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Emirates. Not that bad, surely?

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

Emirates. Not that bad, surely?

Old 21st Oct 2017, 06:43
  #81 (permalink)  
 
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I'm not negative : for example, I usually have excellent rosters, which make for a great time here.

I didn't use the word "rubbish" first, please read again.
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Old 28th Oct 2017, 08:45
  #82 (permalink)  
 
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Two different sides of the same story, EK is what you make of it, as simple as that. The same applies to Dubai.
I would never tell anyone not to come to EK simply because I know a big numbers of guys who are happy here. Personally EK and Dubai worked well for me, I was mostly happy about the way I was treated by the company during my time here, except for some occasions while in training events . But the time passed and now I'm tired and after over 30 years flying I need a lighter job. Boeing rosters are good when you talk about the top bid months, mainly with a reasonable seniority. But they can be horrible in your bottom bid months. I don't mind flying 90 hours if I have 12 to 15 days off plus a few rest days or arrivals just after midnight. That's the Big Bus life every month. But I'm Boeing and flying 90 hours with just seven days off is something I can't do it for long anymore, and I had that recently.
Besides that I have to admit that after over 20k hours of experience in airlines I want to have piece of mind when it comes to my recurrent PPC's. I'm tired of having to regain my job every six months. The uncertainty of how your sim rides will be is what makes me unconfortable. My two last PPC's were amazing, really positive experiences, but unfortunately you just know that for sure when it ends. I had other ones which were quiet painful and even though I managed to pass they were simply horrible experiences.
Money wise as it was already said here is quiet good, but it's becoming harder and harder to save money due to the escalating prices for anything you need. FO with children saving money? Well done Aviation enthus, this is really not easy.
Company accomodation isn't bad at all, lot's of internal space and not the worst areas in town. MS and MH have small garden areas, but still have very generous internal areas. I don't think too many pilots could afford to live in villas of the EK average size before coming to Dubai. The building standards are not great, but acceptable, and at the end of the day it's not yours and EK pays for all maintenance. All your bills related to the villa are paid by EK as well, even the gas for your BBQ. So it's definitely not "rubbish" as Kobus mentioned. By the way if Aviation still saves money with four children you should tell him he's a magician, if you want, but not hit him hard.
I left company accomodation for a much better standard a long time ago, but this isn't viable today. Even you manage to buy something really nice the bills and the interest will kill most of the alllowance, if not all. The option now (my opinion) is to buy a 3 bed townhouse for just over 2 million dirhams and make every expense fit inside the allowance. By doing this you just spend the down payment and then EK will pay the rest. Once you leave you sell the house and take all the money back home. But keep in mind that this choice means a downgrade in terms of space, though not necessarily a downgrade in terms of community standards.
Savings are possible, but it depends a lot on your choices in how to spend your hard worked for money.
I was visiting a friend in the Meydan South a few days ago and I've seen a Ferrari that looked quiet new parked in a colleague's garage next to his villa. That's a good example of someone that most likely don't save much, cause that toy probably costs him more than 4 children. Ferraris are not very common in company accomodation but Porsches are everywhere and they're not cheap at all. Fancy sport cars are the most common way of burning your money, mainly if you buy a brand new one.
So my advice to all that are planning to come to EK is to look at YOURSELF and YOUR family and decide if it's going to be worthy for YOU, considering YOUR priorities and YOUR future plans. Don't let others decide what will be your future life.
Unhappy people use to come here more often than the happy ones, keep that in mind as well!
Desert Peregrin is offline  
Old 29th Oct 2017, 01:45
  #83 (permalink)  
 
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As for the EK skipper who went the Cathay Dragon, well done that man. He's not the first and won't be the last to go in that direction.
The way things are changing in HKG, there are several contemplating the reverse direction.
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Old 29th Oct 2017, 03:08
  #84 (permalink)  
 
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Good post Desert Peregrin, I agree with your post and sentiments. Every airline around the world has its issues, no job is the perfect job, but for some EK might be the better option than your current outfit.

EK and Dubai are what you make of them. If you want to moan and feel bitter about things, then you will probably do that wherever you lay your head.

