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EK or QR, enlighten me please

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Middle East Many expats still flying in Knoteetingham. Regional issues can be discussed here.

EK or QR, enlighten me please

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Old 20th Feb 2008, 08:58
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EK or QR, enlighten me please

Hi everyone,

After doing countless hours of online research over the past year or so, I have yet to make a conclusive, rock solid decision on which carrier would be better to work for. As anyone who is the least bit serious about making a move to the middle east knows, you can never ask enough questions. As such, I'm going to ask this ambiguous question again (yes, I've already read and are still reading all the posts concerning the two companies, but I still get daramically different answers (from this forum and people on the "inside") - and yes, I know adage - different folks, different strokes)

I know this question has been asked in one way or another countless times over, but I was hoping to get some informative, knowledgeable insight from someone who's worked in both companies, if there are (someone who's truly been on "both sides of the fence", although someone who outright knows would be good as well)...

...Generally speaking, overall, which would you recommend: Emirates or Qatar Airways? Any particular reason, or many in culmination?

I know this is a touchy subject, so if more appropriate, and pm would be appreciated. For what it's worth, I've been offered a job with one, and shortlisted for an interview with the other. Just trying to gather absolutely every bit of information as necessary before making a serious, potentially long term decision. And I truly believe that you can never ask too many questions, especially when so much is at stake.

Many many thanks for any insight!
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Old 20th Feb 2008, 10:30
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EK...For sure!
For sure its far from being perfect there i think...But if the question is QR or EK...the answer is obvious EK!No doubt! Better condition ,better place to stay, better organised...compared to QR and Doha....!
Cheers.
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Old 20th Feb 2008, 10:37
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What you should be asking is...Doha or Dubai? Dubai of course! You will die of boredom in Doha!
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Old 20th Feb 2008, 10:51
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.........
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Old 20th Feb 2008, 11:17
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hehehe, let me see...

The best choice out of the bad options in the ME must be without a doubt EK!

Most established airline, most developped country...

QR and EY still have a looooooooooong wat to go before they can call them a true airline
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Old 20th Feb 2008, 12:56
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If You are looking for a Direct Entry Captain position then it's EK if you have the rquirements. QR have stopped DEC recruitment except perhaps on the 777 (for the time being).

If you are an FO then there is no choice but EK. Probably half the time to upgrade compared to QR
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Old 21st Feb 2008, 10:09
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Citation..my wise advice (QR or EK..)..stay away and as far as you can from QR....GO For EK.
Good luck.
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Old 21st Feb 2008, 11:38
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Between Arsene and Zyankali i'd choose the latter. It's quicker.
Between EK an QR i'd choose the first, it's a littel less painful up the ....
Between staying or leaving, i'd choose the first, unless you're out of a job.
But this is advice after some years among this culture(not).
Looking at the ever popping up questions like yours, i guess everyone has to make their own experience, like our sons never follow dad's advice.
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Old 21st Feb 2008, 15:11
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All the posts on this forum and you have to ask? The obvious answer is NEITHER! Unless you are unemployed of course. But you'd better be able to FLY! (or perhaps not if standards drop further - check the website here.
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Old 21st Feb 2008, 18:36
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Have a look at EK threads zoom in at EK management one. The guy actually does your a favor by letting you have a peep into EK treatment. I assure you it will get worse from what I hear from my buddies over there.
QR is calm at the moment but it's the calm before the storm. We will be driven up the wall in April wait and see.
Coming as captain prepare yourself to stand your ground with the management due to some silly report from teenager CSD.
As an fo you won't stand a chance anyway.
EY seems to get a feel for puberty can be very very moody swinging from good to very bad.
Suite yourself boy.
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Old 22nd Feb 2008, 09:25
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Tempted to say EK is better, but having good friends in both. QR is not as bad as some say these days. It depends on your personal situation and hours as to which job to go for. DEC & F/O for QR needs less total hours than EK and in EK only one in 5 pass as DECs! For DEC in QR Total minimum hours 6000 with at least 2000 hours of command of which 1500 hours shall be jet command. For 777 they want 500 hours on type, & below 62 years of age for type rated applicants.
Other problem in EK is roster fixing as if you get a block of days off the EVP Ops will make sure a flight or duty is slotted into your block of days off - very nice! DXB traffic is really bad and DOH is bad but not as bad, but some locals in DOH drive a lot worse than the average local in DXB, but then blacked out front windows are really not allowed in DOH where in DXB it is not enforced much, how these guys drive when they can't see at night! ! EK a car picks you up for work and takes you home in DOH you drive or taxi, plus parking a problem in Ops! In QR it is possible to get a nice block of days off if doing the long haul stuff, this is important to many people. So if you are a high time F/O meeting EK requirements maybe go for them as it is a very nice job with command in 1 to 3 years depending on if you meet the fast track requirements and if you meet the QR DEC requirements and only F/O requirements for EK go for QR as it is not a bad job at all. The QR DEC salary is 48,700 Qr a month for Captains, inclusive of housing allowance. Other benefits include Meal allowances, School fee subsidy for children and Loss of License/Medical/Group Life Insurances. All remuneration is TAX FREE. EK DEC is similar. EK yearly profit bonus is a plus that QR does not pay at present. New EK crews are out in Silicon oasis, lots of sand storms, old EK housing much nicer, QR choice of new company housing or the allowance, take company housing due high rents.

