EK: Personal issues
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 4
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From: Dubai
EK: Personal issues
I´ve just been informed by my wife that she wants a divorce, taking the kids and moving back. I´m of course extremely upset about this and honestly don´t feel fit to fly at the moment as I can hardly sleep nor eat (sorry guys, I´m not that macho) and my mind will be everywhere except where it should be when flying.
What would the EK-community here recommend? Request emergency leave, just call sick, see the doctor? Is there any chance of sympathy from EK or will I just have to tough it out?
What would the EK-community here recommend? Request emergency leave, just call sick, see the doctor? Is there any chance of sympathy from EK or will I just have to tough it out?
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,003
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From: usa
Get Busy
There is support available - can't remember the correct name of Dept (don't think it's Peer Support) one of the guys here will know.
It's primarily a group of mature Anglo type ladies and according to a bud who went to see them with same issue as you - it was automatic three weeks off - with no questions ever asked by Fleet.
Good luck.
chin up
f.
There is support available - can't remember the correct name of Dept (don't think it's Peer Support) one of the guys here will know.
It's primarily a group of mature Anglo type ladies and according to a bud who went to see them with same issue as you - it was automatic three weeks off - with no questions ever asked by Fleet.
Good luck.
chin up
f.
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,098
Likes: 1
From: earth
Don't fly. Call in sick and contact your fleet chief (no deputies, managers) and ask for a meeting. Discuss the matter openly.
There is "peer support" as well, they are great for support, although they have no influence on rosters.
All the best.
There is "peer support" as well, they are great for support, although they have no influence on rosters.
All the best.
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 131
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From: Land of everlasting thirst
E mail [email protected]
Joined: Nov 2003
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 444
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From: Terra Firma
Sympathies to you in your difficult situation. With all due respect to your personal issues, do not make them worse by making a BIG mistake while at work and with your mind not being fully on the the job. The company does not want that, you don't want that and the passengers (including your buddies and their families) don't want that. If EK cannot see that this is compassionate leave time, then we are ALL in the wrong company.
Good luck, time will heal the pain somewhat but how much time is necessary is the question.
JS
Good luck, time will heal the pain somewhat but how much time is necessary is the question.
JS
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
From: Dubai
The department is definitely called Employee Assistance. There used to be a woman there named Amal Bourey (sp?) who was quite helpful. They all seem sincere and sympathetic.
They will help you get your time off (and I think that's a wise and safe decision to do so, by the way) and they will help you get through it as well. It may eventually lead to some time with Corporate Psychology, particularly in assessing your fitness to return to flying. It's sort of a double-edged sword. You may want the time off without the apparent intrusion of (let's face it) a slightly impersonal department meddling in your very personal affairs but you can't have one without the other, not unless you lie about the reason for leave.
As for how much time...well the best cure, when the time is right, might be a return to what you do.
Stay strong and remember, time will absolutely soften the edges of this eventually.
They will help you get your time off (and I think that's a wise and safe decision to do so, by the way) and they will help you get through it as well. It may eventually lead to some time with Corporate Psychology, particularly in assessing your fitness to return to flying. It's sort of a double-edged sword. You may want the time off without the apparent intrusion of (let's face it) a slightly impersonal department meddling in your very personal affairs but you can't have one without the other, not unless you lie about the reason for leave.
As for how much time...well the best cure, when the time is right, might be a return to what you do.
Stay strong and remember, time will absolutely soften the edges of this eventually.
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 50
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From: By the sea
History
In the past one of our fellow aviators had very much the same issue. He went to his fleet manager and told them of his situation. He was directed to the appropriate department. He didn't fly for over a month. He didn't get given a hard time nor was it difficult to return to the line.
I've been through the same issue before EK. I continued to fly however in hind sight having to ask the other pilot to watch over you as your "head wasn't in the right place" wasn't the smartest thing I've ever done.
I feel for you. It's a nightmare. Time is the only healer. However between the employee assistance & the medical centre you'll be looked after. Just make sure you see the right doctor (not MK or especially not NA).
Hope you see the light at the end of the tunnel soon
I've been through the same issue before EK. I continued to fly however in hind sight having to ask the other pilot to watch over you as your "head wasn't in the right place" wasn't the smartest thing I've ever done.
I feel for you. It's a nightmare. Time is the only healer. However between the employee assistance & the medical centre you'll be looked after. Just make sure you see the right doctor (not MK or especially not NA).
Hope you see the light at the end of the tunnel soon
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 4
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From: Dubai
Let me say I´m sincerely touched by the overwhelming show of support from the community here, for someone that seemed pretty new to the forum (which I´m not) That alone made me feel somewhat better.
I have made contact (two way
) with Fleet and the Employee Assistance Program. To solve the immediate problem I used my two self certifiable days until I get further guidance from these two functions.
I also thank for the advice via PM on how to hide money from my ex and other divorce stories. That made me giggle for the first time in a long time.
I have made contact (two way
) with Fleet and the Employee Assistance Program. To solve the immediate problem I used my two self certifiable days until I get further guidance from these two functions.I also thank for the advice via PM on how to hide money from my ex and other divorce stories. That made me giggle for the first time in a long time.
