Aussies at EK

[Overbank]

Gday,
I'm going to jump ship from the RAAF soon and I've been looking into applying to EK. Are there any Aussies out there who can give me the low-down on life in Dubai without any of the whingeing that seems to permeate a large proportion of threads in this forum?
I get the feeling from being a long-term pprun-er that the "silent majority" are happy with their quality of life in Dbx with EK.
The views of any ex-RAAFies would also be much appreciated.
Cheers.

[max AB]

Check PM's

[AN FO fossil]

Due inflation, not as great as it was. But still good.

If you have 2 or 3 kids the education allowance makes it quite good.

And of course it is a stable government job. The success of Dubai is tied to the success of EK!

Yes lots of wingers here but what can you do.

Suggest you visit during the Dubai summer.

[harry the cod]

Overbank

Quote "Are there any Aussies out there who can give me the lowdown on life in Dubai without any of the whingering................."

Now that IS what I call an oxymoron!


Harry

[Sinbad1]

useful info

Dear Overbank,

Life in the Emirates and Dubai especially, is rather unique, It depends on what you are really after.

To give you brief on the low-down of life in Dubai:

Driving in Dubai is extremely dangerous and very stressful especially along the very infamous road of Sheikh Zaied road and the part that connects Sharjah and Dubai. It can take you up to 2-3 hours to cover a stretch of 7km. Do not come to Dubai and start driving with the Aussi courtesy in mind, prepare to polish up some of the outback driving mentality, but you are a RAAFees no worries - you can pull a few Gees on the road.

Accommodation allowance Starting from Dhs. 100000 per annum with one time furnishing allowance starting from Dhs. 30,000 paid by the airline. Also depends on the number of your family. An average apartment 3 bedroom around 110 to 140000 UAE Dirhim (in Aussi money; One Aussi dollar =2.40 AED approx.). Other allowances are also paid such as Transport Allowance,Telephone Allowance,Telephone Installation Charges. Negotiate well with EK. Cheapest car (new) around 50000 AED usually EK will help you with interest free loan. Ask around once you have accepted the position. DO NOT RUSH into things.

Cost of Living around 50000 USD PA for a family of four.

Education in the UAE for expatriate children is generally very good since it is all private. Almost all expatriates use private schooling for their kids as this is fully paid by the Airline.

Education Support Allowance;

Up to 3 children (age 4 and in full-time primary education up to 19th birthday)
Primary : Dhs. 28,000 per annum. However, if the invoiced school tuition fees are below Dhs. 10,000/- per annum then the Company will reimburse 100% of all actual invoiced compulsory 'core' tuition fees. If the invoiced school tuition fees are above 10,000/- per annum then the company will reimburse 100% of the first Dhs. 10,000/- and 90% of the remainder of all actual invoiced tuition fees, subject to a maximum reimbursement overall of Dhs. 23,500 per annum .

Secondary: Dhs. 45,000/- per annum. However if the invoiced school tuition fees are below Dhs. 20,000/- per annum then the Company will reimburse 100% of all actual invoiced compulsory "core" tuition fees. If the invoiced school tuition fees are above Dhs. 20,000/- per annum then the Company will reimburse 100% of the first Dhs. 20,000/- and 90% of the remainder of all actual invoiced tuition fees, subject to a maximum reimbursement of Dhs. 42,000 per annum.If in boarding school abroad then 2 extra ELT(Education Leave Tickets) per child per annum

Once again ask your colleague as to where is the best school or at least a reasonably good school.

My figures are a bit old. Please re-confirm with EK for the latest but at least this will give you a guide




Medical Insurance 24 hrs Worldwide cover limited family coverage plus family cover limited to Dubai with no hospitalisation. For family coverage including hospitalisation paid by employee. Family coverage is compulsory.

Profit Share Eligible employees in employment by 1 April (the beginning of the financial year) are eligible for the profit share payment (if any), if they are in employment for the complete financial year. Any employee joining after 1 April, will commence participation with effect from 1 April in the following financial year.

The only outdoor life you will enjoy with your family in the summer is the beach or the malls between April-Nov due to the heat and humidity, however between Dec and April is very nice.