The EK requirements are very high and many experienced Captains are only qualified for F/O positions. Upgrades to Command in QR are starting to happen in much less than 3 years now! Hope this helps! As for low time F/Os if you meet the QR requirments and not EK give QR a go but check out Etihad also as they have lowwer F/O requirments than EK.
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Old 22nd Feb 2008, 09:42
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Asianlonghaul I don't know who gave you the info about QR but DEC is stopped until further notice and the current time for an FO to upgrade is between 4/5 years and getting longer all the time.
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Old 22nd Feb 2008, 10:01
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asian long haul,


good stuff you are smoking...especially if it makes you say things like upgrades in less than 3 years time...

Good stuff indeed!

Not very believable though!
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Old 22nd Feb 2008, 17:24
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you come to QR and you'll get bored from muffled tranquillity
you come to EK and you'll get sick from rambunctious beef
How about a yellow smile in China?
Good luck.

Don't take it personally take it on the rocks!!!
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Old 23rd Feb 2008, 05:02
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A couple of years back I would have said go for EK without any doubts. Nowadays I would say neither one!
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Old 23rd Feb 2008, 19:32
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Give the ME a big miss, give EK a miss, done 5 years here at EK and it's now really doing my head in, the company, management and the place.

The real problem is once you spend a few years here it gets harder to move away, but it soon becomes obvious after a while there's no real financial future here with EK, they might give it to you in one hand but they will for sure take it from you out of the other.

The best is yet to come...... watch out for the next so called pay rise, watch what's going to possibly happen to our duty pay on ULR/ Long Haul flights, they've done it to the duty times, wait for the flight duty pay adjustment, it will happen rumour has it!!!

Be sure there is nothing to gain by coming out here flying for EK, nothing at all.

Look beyond the free house and utilities, cost of living is going through the roof and pay is NOT keeping up with it.
Layover allowance, it's awful to say the least, go away on an eight day trip and come back very much out of pocket, and that's not living it up, that's eating like a normal human being.

Emirates want to treat you like mushrooms, kept in the dark and fed on sh1te.

You read a lot of threads here on pprune about EK, most of which is very true, as the saying goes, "there's no smoke without fire".

20/20 hindsight is a great thing to posses, but one thing's for sure, given a secure job back home I wouldn't be here now.

Good luck to all you guy's and hopefully gal's thinking of defecting out here, be sure, be very sure it's what you want. This is not fun, this is not even enjoyable flying. You will work very hard indeed and get very tired, "back of the clock" flying nearly all the time and a blame culture waiting to jump on you should you step out of line or transgress,

My god I could go on and on, never have I felt this way about a company I've flown for in twenty years, but that's enough. Venting over with for now, time for more wine and pork.

Sleep well, sweet dreams and think long and hard.

Puff.
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Old 23rd Feb 2008, 20:40
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Wow, the fact that a pilot group that has nothing to gain by turning away prospective pilots is sharing all these responses means that it must be bad over there.
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Old 25th Feb 2008, 20:50
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QR F.O. vs home Capt.

Hello there. It seems that lately the negative postings on QR have spread like butter on a hot pan, specially on what concerns UPGs. I have passed an inteview and have been given a choice to join QR as a F.O. A330 but also, "coincidentally", I have been given a letter of promotion to A320 Capt. from my current company half way around the world from Qatar.

The issue for me is monetary mainly, since in QR in the position offered I would make more than double what I would here as Capt. But off course life here is not as expensive although we pay taxes.

I am still young, mid 30s, and always with the will to go out and see the world, learn from cultures and people from that side of the planet which is another reason why I would be tempted to accept the QR offering. And obviously the chance to fly a great airplane (A330) which can take me to see all that, while learning more from the Captains I would fly with. A great experience all and all.

What to do is the question in hand as the deadline approaches to tell both parties of my choice. I know that most of the guys that write here post negativeness all the time, I don't see anything positive for joining QR now as a F.O., which makes me wonder about some positiveness ever being there.

What would your suggestions be? And do you think the DEC requisities will lower later on, since I would really like to go there sooner or later?

Thanks in advance...
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Old 25th Feb 2008, 22:12
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Flircat - check your PMs
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Old 26th Feb 2008, 03:15
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Flircat take your left seat now, get your 500hrs PIC, then the world's your oyster. Middle east companies will still be hiring long after you get your 500hrs so you can see the other side of the world from the left seat
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