Hi Dan, good to see you lurking in these forums, your fingers accidentally tap the wrong forum heading haha. Now I must go take out the Bentley and hope I don’t scratch the Ferrari on the way out to Brunch, oh it’s a EK Pilots life for me!

Happy Halloween

J
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Old 29th Oct 2017, 05:56
  #85 (permalink)  
 
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Desert Peregrin seconded!
what_goes_up is offline  
Old 29th Oct 2017, 07:16
  #86 (permalink)  
 
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I’m guessing none of you happy souls have been relocated to the MS labour camp and who are enjoying the delights of the South Americans and their 5am “samba”parties, like my mate is.
Being happy because you are used to being treated a certain way and housed a certain way is not the same, theres a city in Sweden that’s named after that particular affliction.
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Old 29th Oct 2017, 12:12
  #87 (permalink)  
 
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There is a pretty simple solution to that. Take the allowance and separate yourself from EK accommodation. Why anyone would want to live out there is beyond me

Spot on desert, couldn't agree more!
sealear is offline  
Old 29th Oct 2017, 12:23
  #88 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by falcon
enjoying the delights of the South Americans and their 5am “samba”parties, like my mate is.
I've found that a well directed hose pipe works well for shutting up the noisy ones We used to have a very noisy PITA Mexican neighbor and a blast of water over the party shut 'em down very quickly!
White Knight is offline  
Old 29th Oct 2017, 13:26
  #89 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by Desert Peregrin
Besides that I have to admit that after over 20k hours of experience in airlines I want to have piece of mind when it comes to my recurrent PPC's. I'm tired of having to regain my job every six months..
Exactly the same for me, especially with a trainer 20 years younger ...

Originally Posted by Desert Peregrin
FO with children saving money? Well done Aviation enthus, this is really not easy.
As I said, feed them with pasta and leave them with TV or smartphone ...

Originally Posted by Desert Peregrin
I left company accomodation for a much better standard a long time ago, but this isn't viable today. Even you manage to buy something really nice the bills and the interest will kill most of the alllowance, if not all. The option now (my opinion) is to buy a 3 bed townhouse for just over 2 million dirhams and make every expense fit inside the allowance.
A townhouse is another name for a flat just built on the sand, with a garage and a Damas tree beside it, being called a garden .... and stuck between two similar outfits, in a multicultural district.
So in simple words, you just said that what was possible some years ago, is no longer affordable - have we been collectively punished for something ?

Pprune readers considering the move will be delighted to read that should they come, they will have to live in an improved labour camp.
Kobus Dune is offline  
Old 29th Oct 2017, 16:06
  #90 (permalink)  
 
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Guys what's the deal on this emirates offer? Nearly finishing up my ATPLs in europe on a cadet programme with employment on a 320 soon ... what are the chances of succeeding and getting the 777? I'd imagine over the next 3 years it will be the 777x we'll be talking about. There's lots of negativity here but I've also heard many people are loving it and so I'd love to take the plunge and head east for a few years, one guy I'm following on instagram even bought one very fancy looking sports car after just over a year there ... can't be that bad!!
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Old 29th Oct 2017, 16:38
  #91 (permalink)  
 
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Couldn't agree more Kobus! And these young ones need to prove themselves that they deserve their job by trying to teach you something they still don't know for themselves! And the "peace"(no corrector this time) of mind will never come while these guys are still there...

I don't know Aviation saves like that with four children.
Anyway happiness doesn't necessarily come together with how much money you spend.

Property markets change worldwide Kobus, Dubai is no exception to this.
Anyway the cost of living here is becoming a big problem for all of us, even more when we don't even get our step of 3%!