DO NOT DRINK IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A LICENCE TO DRINK (you need a permit), AND DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE. THEY WILL MAKE YOU EXPERIENCE HIS HIGHNESS SHEIKH M. Prison.
WATCH OUT FOR THE LOCAL DRIVERS AND THE ASIAN DRIVERS - THEY ARE LUNATICS. Also note a road rule particular to the UAE: Locals have right of way!!

There is no point for me trying to tell you do not come and stay down under, or to give you the negative or the positive of the place, but I will tell you that you should do what your gut feeling tells you to do. The UAE is a bit like the outback of Australia - you never know what to expect and it is an experience in my opinion everybody should try at least once. You need to weigh up if the package is suitable for you and your family. What suits one person may not suit another.
Good luck
Safe and happy flying to all

[Sinbad1]

Muttley Crew
"This is not true"


If you think you can drink and drive "This is not true", I dare you to do it. even if you have a permit and you happen to be drunk on the road you will be arrested and you will go to jail whether the UAE law applied or not is not relevant. Try it see if you can prove me wrong, I will stand corrected.
I did not say you are not allowed to transport the alcohol, I said " DO NOT DRINK IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A LICENCE TO DRINK (you need a permit), AND DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE. THEY WILL MAKE YOU EXPERIENCE HIS HIGHNESS SHEIKH M. Prison.


Safe and happy flying to all.

[Overbank]

Thanks guys (esp. Sinbad) for the upfront responses. As you said, I think a "try before you buy" is the way to go. Cheers..

[yoyonow]

Overbank, the best source of info is the web site and ex RAAF mates here in the sand. Similar background to you and the experience has been good for me.

Muttley, I can only agree with your thoughts ref Sinbad. Quite why someone not in EK employment feels the need to comment, in detail and incorrectly, on T&Cs is beyond me.

However, as with many things here the law is not always transparent. The law is not the same for visitors and residents and as a resident you do require a licence to drink. This has been tested by many EK crew. Just because they don´t strictly enforce the law doesn´t mean they will not if you give them a reason.... Given that the licence now costs nothing, what`s the issue.

[Sinbad1]

UPLOCK:

"Sinbad you have been out at sea too long , Your information is more than a little old its mouldy "
You are quite right UPLOCK. I have been sailing out of the UAE for 5 months, below is today's rate;

Saturday, June 30, 2007, 1 Australian Dollar = 3.11776 Utd. Arab Emir. Dirham 1 Utd. Arab Emir. Dirham (AED) = 0.32074 Australian Dollar (AUD).

I did say " My figures are a bit old. Please re-confirm with EK for the latest but at least this will give you a guide."

Do Not shoot me for trying to be helpful!!



Muttley Crew: "And as I said this: It's not true. Sorry but I can't put it any more simple than that."
I also cannot make it any simpler than this. "You need a permit to be allowed to consume alcohol" whether you use your own personal jet, EK or EY for that matter to transporting it. One of the three Aussies recently on EY flight was charged with drinking alcohol without having a permit.

I will say it AGAIN as clearly as possible, if you a resident of the UAE you DO need a permit to buy and consume alcohol. In fact Muttley Crew, you said yourself: "The alcohol permit (booze licence) allows the holder to purchase alcohol and transport it to his residence for consumption by him or his guests."
I presume that "consumption" means drinking?????? The permit is not just so you can buy it and take it home and leave it sitting in your fridge taking up space, especially if it's Fosters or VB. What exactly then is "not true"???

Muttley Crew: "Please don't dare me to do something silly, I might actually try it. Especially if you "double-dare" me. "

Oh please Mate. You are an Airline pilot do not do anything silly that you may regret later. I would hate to see a nice gentleman like you being a guest of His Highness Sheikh MA.K..T..O.M prison. I know that most of the expats drink, but if you remember a few months back in DXB, it was reported that anyone caught drink driving will have his licence revoked or cancelled not to mention the jail term, also not so long ago a Brit was telling his story to the newspaper of his experience in prison after he was caught drinking and driving. His words were: "I will never drink again after what I have seen in jail."

