EK new inflight rest policy

[GMDS]

Although I consent with some voices on our mailgroup that say writing to management is useless, there are a few bravehearts who still do, and do it well, I have to admit. One answer by ED however cries for a little analysis. Maybe he doesn’t read this, but I bet one of the management cronies, i.e. Mr M5,5, will translate.

The statement that a business class seat is either less effective or somehow less "safe" a rest location is not justified by industry data. Many of our competitors have this same policy.

This is a infantile argument: “I hit him because he hit me as well”. Emirates is therefore openly admitting to lowering its standards to the lowest common denominator. Not very like a self proclaimed industry leader.

When we had 18 F-Class seats the use of two for crew rest amounted to slightly over 10% of the available capacity in that cabin. With the reduction to 8 seats across the fleets, that figure leaps to 25%. Clearly, removing a quarter of the revenue capacity of one of the places where most of our high yield is generated is not workable

Lets see: With the new policy EK is regaining 25% of F-Class and losing 5% of C-Class yield – a clear win situation. The passengers gain some 30% of more seat space in F and only one C pax (as opposed to a F before) has a comfort penalty with a snoring crew member next to him – a clear win situation. The working crew have to put up with a narrower seat that reclines only to 165° and has to bear a full C service as opposed to on demand and more privacy in F as before. A clear lose situation. So much to the hollow statement “…nor with any intent to demean our crews respect…”. Giving all others and taking away from one is a clear lack of respect.

We intend to monitor the use of J-class seats and reports from crew on any fatigue issues that are resulting there from via the FRMS processes. As we have demonstrated with the MRU layover recently, we do take action if the risks begin to outweigh the benefits

This means simply that on fatigue issues, finally safety issues, Emirates goes on with field research. Even if the whole professional pilots world knows ahead of a new policy that it will have an impact on safety, EK implements it and has the toothless FRMS to observe if this reveals true. To their credit it has to be said that they reverse an unsafe situation. Nevertheless this field research had been going on with paying passengers and their own working crews! Again not really a sign of an industry leader. In the aftermath a change, like MRU or HOU, is an admittance that operations were not as safe as they ought to have been. Any one accountable for this? Why can management never learn from their mistakes? Would they have backed a crew in an accident that, like too many others, would be traced back to fatigue and would they take part of the blame because of their policy?
I guess everyone knows the answer. Accountability, just like for investment bankers, is not for managers.

[Sheikh Your Bootie]

The 8 seats in First is a non issue, the 777's with this have all got bunks/launch tubes down the back anyhow. The 340's,330's and older 777's where this is most certainly an issue of poor rest in J class. File ASR's everytime guys, maybe after they have evidence , like we told you so, this will change.

Stupid, stupid, stupid habibs.

SyB

[Jet II]

Originally Posted by Sheikh Your Bootie

The 340's,330's and older 777's where this is most certainly an issue of poor rest in J class.

Is it wise, on a public forum, to claim that EK's J class product is so bad that you cannot get any rest in it?

Just a thought..

[pool]

Jet

Passengers are not stupid. Just try to send one of these birds where a A340-500 was scheduled and listen to the comments. Even the company apologises dilligently when they whine, so they know the product is outdated for longhaul.
Not to their own crews however. And they call this respect.

[Plank Cap]

When we had 18 F-Class seats the use of two for crew rest amounted to slightly over 10% of the available capacity in that cabin. With the reduction to 8 seats across the fleets, that figure leaps to 25%. Clearly, removing a quarter of the revenue capacity of one of the places where most of our high yield is generated is not workable

So Mr. Ed, can we take it from the above that if First is not full, you would be happy for us to use an empty seat for our rest? Sorry, what do you mean no?

What a crock of ST.......

[yardman]

The "competitors having the same policy" he's referring to is EY. The major difference is that their J class seat is flat, and EK's reclines just past the vertical.

[dessas]

EK and MK seats/crew rest

Hi everybody,
I hope my little input helps.
Some time ago I parked one of our new 340s next to one of your new 773. In Mauritius.
I was just curious how our product compared to yours, so I walked over to the 773.
I was quite disappointed to note that we actually have same seats in Biz! And of course the unfortunate middle ones on yours...
EK First of course is slightly better, but not worth the extra money for sure (MK has Biz and Y only throughout the fleet since June'08).
Economy is 1:0 for MK. Our seats are normally wide enough for a 100 kg European (myself) to ride for 12 h, while yours I see target the labor from the Subcontinent I guess, even though offering slightly better pitch.
And we have our standard Airbus double bunk crew rest compartment plus the LDMCR for all flights above 10h.
My point is EK has really gone chasing the bottom line not only in respect of the crew treatment but pax as well.
You are free to quote me to your MD Sheikh or whatever.

[GMDS]

Quite some good arguments on our mailgroup.

I was just thinking about the Qantas A330 incident from Perth. It could bloody well have been one of our aircraft and therefore with a augmented crew. No more referring to the remoteness of the chance of such a incident happening, please!

Now just imagine it would have happened with the skipper strapped in the bunk, or almost locked up in J with freaked out passengers and the stern warning from up front to remain fastened.

It would have been a field day for the Australian press, competition and regulators. They would have welcomed this long awaited oportunity to point a finger at their beloved competitor. They would have asked very revealing questions such as to what the Captain did at the time of the incident, as to FOM adherence of the crew AND EK and so on.
Not to mention the witness reports from scared passengers and scoop-thirsty reporters with the whereabouts of the Captain and how he struggled working his way up to the cockpit ....


better not

[fliion]

my dear dessas,

while your expertise in in-flight comfort cannot be questioned coming from such an esteemed carrier...i for one am the only one that can call my sister ugly unless of course your's is named giselle.

back to the cheap seats with ya..

fliion

[TaylorJets]

Very well said.