Just 18 months agaoI was offered an interview with EK. Working for a major European operator it turned out to be harder than I thought to make up my mind and put it up to PPrune to brief me on EK.
In short it came like this :If you are working for a major then stay where you are and so I did. I can't say that my feet are not itching sometimes but reading the different threads on the topic I think it was sound advice. I worked in DuBaï many moons ago and I loved it. Great place and as far as the driving goes I don't see how it can be worse than the french driving. Someone wrote Dubaï is the Paris of the middle east. You mean they have hookers and dog**** at every street corner ??? Blye me, things have changed !:O

:eek: Do they really make you pay for your own ticket?....I 've been waiting to hear from them for 6 weeks,and still-----NADA.
I was told that I would hear one way or the other within 3 weeks.---:= What's this second interview about?

EK Interview...
 

Did anyone get called for an interview at EK?

Just trying to find out what kind of experience they are looking for,
and how to prep for the interview...

THANX

Interesting reading as I have an interview with them soon, but after reading some of the threads here I don’t know whether I shall bother!

Have been to Dubai many times and think it is a great place as has been said there is plenty to do but have not yet decided whether I actually want to live there!

If I’m honest with myself I only applied because of the situation my present company finds it’s self in!

So going back to original question what is the format of the various assessment stages?

PS go to www.cheapflights.co.uk I have seen return confirmed for as little as £300

Great place Dubai for a holiday but from what I read, hear from freinds, see when I go there it's not a place to live long term so unfortunately despite it being an expanding airline the big picture says stay put if your in a good carrier. Personal choice though.

Symbian,

It seems to me (and I'm not living there-yet) that the people who are happiest in Dubai are the ones who want to be there and want to fly for Emirates. If you only applied because of the state of your present employer I feel you are off to a bad start. (And they might be able to see that at the interview?) Just my opinion though....

I think anyone that makes a decision about joining the Emirates or coming to Dubai based on the comments on this site must have rocks in their head - there are way over 700 pilots flying for the Emirates, and if you look at the comments made on these threads it is mostly by the same people over and over again, that is less than 3% of the pilots. If you get an interview come see for your self, talk to people in the flesh about how they feel about the place, and if possible bring your wife with for the interview. As I have said previously, I came with my husband, and he had my full backing on the move, a move that we are still very happy we made several years later. BigGeorgie has a point, if you are only coming, because you have no other option and would rather stay in your home country, that might be a problem.

Dumpvalve...that was a good posting. Sometimes there is a little too much negatism on forums especially by pilots.

I am convinced anywhere in the world you can find something good and something bad.

But can you tell me if EK is, has, or may in the future hire direct entry 777 Captains? I think the web site says they don't need to and don't.....

That must means they get enough people or people who are capable of upgrading satisfactorily.

I would not count on DE Capt's, not ruling it out, but there is still a supply of excellerated guys to go through.
You have to see Dubai for your self, we love it, family is happy and that's what counts. Question the people that are really negative there may be a reason for that, that only applies to them ie: bypassed for upgrade

“Point taken all” and be rest assured I do not make my career or any other decisions based on what is said here, that would be like believing what you read in the tabloids!

Reason for most of my reservations are that I have a wife with a very close family and I’m not sure whether she will like it. Personally as long as there is a golf coarse, which I know there, is as I have played it I don’t care where I am.

But family is the most important thing to me and if their not happy it means that I’m not either hence my dilemma!

Symbian,

Did your wife not go with you on your previous trips to Dubai? If not (or even if so!) the best thing to do is have her accompany you for the interview. You are shown the accomodation, schools etc and get the chance to ask as many questions as you like. Obviously the recruitment team puts a positive spin on things but they know that if your wife hates it in Dubai you are not likely to stay and that is the last thing they want. When I went for my interview we stayed on afterwards at one of the beach hotels for a couple of days, partly for a holiday but partly to have a better look around.

I'm pleased to say my wife is 100% behind the move but I'm not sure I'd like to try it otherwise.

Guys, for once:
Does they pay for the screening tickets or not? Positive space?

No!! But look on the bright side, a concessionary ticket cost about the same as a train ticket from Manchester to London! If the price of a ticket is going to stop you going then it is unlikely, if you went, that EK would prove to be the choice for you.

By the way, it isn't a screening interview, it is the only one you get.

Ghost:8

Ive been at Emirates a while now.