Safe and happy flying to all

[fo4ever]

Overbank:

If you are not from an Airline EK will not accept you even if you have 20.000 hours.

I know lots of pilots who were turned down with only AirForce time such as TRE, flight commander and loads of jet time from AirForce.

Like myself the time I did in the Forces does not count as "real" time.

Go figure

Fo4ever

[MTOW]

One Aussi dollar =2.40 AED approx.)

Sinbad1, take me to your money changer!!!!

Try 3.1+ Dits to the Oz Dollar, and getting worse by the week.

[Sinbad1]

MTOW,
Please refer to the last two replys, I did say I got it wrong, I think the Aussi dollar got stronger maybe due to the fact that the USD took a bad turn and AED is directly linked to the USD, It must be painful for the guys that send money over to europe or the UK.

Safe and happy flying to all

[MTOW]

Nothng personal Sinbad. I'm just still in shellshock after going to bank a day or two ago to TT some money home. They way we're going, they'll be soon renaming the Dirham as the Peso.

[Sinbad1]

currency protection guaranteed

MTOW,

No offence taken I assure you In fact I totally sympathise with a lot of the expatriate guys (As I used to be one myself) especially anyone who has to send money to service a mortgage loan back home or other financial commitment. I think it should be currency protection guaranteed for salary. Years back in Malaysia airline they had this system to protect expatriates against the fall of the Malaysian Ringgit. Maybe the pilot unions (if any) in your neck of the woods should discuss this with the contract manager. The ones I think who are the worst affected are the Europeans who work in the UAE because the Euro is not tied to the dollar as the Dirhim is. They are more susceptible to changes in currency rates. They would lose a lot when they convert the Dirhim into Euros (or British pounds, for that matter). This would also apply to the Aussies who send money back home. However, the tourists coming into the UAE from these destinations will have a big advantage - although that is no great comfort to you guys.

Safe and happy flying to all

[atiuta]

Why do these threads degenerate into so much crap?

Fo4ever

If you are not from an Airline EK will not accept you even if you have 20.000 hours.

Bollocks.

There are ex military pilots here with little or no civilian time. I believe the minimums state 2000 hrs mutli-crew, multi-engine jet time. Nothing about where it was attained and, based on the backgrounds of some of our pilots, it is enforced as it is written.

Sinbad1

Please! If you are going to quote figures, then at least base it on something tangible.

Education in the UAE for expatriate children is generally very good since it is all private. Almost all expatriates use private schooling for their kids as this is fully paid by the Airline.

It is ALL private schooling for expatriates, let's make that clear. As for your last comment "fully paid by the airline"!!! So where has my AUD 10,000 gone this year? I guess you live in an apartment on SZR and the closest thing to children around you would be the CC.

[Sinbad1]

UAE LAW-alcohol permit

atiuta
"Please! If you are going to quote figures, then at least base it on something tangible"

The figures I qouted were based on the term and conditions received from EK Hr as of 1st of March 2007, I hope that is good enough for you. but if you choose a more upmarket school than the one around SZR or live in more elaborate tower that is of course your privelege.

Muttley Crew
"The permit does not licence the holder to drink. Ergo, the drinker does not need a licence to drink booze. Just like he doesn't need a licence to eat pork. If you need a licence to drink p!ss, don't you think that might just be mentioned somewhere in the Booze Permit conditions????

You appear alot more ignorant than I thought, below is the complete requirment including the punshment and fines associated with alcohol permit and various issues relating to the CONSUMPTION of alcohol.

I happen to be working on and off in that region since you were in early HSC if not earlier, I know the culture very well unlike you, probably you are very experianced in Malls and clubs oh and Pi..ss. AND NO THIS IS NOT A WINDUP.