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 346
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From: Somewhere near an Airport
Getbusy.... I was in a similar situation too. But my company refused to give me leaves and I was forced to fly. I did a firm landing (0.1g less than hard Landing criteria ! Dang!) as PF and was about to pull the Gearup for landing flaps ! Happens !!!
Like all the wise people here said, time is the only healer. See if you talk it out and resolve. Iam sure You will be out of this soon.
Like all the wise people here said, time is the only healer. See if you talk it out and resolve. Iam sure You will be out of this soon.
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 763
Likes: 1
From: Monrovia / Liberia
Time heals
Fwiw, there’s a LOT of your brother aviators that have been there before you on this one and, as such, you’re certainly not the first chap to go through this and you likewise won’t be the last!
It is a distressing period & process, and therein it is quite likely that you will feel waves of emotion, though - as has already been said - time is indeed a great healer, and therein the peaks & troughs of those waves will - in time - get less big and less frequent.
If you can take some time off towards helping to sort this out, both from a practical and emotional standpoint, then that’s probably for the best.
Wrt you children: As has been said above, it’s imperative that you keep contact with your children. You are still very much ‘their dad’ and (age dependent) they’re probably v.likely to be as rocked by this outcome, just as much as you are yourself.
Wrt to communications with your wife: Do try to keep the moral and emotional high-ground in your dealings with her, and please do not demean yourself with petty arguing and / or bickering with her. Be strong, be logical, be clear & concise and, most especially, DO NOT LOOSE YOUR TEMPER!
On a practical note (and albeit that one recognises that it’s maybe still early days in this process), might one politely suggest that you find & implement a method to make ‘child maintenance’ payments into a bank account which your ‘-ex’ does not have sole access to, always remembering that ‘child support’ is purposefully not designated as ‘ongoing ex-wife support’…. noting that some of us have been there and had the shirt ripped off our backs on that one!
Re-iterating what's been said above. Keep busy. Get your mates to take you out for a beer (or three, or ten). Get yourself out to a few BBQ's, and / or plan some yourself (and invite a few CC around to jolly up the place, and to jolly up you too!)... and know that we are all sympathetic to your plight (if only because many of us have also been there) and take comfort in the fact that we've all survived it!
It is a distressing period & process, and therein it is quite likely that you will feel waves of emotion, though - as has already been said - time is indeed a great healer, and therein the peaks & troughs of those waves will - in time - get less big and less frequent.
If you can take some time off towards helping to sort this out, both from a practical and emotional standpoint, then that’s probably for the best.
Wrt you children: As has been said above, it’s imperative that you keep contact with your children. You are still very much ‘their dad’ and (age dependent) they’re probably v.likely to be as rocked by this outcome, just as much as you are yourself.
Wrt to communications with your wife: Do try to keep the moral and emotional high-ground in your dealings with her, and please do not demean yourself with petty arguing and / or bickering with her. Be strong, be logical, be clear & concise and, most especially, DO NOT LOOSE YOUR TEMPER!
On a practical note (and albeit that one recognises that it’s maybe still early days in this process), might one politely suggest that you find & implement a method to make ‘child maintenance’ payments into a bank account which your ‘-ex’ does not have sole access to, always remembering that ‘child support’ is purposefully not designated as ‘ongoing ex-wife support’…. noting that some of us have been there and had the shirt ripped off our backs on that one!
Re-iterating what's been said above. Keep busy. Get your mates to take you out for a beer (or three, or ten). Get yourself out to a few BBQ's, and / or plan some yourself (and invite a few CC around to jolly up the place, and to jolly up you too!)... and know that we are all sympathetic to your plight (if only because many of us have also been there) and take comfort in the fact that we've all survived it!
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 48
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From: hole in the wall
Sympathies from a guy who went through the same some years ago!
I could not eat or sleep for a few days, called the Fleet Manager, asked for emergency leave only to be told "sorry not enough captains"!!! So I asked if I could swop my 7 days leave the next month for 5 days emergency now. A few hours later, they took my 7 days and gave me 3 in return!!!!! Honest to the prophet.
A few months later I went to clinic, told the doc I've had enough and to her credit she just asked "how many weeks do you want?"
My flying really suffered for about 6 months so do yourself a favour, go to the clinic, pour your heart out and take 2 weeks off!!!
I could not eat or sleep for a few days, called the Fleet Manager, asked for emergency leave only to be told "sorry not enough captains"!!! So I asked if I could swop my 7 days leave the next month for 5 days emergency now. A few hours later, they took my 7 days and gave me 3 in return!!!!! Honest to the prophet.
A few months later I went to clinic, told the doc I've had enough and to her credit she just asked "how many weeks do you want?"
My flying really suffered for about 6 months so do yourself a favour, go to the clinic, pour your heart out and take 2 weeks off!!!
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: UK
Yeah well, 20 years ago, exact to the date, my wife ran off with my best mate. God I miss him ! Soreeee ! Laughter is the best medicine but I have to say Ladies & Gents (probably all Gents) who have commented, stand proud. What a lucky fella to have all of this support and a Company help line that seems to understand. Yes, many of us been through this and here to tell the tale. At the time, a dreadful journey. You will get through this and avail yourself of all of the marvellous support being offered. Well done EK guys. Wholly admirable.
