EK - and the truth is .............
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EK - and the truth is .............
DATE:29/06/10
SOURCE:Flight International
No stopping Emirates as it plans to add 700 pilots
By Murdo Morrison
Is there no stopping Emirates? Just over a year after the global financial crisis dashed the Dubai dream, and with network carriers around the world battling losses, the region's biggest airline has in recent weeks announced record net profits of $964 million, an order for 32 more Airbus A380s and plans to hire 700 pilots and 3,000 cabin crew over the next 18 months.
Emirates' performance over the past 12 months has been gravity-defying. With new routes and more to be added this year, its weekly departures from Dubai International are up more than a tenth to 1,118 from June 2009.
The economic crunch caused a relative blip in Emirates' relentless recruitment last year - in the 12 months to 31 March 2009 it took on just 140 pilots. "We didn't need them but we honoured their contracts," says Capt Alan Stealey, Emirates divisional senior vice-president flight operations. Now the airline is almost back to 2007-08 hiring levels and the tempo is increasing.
"This financial year has been a year of two halves," he says, referring to the period to 31 March 2010. "In the second half we saw a pronounced recovery, we used our backlog of pilots up and now we are recruiting at full pace for the current year."
Current pilot numbers are 2,282, of which 1,127 are captains. With up to 45 pilots needed every month, Emirates is stepping up its recruitment efforts with a target of talking to 32 individuals a week.
The airline recently held a recruitment roadshow in Madrid - to which it will launch services in August - and Stealey says pilots from recently failed or downsizing airlines, including Flyglobespan and SAS, are providing a pool of potential recruits.
As with every Gulf employer, providing careers for nationals is a priority. With 38 captains, 116 first officers and 36 cadet pilots from the airline's UAE citizens-only training programme, Emiratis account for 8% of flightcrew. With a further 142 students going through an ab initio programme, locals should fill some of the recruitment gap.
Emirates currently only recruits first officers, regardless of experience, with minimum requirements being 4,000h of which 2,000h must be multi-engine. However, despite a seniority list, promotion tends to be rapid.
"Some will have been captains already, but we can offer brand new widebodies including the possibility of flying the A380, international routes and you still get to upgrade to command here quicker than almost anywhere in the world," says Stealey.
Emirates is keen to sell Dubai as well as the airline itself to potential pilot recruits. "We invite everyone here for interview, paid by us," says Alison Ward, vice president human resources. "It's easier to do it here, but we also want them to see where they will be making their home."
Although occasionally pilots choose to commute, Emirates prefers them to relocate to Dubai. "We are trying to pick people who will adapt," she says.
Despite Emirates' need for flightcrew - the attrition rate is only 2% - only about half of all interviewees are taken on. As well as a simulator assessment, applicants are also tested on their crew resource management skills and given a psychometric check. "Pure piloting skills are important but it's only part of the story," says Stealey. "We are looking for a particular type. Someone who will work in a multicultural environment."
Pilots who do join Emirates are particularly well looked after. When they and their families first arrive at the airport they are collected and taken to their accommodation, with the services of an induction officer to help them settle. Single or married pilots are given an apartment; those with children get a villa. Both can be furnished and water and electricity is paid up to a certain level. Emirates provides a car loan and a driver takes pilots to and from work. "The company tries to look after everything they need," says Ward.
Emirates' expansion means it will need 700 more pilots and 3,000 cabin crew by the end of 2011
Although they do not get quite the same package, Emirates' 11,000 cabin crew are also taken care of while they live in Dubai, with en suite bedroom in shared apartments. Although Emirates does not own accommodation, Dubai's property slump has ensured a steady supply. "Landlords are still knocking on our doors," says Ward. "We're in a privileged position."
With the business a quarter of a century old, and the retirement age recently raised from 60 to 65, some of Emirates' captains are veterans of the airline. "We have several who have been here since we were founded," says Stealey. "Boy, did they get it right when they joined." In a turbulent airline industry, stability is still one of the biggest pluses Emirates offers, he maintains. "In 25 years we have never, ever laid a pilot off."
