EK Pilot recruitment....
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA
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EK Pilot recruitment....
Seems to me that EK is arguably one of the better airlines around for the whole package, yet I keep hearing that they can't find qualified guys.
Are there not a large number of pilots from say, Qatar, Etihad and Kuwaiti Airlines with lots of 330/340 and or 777 time applying to EK.
I suppose that pilots from Asian carriers who are heavy qualified go from one company to another after their contract expires and again it seems to me there would be a real "plethora" of heavy captains out there for EK to interview/hire.
Thoughts, please?
Capt
Are there not a large number of pilots from say, Qatar, Etihad and Kuwaiti Airlines with lots of 330/340 and or 777 time applying to EK.
I suppose that pilots from Asian carriers who are heavy qualified go from one company to another after their contract expires and again it seems to me there would be a real "plethora" of heavy captains out there for EK to interview/hire.
Thoughts, please?
Capt
Join Date: Feb 2000
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Everyone is hiring like mad. EK are competetive, just not attractive.
To get people to move it has to be a step change in conditions or aircraft type. F/Os looking to step up should be easier to recruit than Captains but the dollar weakness makes the package unattractive in a lot of countries. Just for example; a guy joining 8 years ago from the UK got 3,000 pounds per month, today he still gets 3000 and in the intervening time inflation has gone mad. That means that our salary package has been by-passed by home country pay and if time to command extends there is zippo chance of getting experienced guys from a lot of markets.
If EK want the pilots they have to be attractive, at the moment they are 22nd in the list (quote from management) of comparable airlines. We are getting 6% plus flying pay in May, that might get us up into the top 15. If they want the guys they should be aiming at the top 3. To get the cash they accept a slightly reduced profit (the cost base is mega for them at the moment: cheap dollar costs, stronger currency revenues) or cut back on the sponsorship deals. Dubai Investment have all the money in the world to promote Dubai and can buy the Footy Stadiums, horses etc.
Ghost
To get people to move it has to be a step change in conditions or aircraft type. F/Os looking to step up should be easier to recruit than Captains but the dollar weakness makes the package unattractive in a lot of countries. Just for example; a guy joining 8 years ago from the UK got 3,000 pounds per month, today he still gets 3000 and in the intervening time inflation has gone mad. That means that our salary package has been by-passed by home country pay and if time to command extends there is zippo chance of getting experienced guys from a lot of markets.
If EK want the pilots they have to be attractive, at the moment they are 22nd in the list (quote from management) of comparable airlines. We are getting 6% plus flying pay in May, that might get us up into the top 15. If they want the guys they should be aiming at the top 3. To get the cash they accept a slightly reduced profit (the cost base is mega for them at the moment: cheap dollar costs, stronger currency revenues) or cut back on the sponsorship deals. Dubai Investment have all the money in the world to promote Dubai and can buy the Footy Stadiums, horses etc.
Ghost
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One other snag for the older guys trawling around the far east is that education is one of the big plusses as far as HR are concerned. If your kids have left home its $35k lost.
Grandpa Aerotart
Ghostflyer can you explain that one again.
I have several mates who have been to the roadshows in Oz and NZ...EK made a special presentation to ANZ pilots hoping to attract guys on 3 yr contracts who could then return to ANZ, but with the implicit hope from EK that a significant % would stay in EK. The roadshow in Oz was generic obviously.
The overwhelming reaction from several of my mates who went along was "They have got to be kidding"..and that was the reaction of others they spoke to during the presentations...quite apart from the disquiet one mate at ANZ expressed as to the reaction 'loaner' pilots from ANZ would solicit, and rightly so in his view, from the long term EK pilot body.
One very experienced jet C&Ter who went along out of curiosity suggested EK "clearly don't think there is a pilot shortage."
They were all just stunned at how pathetic the package was.
Bottom line is hang tough...the fat lady hasn't even cleared her throat yet.
I have several mates who have been to the roadshows in Oz and NZ...EK made a special presentation to ANZ pilots hoping to attract guys on 3 yr contracts who could then return to ANZ, but with the implicit hope from EK that a significant % would stay in EK. The roadshow in Oz was generic obviously.
