Would you join EK if you could turn the clock back?
 

Having previously seen the poll on "is EK a long or short career prospect", I thought it might be useful to new hires if people posted in a poll (if 4HP can arrange ) would they haved joined EK if they had known what they know now?

My answer, glad I came, now not as good as I had hoped, roll on the 7 and would I do it again in hindsight, probably not!

Even with all the changes, not much has hugely changed. Apart from Dubai itself. So Yes.

NO!
 

Not a chance in Hell. With all that EK has changed and done to their crews it simply is not worth the effort of leaving your established carriers and going to the sand.

You have to look at where a particlualr pilot is and what his expectaions are. For most pilots Emirates does not measure up but for other pilots it is a dream job. (Read my post on another thread.) Inflation, erroding T&C, falling dollar, traffic etc etc it probably does not measure up to what other airlines are offering so you have to think long and hard about coming to join Emirates and it probably is only going to get worse.

NO
-I neither respect or trust management
-living in Dubai has caused more heartache for the family than is good for us
-I regret having come here ( in fact I regreted it once I arrrived and realised I couldn't go back to where I had been at the same position
Am actively looking at leaving when the right time comes!!!

I'm glad I came and the early years were great. There was a great optimism and we were treated with appreciation.

Its getting pretty tough now though with the duties getting more tiring. EK also manages to fill up a great deal of your free time with various chores.
The constant distortions of the truth from management are tedious. Why dont they just tell it like it is? The outcome is the same but at least they would maintain credibility and respect.

Given the exchange rate, cost of living and traffic in Dubai, I think if I was to look at EK now I would probably go elsewhere and choose a better lifestyle even if the package was a bit less

yes
 

Same same....but different....

I try not to forget how my old job was....:yuk:
Family is very happy, might get a wide body command in 4 yrs, so, yes, I'd do it again....

mad

YES - would do it again..

I enjoy the flying (not even doing too much now that the 777's taking the flak), the blokes - and gal - that I fly with are all great people, variety of destinations. Most importantly though my wife and kids are happy here - lots to do (and no, it's not always involving vast sums of money!!!), places to see etc etc.

What could change - Obviously salary is behind inflation, but I'm lucky as I don't have a mortgage anywhere, so can keep any spare cash salted away in $US overseas 'til it strengthens - which it will in a typical economic cycle..
Roads, slowly getting there - not sure about some behind the wheel though:ugh:
Train people up who need it - rather than the usual "dumbing down" nonsense. Example being the "don't practice NPA's" syndrome... Don't screw people over with random policy changes.

On balance - yep, it was a good move for me. I can understand and sympathise with those who haven't got on with EK and Dubai - good luck with greener grass:ok:

Yes would do it agan,
It's as stated above good network, good aircraft, good guys to fly with and a training department that is trying its hardest to do it right. (bit hard without the support in respect to the hours and the effort applied though, my hat off to them for sticking with it).
Has on the other hand forced the sale of all overseas property due the currency devaluation against os currency, traffic.... I have to have a damn good reason to go to the city/Diera area, and can't wait till the digging and building stops or at least looks like being somewhere near complete and usable.
Just my personal take on it, I do remember my old job and this is so far in front.....but that's just me:ok:

YES!
Been here over 3 years now, and although the gloss of EK and Dubai has certainly worn away, me and the wife and kids are very happy here and are glad we made the move, have hardly flown this month!

oblaaspop, heh.................????????

Good thing you haven't flown much this month......!! Hope you don't need one on the road............????!!! :uhoh:

Yes - but now it's time to leave. Dubai and EK have been good for my career and family but it has changed so much in the past few years.

With daily near-death experiences on the roads and high cost of living, I'm over the whole Dubai experience. The only way that EK will be able to retain my services is to offer a basing or remote rostering. :ugh:

Aiming point - you've obviously missed my point. There's plenty going on around this parts if you can be bothered to get off your fat ar$e - sadly I've met some who've not even left city limits of Dubai yet, and they whinge that there's nowt to do:confused:
Career aspirations?? WTF are you blathering on about - is the seat of an Air France 330 ANY DIFFERENT to an EK 330?? Don't think so. Oh and yes, I did leave what you could call a CHOICE airline to come here and YES I would do it again - 'cos I didn't like the CHOICE airline.....

I have to totally agree with the Knight,

There's heaps to do just got to be motivated off the couch and go do it. Get in the car and explore it's not that scary!

I too came from a "good" company, but stagnation and management policies have since I left been the normal affliction there, so am very happy to sit in my Bus and enjoy the benefits of EK.... and there are benefits.

10 years ago most guys came from choice airlines as EK was an educated risk
in both income, lifestyle and career. Even up to 5 years ago it was still an ok decision. Today it is different and we know longer get the guys and gals from the top airlines for obvious reasons which have been honestly expressed on the middle east forums. To come to EK/EY from a crap LCC ,South America or a furlough situation is perhaps a easy decision. In hindsight I would not do it again and have exposed my family to great risk. Economically also it has not been worth it. Career wise I suppose we get to fly newish equipment however with the impending pilot shortages I think I will sell myself to the highest bidder. Perhaps someone who doesn't change the terms and rules every 5 minutes. All the best to those that are coming and leaving. I hope I will be in the leaving group soon enough.

Yes, I'd still come but only for the sunshine.

The results of these polls are meaningless anyway. Some guys have so many multiple pseudonyms they end up having a chat with themselves. Is that called chasterbation? Others have never worked for EK but feel qualified to comment. When I joined I thought EK were great to work for but while still positive, that has changed. The question I have for myself is how much because it has really got worse and how much my perspective has changed as a former honeymooner.

I have seen friends join and seem like pigs in sh*t for a couple of years and then things have gone downhill. The guys that still enjoy it accept it for what it is, not a bad job, a captains airline and get on with it. Utopia Airlines it isn't but I have to laugh when I sit around with my mates going on about the old days. If they were so great why did we leave?

As to Choice jobs, my first job was the best job anyone could ever have but after a few years, you get used to it and start to look for greener pastures.

SP: I said no because if I could 'turn the clock back' and go back to my previous employer, I would be in a much better position than I am now. 20:20 hindsight however is useless and that fact is based on the information I had then, which was very little but generally positive, EK was the right decision to make.

In answer to your question: Once here it is not that easy to leave. You have given up your previous command and seniority, moved the family and resettled the kids... it just is not that easy to pack up again and go elsewhere. I also had faith that the decline in Ts & Cs would be temporary and that things would change for the better eventually. This naive hope soons gets knocked out of you with every FCI/N announcing another cost neutral change where we always end up paying the price.

What you can do is bide your time, get your command back, get some hours and then look for some more suitable options. There were not that many options a few years ago but now there are and many have already taken these new opportunities and after May many more will... including me.

EK could have been so good. Instead it has been managed down to mediocraty and all the short term cost cutting won't pay a fraction of the long term cost it will end up having to pay for.

White Knight, I'd hardly call ChippyFryer a 'Choice' airline...:uhoh: :uhoh:

ekpilot - nor would I... However spending two years at Big Airways (what some may consider a choice outfit- even your good self) after they absorbed what was a great outfit, gotta say it wasn't for me:ok:

YYYYYYYYYYes











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