SOURCE:Flight International
No stopping Emirates as it plans to add 700 pilots
By Murdo Morrison
Is there no stopping Emirates? Just over a year after the global financial crisis dashed the Dubai dream, and with network carriers around the world battling losses, the region's biggest airline has in recent weeks announced record net profits of $964 million, an order for 32 more Airbus A380s and plans to hire 700 pilots and 3,000 cabin crew over the next 18 months.
Emirates' performance over the past 12 months has been gravity-defying. With new routes and more to be added this year, its weekly departures from Dubai International are up more than a tenth to 1,118 from June 2009.
The economic crunch caused a relative blip in Emirates' relentless recruitment last year - in the 12 months to 31 March 2009 it took on just 140 pilots. "We didn't need them but we honoured their contracts," says Capt Alan Stealey, Emirates divisional senior vice-president flight operations. Now the airline is almost back to 2007-08 hiring levels and the tempo is increasing.
"This financial year has been a year of two halves," he says, referring to the period to 31 March 2010. "In the second half we saw a pronounced recovery, we used our backlog of pilots up and now we are recruiting at full pace for the current year."
Current pilot numbers are 2,282, of which 1,127 are captains. With up to 45 pilots needed every month, Emirates is stepping up its recruitment efforts with a target of talking to 32 individuals a week.
The airline recently held a recruitment roadshow in Madrid - to which it will launch services in August - and Stealey says pilots from recently failed or downsizing airlines, including Flyglobespan and SAS, are providing a pool of potential recruits.
As with every Gulf employer, providing careers for nationals is a priority. With 38 captains, 116 first officers and 36 cadet pilots from the airline's UAE citizens-only training programme, Emiratis account for 8% of flightcrew. With a further 142 students going through an ab initio programme, locals should fill some of the recruitment gap.
Emirates currently only recruits first officers, regardless of experience, with minimum requirements being 4,000h of which 2,000h must be multi-engine. However, despite a seniority list, promotion tends to be rapid.
"Some will have been captains already, but we can offer brand new widebodies including the possibility of flying the A380, international routes and you still get to upgrade to command here quicker than almost anywhere in the world," says Stealey.
Emirates is keen to sell Dubai as well as the airline itself to potential pilot recruits. "We invite everyone here for interview, paid by us," says Alison Ward, vice president human resources. "It's easier to do it here, but we also want them to see where they will be making their home."
Although occasionally pilots choose to commute, Emirates prefers them to relocate to Dubai. "We are trying to pick people who will adapt," she says.
Despite Emirates' need for flightcrew - the attrition rate is only 2% - only about half of all interviewees are taken on. As well as a simulator assessment, applicants are also tested on their crew resource management skills and given a psychometric check. "Pure piloting skills are important but it's only part of the story," says Stealey. "We are looking for a particular type. Someone who will work in a multicultural environment."
Pilots who do join Emirates are particularly well looked after. When they and their families first arrive at the airport they are collected and taken to their accommodation, with the services of an induction officer to help them settle. Single or married pilots are given an apartment; those with children get a villa. Both can be furnished and water and electricity is paid up to a certain level. Emirates provides a car loan and a driver takes pilots to and from work. "The company tries to look after everything they need," says Ward.
Emirates' expansion means it will need 700 more pilots and 3,000 cabin crew by the end of 2011
Although they do not get quite the same package, Emirates' 11,000 cabin crew are also taken care of while they live in Dubai, with en suite bedroom in shared apartments. Although Emirates does not own accommodation, Dubai's property slump has ensured a steady supply. "Landlords are still knocking on our doors," says Ward. "We're in a privileged position."
With the business a quarter of a century old, and the retirement age recently raised from 60 to 65, some of Emirates' captains are veterans of the airline. "We have several who have been here since we were founded," says Stealey. "Boy, did they get it right when they joined." In a turbulent airline industry, stability is still one of the biggest pluses Emirates offers, he maintains. "In 25 years we have never, ever laid a pilot off."
