lifestyle can be a joy, it all depends how YOU approach it.
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shortly2. As raven11 pointed out, when you seem to reach a conclusion that is at opposition to nearly the entire body of pilots at CX....then you sir, are in need of help. By all means be one of CX's "useful idiots" and support the unsupportable. In the meantime, most of the pilots at CX are making firm plans to leave and become employed with employers that will respect the norms of labour law and contract integrity. Even putting those issues aside, no one can seriously consider raising and financially supporting a family in a city where even owning a shoebox sized apartment is out of the question. At least at home, most of us can afford a nice home, two cars in garage and schooling for our children. Apparently, CX management consider ALL of those things unwarranted luxuries (other than for their chosen management overlords).
In Shortly's defence, posters are more likely to bitch and moan on a bulletin board than log on to make a positive statement. But I can assure him that the current resignation rate at CX is unprecedented, and it involves most demographics among its pilots, not just 'wingers' (sic). Goodness knows how much they spend on uptraining the replacements for the resignees.
I refer him to many of my previous posts. The sand pit is not paradise on earth either, but at least there is movement (reasonably fast career progression) and a semblance of a normal life in reasonable housing. Newly-joining expats to CX can expect sub-standard accommodation in one of the world's most expensive, crowded cities, slow promotion (training constraints and a young captain demographic), and to work for an airline that is a one trick pony crimped by its single crowded hub and ever-increasing competition from the mainland, overflying, airlines. Judging by who I have been flying with over the last few years, the CX pilot component will be reduced to:
Whatever locals they can pay for to train
Relatively young B Scale captains entrenched in grandfathered housing, salary and conditions
A few based crew, who will not be replaced as they leave so that the bases will wither on the vine
South Africans, who currently have limited options in their home country
Young 'shiny jetters' who, once experienced and having warmed the seat long enough, will depart for their home carriers at the speed of heat
But perhaps that's what management want.
I refer him to many of my previous posts. The sand pit is not paradise on earth either, but at least there is movement (reasonably fast career progression) and a semblance of a normal life in reasonable housing. Newly-joining expats to CX can expect sub-standard accommodation in one of the world's most expensive, crowded cities, slow promotion (training constraints and a young captain demographic), and to work for an airline that is a one trick pony crimped by its single crowded hub and ever-increasing competition from the mainland, overflying, airlines. Judging by who I have been flying with over the last few years, the CX pilot component will be reduced to:
Whatever locals they can pay for to train
Relatively young B Scale captains entrenched in grandfathered housing, salary and conditions
A few based crew, who will not be replaced as they leave so that the bases will wither on the vine
South Africans, who currently have limited options in their home country
Young 'shiny jetters' who, once experienced and having warmed the seat long enough, will depart for their home carriers at the speed of heat
But perhaps that's what management want.
Last edited by Captain Dart; 17th Jun 2018 at 23:59.
short flights long nights
They have come and gone. Anyone got an opinion on what was offered?
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A hard sell, T&C on offer a bit less than what swire are offering - possibly a bit more than what hka/hke offer. Particularly brutal rosters. Could definitely make sense for jfo's and fo's facing a long wait for command in cx, EK suggesting 4 years to command for new joiners is possible at the moment.