The overwhelming reaction from several of my mates who went along was "They have got to be kidding"..and that was the reaction of others they spoke to during the presentations...quite apart from the disquiet one mate at ANZ expressed as to the reaction 'loaner' pilots from ANZ would solicit, and rightly so in his view, from the long term EK pilot body.
One very experienced jet C&Ter who went along out of curiosity suggested EK "clearly don't think there is a pilot shortage."
They were all just stunned at how pathetic the package was.
Bottom line is hang tough...the fat lady hasn't even cleared her throat yet.
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Chimbu,
I agree. We are heamorraging pilots out of the back door, alienating those inside, failing to attract pilots through the front door and still the penny hasn't dropped that they have seriously miscalculated and mishandled the whole recruiting situation. Other airlines however have not and view EK as a rich source of pilots.
The writing was on the wall several years ago when they demoted training captains due to the 'lack in the then training requirement' just at the point where we had the flex to get ahead of the game to 'avoid' all of our current problems.
They are now taking the more expensive options in an attempt to 'trap' the problems by reducing experience requirements, outsourcing training and going on 'road shows'... where they may have convinced some parts of the world EK is ok but others have seen through the fog of HR at the reality of what EK is really offering... not much!
Now we are 'mitigating' the situation by grounding flights and delaying orders all because of the cheap sordid way EK do their management.
They may be 22nd on the list of Ts & Cs but they are last on many peoples list of airline options.
More are set to leave and recruitment is drying up. They deserve everything they get, bring on the fat lady.
I agree. We are heamorraging pilots out of the back door, alienating those inside, failing to attract pilots through the front door and still the penny hasn't dropped that they have seriously miscalculated and mishandled the whole recruiting situation. Other airlines however have not and view EK as a rich source of pilots.
The writing was on the wall several years ago when they demoted training captains due to the 'lack in the then training requirement' just at the point where we had the flex to get ahead of the game to 'avoid' all of our current problems.
They are now taking the more expensive options in an attempt to 'trap' the problems by reducing experience requirements, outsourcing training and going on 'road shows'... where they may have convinced some parts of the world EK is ok but others have seen through the fog of HR at the reality of what EK is really offering... not much!
Now we are 'mitigating' the situation by grounding flights and delaying orders all because of the cheap sordid way EK do their management.
They may be 22nd on the list of Ts & Cs but they are last on many peoples list of airline options.
More are set to leave and recruitment is drying up. They deserve everything they get, bring on the fat lady.
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Ghostflyer: Well said. Succinct and true. 
Marooned: Ditto
Chimbu Chuckles: It is not surprising you found the Ts & Cs a bit lacking. Let me tell you, the Ts & Cs here are akin to a fart in a windstorm.
Good luck and good night
K-o-t-s
Marooned: Ditto
Chimbu Chuckles: It is not surprising you found the Ts & Cs a bit lacking. Let me tell you, the Ts & Cs here are akin to a fart in a windstorm.
Good luck and good night
K-o-t-s
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package
well guys , this is what i surveyed from my friends in the flight deck in ek.
the ( package is good but the money in the pocket is the main factor)
high cash allowance for ........
........................ school , for housing , for lost of license and for medical .
all the above are true but the CASH IN HAND part is small relative to the cost of living in dubai. not entirely ek`s fault but dubai -ed .
no use having a dinosaur package but u find yourself struggling to save money or saving money but having no life. being like the cc buying groceries in asia to save a buck or two ...well better close the duty free shoppe in CBC and open a wet market to help us out as one guy suggested.
ponder that . as one of my f/o suggested , he buys veggies in bkk.
dry groceries in hong kong or cgk . books in mnl. do we really need to do that ..well if we do then ...the writing is truly on the wall.
the ( package is good but the money in the pocket is the main factor)
high cash allowance for ........