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In a failing city where investments have dropped by 50% and cost of living has more than doubled, the lies that need to be told by the company and the government are of enormous proportion to encourage people to come. I can assure you that some junior first officers have increased their seniority positions by over 200 on the seniority list of the stated 2200 or so pilots, not wishing to insult your intelligence but thats not 2%. 1 in 10 leave here pretty soon after coming and it can only get worse. The commitment required to come here is H U G E, its not your country, not your familys country and there are costs to living here that you will take from your family to pay your salary check. The aircraft are nice and shiny and widebody, that is it, thats the main (probably 0nly) attraction. Sell your family's welfare for the chance to fly the big shiny jet. Without a doubt, there is not 1 pilot here who is expat who doesn't have some reservation about joining and who cant ultimately wait until the day they get out of here.
As per very very many previous posts, you have been warned!
As per very very many previous posts, you have been warned!
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PLEASE COME. Its paradise here. Your employer will honour your contract . You have no chance of being fired during training ( even if you do a go around under the supervision of a training captain). You will not have to wait for a villa ( no temporary accomodation , and when you finally get to your new villa , you will really understand the meaning of the words "desert living" ( the new villa,s are far out of town in the middle of the desert). You will be shown something else when you visit for your recruitment ( in the spirit of honesty and integrity that your employer oozes).
The more guys that come , the more vacancies will be available elsewhere for many of us to return home. So a BIG PLease , PLease Please come and fly for EK. I am begging you more than the people quoted in the above article. In fact I am on my knees I am begging so hard.
The more guys that come , the more vacancies will be available elsewhere for many of us to return home. So a BIG PLease , PLease Please come and fly for EK. I am begging you more than the people quoted in the above article. In fact I am on my knees I am begging so hard.
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Every individual has a different and good reason for wanting to join EK.Some pilots want to fly bigger jets,others want to earn a tax free salary,or being fourlough etc.Therefore even if you guys telling them dont come,they still will...as for you unhappy ones,you may leave,go where you will be happy!!! You make the decisions,you r big boys...
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yeah, but do remember some of them CAN NOT leave as they tried to play in a league they do not belong to....re real estate saga...so some are just pissed off and do not tell but vent themselves via this channel here! Should have known before ! Halas !
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Yes, the "lets go to the mall for a steak and two villas" league, but they seem to blame everything on EK anyway.
You make your bed and you sleep in it, but somehow I don't feel like getting in there with you. And I don't want to listen to your bitter bed time stories.
You make your bed and you sleep in it, but somehow I don't feel like getting in there with you. And I don't want to listen to your bitter bed time stories.
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"We didn't need them but we honoured their contracts," says Capt Alan Stealey, Emirates divisional senior vice-president flight operations.
Well that will be a dam first!!!!!!
ers
So now they admit it's a contract do they, another first!!!
So may be thay will recognise breach of contract, which they do so often.
Well that will be a dam first!!!!!!
ersSo now they admit it's a contract do they, another first!!!
So may be thay will recognise breach of contract, which they do so often.
puff,
Can you quantify one actual breach of contract?
DEWA would definatley have been, had they gone through with the bluff to charge, but they didn't.
Productivity and increment aren't actually in recent contracts, and I haven't heard of anyone who DID have increments in their contract having it broken, as they were all on the top increment already.
If I'm wrong, I'm more than happy to be corrected, but I think they've played it smart enough to have not actually breached anyones conract, while still getting a lot more out of us for a lot less money.
Can you quantify one actual breach of contract?
DEWA would definatley have been, had they gone through with the bluff to charge, but they didn't.
Productivity and increment aren't actually in recent contracts, and I haven't heard of anyone who DID have increments in their contract having it broken, as they were all on the top increment already.
If I'm wrong, I'm more than happy to be corrected, but I think they've played it smart enough to have not actually breached anyones conract, while still getting a lot more out of us for a lot less money.
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OK Kenny I will...
Working at EK is a lot better than working other places.
This is my seventh flying job in 23 years. Of the other six, I thought I could retire from five of them.
Politics, 9-11, bad management and a contract limitation put me on the street over and over.
The grass isn't greener any more. There is no security- anywhere.
The way things go here is the way things go. Take what you can get, or more like it, take what is given. Sorry, but this is as good as it gets.
No one forced you here. Did you think things would change when YOU got here? Did you think that unions or associations would be created and human rights as YOU know them would be respected upon your arrival? Did you think that YOU could make a difference?