Published: 02/12/2006 12:00 AM (UAE) by Gulf news

Legal permit to buy spirits

Staff Report

The UAE, as a Muslim country, implements Sharia law which prohibits the purchase and consumption of alcohol.
However, the UAE authorities are aware that drinking alcohol is popular among non-Muslims, so for that reason the UAE sets rules for purchasing and drinking alcohol.
In hotels in all emirates except Sharjah - where the sale, consumption or possession of alcohol is prohibited - alcohol is offered to customers. Some embassies also offer alcohol for sale to their nationals.Similarly, in all emirates except Sharjah, alcohol can be purchased from licensed retailers by non-Muslims who obtain a "liquor permit" from the emirate that issued the residence visa. Liquor permits are issued by the police departments in all emirates to non-Muslims ages 21 and over who fulfil the minimum salary requirements.
The permit or licence, valid for a year, allows the holder to buy a certain amount of alcohol per month. Purchases from retailers that do not have official approval are illegal.
Only the husband in a married couple can apply for a licence, but his wife can use the licence if her details are included in the application form.
In Dubai, licences can be applied for at police headquarters or any branch of retailers MMI or A&E, which sell alcohol.Bring along the completed application form - forms can be obtained from MMI or A&E branches - along with the Dh150 fee and the documents indicated in the table.
If a husband wants his wife to be able to use the licence, a passport-size photograph of her must also be included.
After about 10 days, subject to approval, the licence will be issued. The amount of alcohol it permits the holder to buy will be determined by Dubai Police according to factors such as salary level, age and family size.
If the residence visa expires before the licence does, the licence must be renewed by submitting it along with another completed application form and a photocopy of the new residence visa.
At most alcohol retailers in Dubai, a municipality tax is levied on each sale.

Requirements
Individuals, free zone employees, semi-government employees, self employed individuals, Green Book holders and Smart Card holders will need:

Passport copy
Residence visa copy
Tenancy contract copy (or NOC letter from leaseholder)
Labour contract copy (only required from Smart Card holders who have changed sponsorship)
Trade licence copy
One recent passport size photograph
Free zone authority stamp on application form
Salary Certificate

Key points to keep in mind
Punishments
Non-Muslims who possess a valid liquor permit can transport alcohol from one emirate to another emirate but the quantity should be for personal use only.
If caught transporting a large quantity, the alcohol and vehicle will be seized and the person or persons will face punishment as per law.
Consuming alcohol is not allowed in unlicensed public places. Drunkenness in public is also an offence.
Those caught drunk or drinking in public may be punished as per Sharia law which implements lashes, but the judge can replace lashing with other punishments such as a jail term, fine or deportation.
There is a zero tolerance policy towards drinking and driving.
Muslims
A strict regulation to remember is that Muslims are not allowed to buy or consume alcohol in the UAE, and people are banned from offering or selling alcohol to Muslims.That means that all the rules that describe the processes allowing people to purchase and consume alcohol apply only to non-Muslims.It is important that non-Muslims are considerate and ensure that their decision to buy or consume alcohol legally does not cause offence to Muslims.
safe and happy flying to all

[watertheflowers]

Education for expat children in the UAE may be private but it is certainly not 'very good'. The only resemblance between private schooling in the UAE and private schooling in the rest of the world is that they both have to be paid for by the consumer rather than the state.

Not that its that bad but rather that at best it compares only to state schooling in the developed world and not private education as some like to pretend.

wtf

[atiuta]

Nothing privileged about the school my children go to.

[Sinbad1]

Muttley do something,

You do not need to thank me for showing you what a fool you made out of your self, you did pretty good job your self. you just do not have the gut to admitted that you were wrong and I think your processor need looking at. As for which airline I work for, I would not even go down that road if I were you, you do not even come close mate. grow up muttley, for a person who admits drinking while driving I think that said it all. One day you will be caught and I will be the first to tell you on Pprune that I told you so. I think you are an Idi...ot.I shall remember your remarks next time I see another EK pilot. I am sure they are not like you.
PS; I had to use bold font with some pepole like you so they can SEE obviously it did not work.

Safe and happy flying to all (Including you Muttley)

[7x7]

"Not a pilot with EK"

If that's the case, let me take a guess... HR Department of a large (and growing not as fast as some would like) airline based in a sand pit somewhere between Sharjah and Abu Dhabi?