Regarding the town houses when I first bought in Dubai it was a town house in the Ranches. It was a confortable house in an amazing community. So I have to disagree with you Kobus, many of the town house communities are nice places to live in. And remember, we're pilots, we're not at the top of the salary levels.
Desert Peregrin is offline  
Old 30th Oct 2017, 04:23
  #92 (permalink)  
 
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Not taking the bait
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Old 30th Oct 2017, 06:19
  #93 (permalink)  
 
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Millennials...too lazy to even bother crafting a believable troll!
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Old 30th Oct 2017, 07:55
  #94 (permalink)  
 
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Not sure where the trolling is, it would be a lie to say i (and without a doubt many others in my position) haven't got one eye wondering over that direction with something of a wish to go there. I've been an observer of these threads for a long time and the negativity is obvious, the only other views of the job at EK are via instagram, and in all honesty the cries of negativity here do not play out on there. So I used a thread which seemed suitable to ask the question. And over the next 3 years it does look like the 777x will be coming in. Never mind I'll find another way to get my information.
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Old 30th Oct 2017, 08:43
  #95 (permalink)  
 
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momo - no issue with your question.

But I would be interested to know how instagram, essentially a photo sharing social media site, can provide any meaningful information? Not forgetting that many like to post their 'hero' photos - big airplane, destination, flight deck etc. I like taking the same photos once and while, though without the need to constantly post them to prove how good my life is.

There is good and bad at EK. Anyone with half a brain can go through the posts and come to a logical conclusion about conditions and whether they would suit the individual. Looking at pretty pictures on instagram is not a through investigation.

You are new to the business - not even fully licenced. We were all there at one time and had the same dreams - big shiny airplanes, flying around the planet, pretty cabin crew and illusions of grandeur. I would even suggest that most of us, when we came to EK, during the times when we were experienced new hires, STILL came (at least in small part) due to the big, shiny airplane.

The difference today is that the conditions are different. Which is why they can no longer find anyone with experience. So, yup, if you can get here in the next few years with low time it might be a good bet.

Some time in the future the hiring boom will stop (it always does) and it will be interesting to see then how the conditions will be perceived. If conditions are bad when they can't find pilots imagine how they will change when they have an ample supply.

But then again who cares right - cause you're flying a big, shiny jet.
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Old 30th Oct 2017, 09:52
  #96 (permalink)  
 
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EK, at the moment, reminds me of the (allegedly apocryphal) conversation between the Executive Financial Director and Chief Operations Officer of a large airline.

EFD: 'What happens if we invest in the pilots by paying them what they are worth and they leave?'

COO: 'What happens if we don't, and they stay?'
BANANASBANANAS is offline  
Old 30th Oct 2017, 10:30
  #97 (permalink)  
 
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momo, you'll find that a fair few of the 'popular' EK instagrammers are on the company payroll- if not actually being paid, getting perks in return for posting about how amazing it is.

I would take it with a pinch of salt. One of the more... how shall I put this... 'selfie obssessed' CC instagrammers who regularly says how amazing the EK life is, actually couldn't wait to leave the job after 6 months and was banging on about how much they hated the pax and the job was beneath them... until said crew realised that posting about how glam their life at the airline was would start netting them promo flights, press freebies and expensive gifts from 'admirers'... the account is now little more than blatant cross promotion and photos that would get anyone else posting them fired.

EK has a stable of CC and FC 'grammers who basically get free reign to post whatever so long as it portrays the company and the job in a positive light (while not being able to post about anything negative) It's all part of the promo machine
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Old 30th Oct 2017, 12:20
  #98 (permalink)  
 
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momo... don't get me wrong, I like it here at EK. BUT.... what you see on Instagram is pretty far from the truth. You can make EK and DXB work for you, but coming here and buying fancy cars isn't the way to do it. It might be fun for a few years, but when the shine wears off and you only have a couple of dirhams to your name, then reality is going to set in. I think a lot of new joiners are going to learn that lesson the hard way.

If you want to make it your career goal to come and work for EK then good on you, but I hope you are doing it for the right reasons
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Old 1st Nov 2017, 05:27
  #99 (permalink)  
 
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Quick question guys, I have almost 3000 hours on the A320, do someone knows what are the chances of being send to the 777?
This may sound stupid, but do HR ask you if you have a "Favorite" aircraft?
Regards.
A320 Skipper is offline  
Old 1st Nov 2017, 11:14
  #100 (permalink)  
 
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They will assign you to any fleet they need you at the moment. Many guys with airbus experience are in boeing fleet.
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