If you don't like it, show it with your feet, please.
T
This is my seventh flying job in 23 years. Of the other six, I thought I could retire from five of them.
Politics, 9-11, bad management and a contract limitation put me on the street over and over.
The grass isn't greener any more. There is no security- anywhere.
The way things go here is the way things go. Take what you can get, or more like it, take what is given. Sorry, but this is as good as it gets.
No one forced you here. Did you think things would change when YOU got here? Did you think that unions or associations would be created and human rights as YOU know them would be respected upon your arrival? Did you think that YOU could make a difference?
If you don't like it, show it with your feet, please.
T
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Veteran
What defines a "veteran" at EK?
T
T
Last edited by troff; 13th Jul 2010 at 11:30. Reason: Didn't want to tell Kenny and radnav to blow it out their ar$es directly.
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Possibly....
Veteran = An optimistic and gullible pilot who is also a total mug.
There were many of us Expats. and local Nationals with 20 to 30 plus years loyal service waiting for things to get organised and better at Gulf Air and it has not happened... yet.
I feel it is all happening again at EK, EY,QR....and it must be management policy.
Veteran = An optimistic and gullible pilot who is also a total mug.
There were many of us Expats. and local Nationals with 20 to 30 plus years loyal service waiting for things to get organised and better at Gulf Air and it has not happened... yet.
I feel it is all happening again at EK, EY,QR....and it must be management policy.
eklawer,
In fact, the "Prime Document" I signed does not make reference to any other document with regard to pay and conditions.
Salary, accomodation (including Utilities), Education, Provident Fund, ERP and profit share are explicitey mentioned. Productivity and incremental pay are not.
Don't get me wrong, I joined under the understanding that it was 3% a year and 78hrs in a 31 day month, but those were not mentioned in the one, mutually signed document.
If, as you say, it is just as big a breach to alter those items, why is it that everything that IS in the contract (notably the DEWA bill inspite of threats to the contrary) has been honoured?
In fact, the "Prime Document" I signed does not make reference to any other document with regard to pay and conditions.
Salary, accomodation (including Utilities), Education, Provident Fund, ERP and profit share are explicitey mentioned. Productivity and incremental pay are not.
Don't get me wrong, I joined under the understanding that it was 3% a year and 78hrs in a 31 day month, but those were not mentioned in the one, mutually signed document.
If, as you say, it is just as big a breach to alter those items, why is it that everything that IS in the contract (notably the DEWA bill inspite of threats to the contrary) has been honoured?
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Here I think you are confusing what is accepted legal practice, with the inability to enforce.
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troff I have seen many like you. the companies blue eyed boys. just wait until a policy is passed that adversely affects you ( its coming). or worse if you have an incident of any kind. Then I will refer you to your post.
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Troff
When I joined ( around 10 years ago) I also new what i was signing up for , and its not what you signed up for , that I gaurantee you.
It used to be a great place to work .So I also signed up with my eyes wide open. Oh and as for leaving , I,m working on it mate.
If you live in a minefield it just a matter of time , before you step on one.
Good luck to you
When I joined ( around 10 years ago) I also new what i was signing up for , and its not what you signed up for , that I gaurantee you.
It used to be a great place to work .So I also signed up with my eyes wide open. Oh and as for leaving , I,m working on it mate.
If you live in a minefield it just a matter of time , before you step on one.
Good luck to you
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Thank You 4G's
Thank you 4G's for your words of wisdom.
I have been here a large portion of your time and have learned from my mistakes as well as the mistakes of others. I will continue to tread lightly and try to and insure that "a herd of goats"- whatever you conceive that to be- go forth ahead of me into the minefield in which I (we) work.
It's a shame that EK can't be a place to get the job done right and have fun doing it, but Wardair was finished a long time ago and them's the breaks.
I have been here a large portion of your time and have learned from my mistakes as well as the mistakes of others. I will continue to tread lightly and try to and insure that "a herd of goats"- whatever you conceive that to be- go forth ahead of me into the minefield in which I (we) work.
It's a shame that EK can't be a place to get the job done right and have fun doing it, but Wardair was finished a long time ago and them's the breaks.