Air sinapsys,

You can get money from the silly arabs, and from the normal ones too!

just stay away..have a normal life. This place is hot, humid,caotic, noisy and becoming expensive. Money is not enough, life style...what life style? After a while you 'll start asking why you came especially if you have a good job in your country...so please stay away..and don't trust anybody in this forum... Keep recovering!

If you've never been to the middle east I suggest you take a vacation here with all your family.

Your wife and children may not like Dubai. Like many already said, this is not a career choice for the majority of pilots at EK. After a few months it'll be getting very boring.

Also EK is not anymore as it used to be...

What ? Hot and humid ? How come nobody told you before you move over there !?!?
Poor fellas...

Emirates,Dubai, Wife & Kids...
 

Calcify...seems that you're not getting much real info. I've been here more than 5 years now. Things have changed in all areas. Some for the good, some for the worse. EK housing is generally good. 4 bedroomed villas with all amenaties paid for. That area I am very happy with.
With the new max 14 days off we are all yet to see how that works but many may be upset with it. As an FO money may be tight as in you won't save a penny but as a Capt thigs get better very quickly.
Driving is dreadful. Dreadful. Third world mentality.
The job: new planes, varied destiations, some 9 day trips which are nasty but some nice trips too...JFK, PVG, SYD, JNB. As pilots we moan about everthing but generally this is not a bad place. My wife & children have a decent life here but she is a strong minded, independant girl who makes it happen.
Generally 3 years to command on 777 4 years on Airbrush. The FOs I fly with are pretty happy with their lot.
I like it here and have no plans to move.

I hear much about FO's being tight with the money. I have to ask a few questions. It has been my experience that pilots live ABOVE their means. Boats, motorcycles, seadoos, and the what not. I am coming over with my wife, we have no debt, and a plan financially. We have nothing in the states to take care of. Is this the case for many of the pilots in Dubai? I am not refering to the families that have brought their children.

I understand also that new hires aren't covered by the heath system provided by the company. Does this last 6 months? Our plan is to Cobra our present plan for the 6 months. Any thoughts?

We have planned for the temp housing when I arrive. Getting the starter pack, buying a bed, till we are placed in permanent housing. Then having the unit head back to the states for the hot months. What is the size of the temp housing? Is there any fees for my wife to travel to the states after 2 months of employment?

One last question, what about suggested banks? I don't need to transfer money, just access it when I want. More specifically, a bank that will issue a debit card that can be used on overnights, and in the US.

Internationalpilot, no need to reply, I already know what you are going to say.

Thanks,

Guns

Are you sure about that? I know that costs associated with pregnancy/birth have a qualifying period but you get (and have the premium deducted from your salary) a family healthcare insurance package.
Call up the recruiters - call them, now - it's nearly 11pm - they won't mind :}
Make sure of these seemingly small but important facts before you resign your seniority number. Trust me.

Both my wife and I heard it during the tour. You won't be covered during the first 6 months of employment. Of course, there could be a few qualifiers to this, but it was said. I could have meant the dependants, but I if anyone knows for sure, it would be nice to know.

Guns

Guns,
Did your wife go with you to Dubai?
If so, what did she do while she was there?
Any insight on the interview? Mine is in April.

Thanks for any info.
R or F

Unless it's changed, spouse/dependants covered by medical and dental from day 1 except for pregnancy and pre-existing conditions. Should be easy to check.

Also from what I remember from the recruitment session was that they suggest keeping your COBRA for 6mos. because you will be on probation aswell.

Stay away, keep your sanity and live a normal life. The place is false, stressfull, hot, dusty, smelly and NOT for family life if you and your family have a choice.

Dont do it, its not worth the strain it will put on your family!