........................ school , for housing , for lost of license and for medical .
all the above are true but the CASH IN HAND part is small relative to the cost of living in dubai. not entirely ek`s fault but dubai -ed .
no use having a dinosaur package but u find yourself struggling to save money or saving money but having no life. being like the cc buying groceries in asia to save a buck or two ...well better close the duty free shoppe in CBC and open a wet market to help us out as one guy suggested.
ponder that . as one of my f/o suggested , he buys veggies in bkk.
dry groceries in hong kong or cgk . books in mnl. do we really need to do that ..well if we do then ...the writing is truly on the wall.
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Silicon Oaisis totally sucked. No where to buy beer except for a hotel bar. How is a local to keep ones fridge stocked? I got expensive buying brews at my $500 per night La Merridean hotel that Emirates put me up in for 5 nights during the interview. I said thanks but no thanks after the 1st day and had a great free Dubai vacation with Emirates footing the bill. Thanks Emirates. You can keep your crappy job in the sauna.
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After the 1st day I was given the call to continue on for the rest of the selection process. I kindly said thanks and I declined. I didn't go there for the job so why would I want to waste 3 full days doing screening. I went for the adventure & experience, not the job. I'm glad I did. It was an AMAZING experience but I would never considering moving there.
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Free Loader
because people like you bridges are getting closed for people who really want to go there for an interview. 
I thought this kind of people were only at my current job
I thought this kind of people were only at my current job
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DUB4FREE ;Are you sure you went to Silicon Oasis . Not only has it got its OWN MMI liquor store , but its own supermarket / Costa Coffee/ Restaurant .Soon to be opened;- DVD Rental shop/ pharmacy (sorry drug store) /book store / dry cleaners / etc . 3 swimming pools .2 tennis courts . free BBQs ,2 squash courts / gymnasium /community area /lifeguards/ 24/7 security guards.Numerous small parks .
Everyone gets a NEW 2 story fully furnished ,centrally air conditioned 4 bedroom 5 bathroom stand alone villa with FREE gas ,water and electricity .
The Best part is that most of the people living there have a fantastic family and social life in silicon oasis ........including the Americans.
Which part sucks ?
Everyone gets a NEW 2 story fully furnished ,centrally air conditioned 4 bedroom 5 bathroom stand alone villa with FREE gas ,water and electricity .
The Best part is that most of the people living there have a fantastic family and social life in silicon oasis ........including the Americans.
Which part sucks ?
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DUB4FREE ;Are you sure you went to Silicon Oasis . Not only has it got its OWN MMI liquor store , but its own supermarket / Costa Coffee/ Restaurant .Soon to be opened;- DVD Rental shop/ pharmacy (sorry drug store) /book store / dry cleaners / etc . 3 swimming pools .2 tennis courts . free BBQs ,2 squash courts / gymnasium /community area /lifeguards/ 24/7 security guards.Numerous small parks .
Everyone gets a NEW 2 story fully furnished ,centrally air conditioned 4 bedroom 5 bathroom stand alone villa with FREE gas ,water and electricity .
The Best part is that most of the people living there have a fantastic family and social life in silicon oasis ........including the Americans.
Which part sucks ?
Everyone gets a NEW 2 story fully furnished ,centrally air conditioned 4 bedroom 5 bathroom stand alone villa with FREE gas ,water and electricity .
The Best part is that most of the people living there have a fantastic family and social life in silicon oasis ........including the Americans.
Which part sucks ?
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As an American why were you even considering EK? I can see the free holiday for you but you had to be fooling yourself if you thought this was better than what you have.
Saying NO was the best thing you did.
Saying NO was the best thing you did.
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Whilst the package details are correct, a starting captain actually gets:
Basic now 28060 AED, Basic after 1 May 29850 plus 3375 AED if you work 900hrs/year. So now the salary is: $7646 and after 1st May it will be a $9053 at 900hrs/annum.
I can think of a few places where you can get that!
Basic now 28060 AED, Basic after 1 May 29850 plus 3375 AED if you work 900hrs/year. So now the salary is: $7646 and after 1st May it will be a $9053 at 900hrs/annum.
I can think of a few places where you can get that!