Yeah..curious.
May be it is a case of Stockholm Syndrome... after a while you start simpathizing with your jailer...Let's be honest..I never flew with anybody really happy of being here and not thinking somehow to get out. Dubai notwithstanding all the marketing they are doing remains the most horrible place I have ever seen. Sand and cement, stupid dudes with hyper polluting cars trying to kill each others, middle age laws, beaches transformed in mega speculative project where no body will live. A place where they can conceive something like Dubai Marina.. the most horrible deserted stack of cement I have ever seen and compounds of badly built villas that looks like the set of the Prisoner....but at Montecarlo prices.
The all project is dated and based on the misconception that humanity will continue in this direction without any toll to pay. Wrong..the toll is on his way... Emirates is part of this project and in the long term their mega hyper airports will be deserted and the mega airplanes they ordered will probably stay on the tarmac. Sooner than that day they will not be able to find indians willing ot work for them for free and pilots for half the money...and that will be the start of the end.
Cause the secrets of present succes of Emirates and Dubai are two:
exploitation and oil
They pay worker on the tarmac a ridicolous 300 400 dollar per month.. while in civilized lets say Europe its at least 3000 euros including tax and pension. And pilots what ? Half of what, lets say, Lufthansa pays. A Lufthansa captain cost at least 15 to 20000 euros per month to the company inlcuding tax and pension...living in a free speech country ,with all civil rights and a real pension not sharja law and Emirates joke fund
Sustaining all this with the incredible profits of oil it is easy. Before the first gulf war it was 20 $ a barrel now is 100$...and take a look at when the big expansion of this place started. It paid off well.
And you really believe they pay kerosene at market price? What a joke.
The all lot, Dubai and Emirates is just marketing and appearance, making you believe something that doesn't exist or it's plain false with shining light and special effects.
There is nothing like a lifestyle in Dubai...it is a cemented, noisy, piece of desert reaching incredible temperatures and humidity for 8 months a year and being so .. you can have mirage. The all story is nothing more then a mirage... Add to all of this hyper inflation..skyrocketing prices and you can understand why I stongly suggest you .. don't be fooled like I was.. if you are not desperate.. fast track your life... stay home!!!!

My understanding is that less than 10% of Dubai's GDP is from oil...

It couldn't be stated any better:

"Dubai notwithstanding all the marketing they are doing remains the most horrible place I have ever seen. Sand and cement, stupid dudes with hyper polluting cars trying to kill each others, middle age laws, beaches transformed in mega speculative project where no body will live!":=

Spot on - it's just a matter of time 'til this fata morgana on greed and dis-honesty will disappear again in the sand - love it or leave it - my C.V.s are sent out - this is going to be my last year here - you bet:E

Cyberbird, my feelings exactly!

Must be out by year's end..................

:rolleyes: There's a quality piece of advice! :rolleyes:

We have a saying "cockroach don't have business in a fowl's yard".


Calcify you have to take what you read here with a grain of salt. Half these people have never even been here, for all we know they might be some 14 year old on dad's computer.

EK has it's growing pains, but compared to a US regional, it will be an improvement. After 9 years you'll definately have less days off, but might end up spending just as much time with family. There are plenty opportunitites in training which will allow you to be home even more. The route structure in interesting and equipment well maintained. The growth potencial is also a plus.

The deciding factor for you will probably be your families take on Dubai. It's a city that's growing at a very fast rate, which will be nice in 30 years when it's done, but in the meantime the constant road works, traffic, noise, and dust can get old. They try to make all the services and utilities first class, but they all seem to have a catch that drag them back into the dark ages. You will cuss the phone company and banks on weekly basis, as they just can't get things right. Depending on which part of the states you're from, driving can be heavily on the defensive side.

There are things to do still. The new housing projects being built are conductive to the pilot's wifes getting togerher, and the neighbourhoods good for kids your age to ride a bike around and play with other kids. Since maids are inexpensive, your wife might get bored soon. So if she's not going to work she will need a hobby after the kids get older.

If I were you I'd come out for the selection process, buy your wife a ZED fare on the same flight as the one EK will book you and have a look. Unless you know someone here that can show you around, EK tour is quite lame, so rent a car an have a look around. Then decide.

Good luck.

...and introduce her to one of the joys of EK staff travel from Day One... as she watches you and your flight taxi out on its way to (and/or from) Dubai... from the staff travel check in desk... which, unless you choos very carefuly, on 90% of EK flights, is about as far as she will get with a ZED, ID90 or any other kind of subload ticket.

very entertaining...
 

...to read all the posts in various pprune threads of all those folks who have made the decision to move to the sandpit and still defend their career move.

even more entertaining to see some people disqualify the opinion of colleagues who have seen it all and who cannot recommend this place.

(we do have layovers in kuwait, doha, dubai and abu dhabi, just to name a few. so i know what i am talking about. and i have friends at ek too...)

i understand that they have to find the positive sides of being with emirates and living in the desert, dust, dirt and hot climate...
...because they have made this (poor) decision!

otherwise they would feel very bad every time they look into the mirror. :ugh:

my advice is still valid:
have a thorough look at this nightmare before you move to this place!

Rwy24c ... a VERY personal opinion ... !!!

I think DXB/AUH have a lot of lifestyle advantages, but it is a personal opinion! No one can tell another individual whether they would enjoy/endure life there. I certainly would go to the UAE before Germany! Even for half the money!