Some facts:-Its not for everyone,but IMHO its still a good job,research it well,but IF youre coming as youre current airline is in trouble,or you are "safe" with a big carrier,think twice.We need people,but ideally,you should WANT to come.

It is a deliberate policy not to provide a ticket,it tests your incentive,whilst we all bitch and moan at EK s lack of lolly paid to the pilots,they are not cheap with recruitment,its taken seriously and done professionally,they dont cut corners here.

Direct Entry Capts,a long mulled over subject,and still IMHO a likelihood,but in limited numbers.Expansion dictates this, it will be highly controversial,but with no association,nothing to stop it,potentially.

There are a number of ACCELERATED commands occuring,but I can assure you,these are are being closely monitored,and at the expense of long serving FOs who did many years at established mature airlines,these are controversial decisions too,many are angry whove done their time.Again,EK need Capts fast,and at 13-14 months to command,its almost DE anyway,most of the guys are very able,some less so,and they simply have not had time to cover the entire network.

My advice is come and have a look,spend a few days extra with your Mrs,and ask as many questions,and see as many people,
its horses for courses,its not perfect,and there are many frustrations,the vast majority come and stay.

There are plenty of golf COURSES also,and apart from the summer the weather is excellent,loads of planes coming,generally good rosters.

Rommel

What are EK salaries for

Year 1/2/3 Fo's
Year 1/2/3 Capt's

Thanks

F/O
1. 4085 euro
2. 4209 euro
3. 4334 euro

Captain
1. 5830 euro
2. 6005 euro
3. 6186 euro

converted with rates of 1.5.03

Looking at those numbers and considering the obvious glut of qualified colleagues wanting/having to go there - I have to thank Tim A. and the other guys for sparing me the decision a few years ago (no hard feelings)... T&Cs will most definitely not get better - but they could be worse, too - and still be OK.

Most comments here from "insiders" seem right on target according to my personal "inside info".

Don´t go there just because the sun shines all year long... On the other hand, there are a lot worse jobs in aviation these days.

Perhaps you will get a better feel for the pay if you look at it without exchange rates interfering and allied to the whole package. The UAE Dirham is tied to the US dollar at a rate of 3.67, so the pay is as follows (both before and after tax):

First Officers:
Yr1 $4564/month
Yr2 $4704
Yr3 $4846

Captains:
Yr1 $6517/month
Yr2 $6713
Yr3 $6915

Yr18 $10785

Of note, the Captains starting salary is based on a step increase of his F/Os salary. The minimum is above, were his time to command to exceed 3 years then he would move onto a higher rung of Captain's salary when promoted.

Accomodation provided or $23,000/annum F/O, $26,000 Capt housing allowance.
42 days leave with annual leave ticket
Family Medical Cover
Education Support Allowance
Provident Fund 12% company contribution rising to 15%.

I don't know how much is enough, the figure varies from individual to individual. A senior Captain with Emirates earns less than a lot of other airlines but when tax is brought into the equation fares pretty well.

I do know that a lot of people question how EK can have achieved such good results in a downturn. The answer lies in cost control.

When I taxi past a United 777 at Heathrow the guy sitting in the F/Os seat earns nearly as much as our entire crew and the guy in the left even more than that. That said, we are in an enviable commercial position within the industry and have just been granted a healthy profit share that adds up to $9000 for the F/O at the bottom and $20,000 for the Capt on top.

Hope that helps but I suspect it won't. If money is all that is at issue lets resurrect Sabena and then all go on strike for more pay as the airline goes bankrupt.

ghost,
if you convert it into sri lankan rupies it looks even better, the only problem is I don't retire there.

how many american pilots are with EK?

Good post ghost, I think it is fair to say that everyone is fairly happy with the end of year result. What must be kept in mind though, if you are to present a balanced argument, is that most of us who send money home (in other than US dollars), have taken around a 20% paycut in real terms over the last year with reference to our home currency. This has come courtesy of the fall of the US dollar and adds up to a far greater amount than the bonus. So in fact despite the bonus, i will have earned less ( in home currency terms) than i did last year. This may or may not be important to the viewers, but it is all part of the picture.

Doug - you must be tied into a really poxy currency. What has dropped that much ????

Conversely W.K I am tied into a good currency, which is why it is strong to the USD. The people tied into crap currencies are probably still doing allright. Having said that, I notice the Euro has strengthened at least 20% to the USD over the last 12 months, with sterling almost as strong. So it isn't just my currency. If you knew much about currency exchange you would be aware that it is the USD that is losing value more than other currencies strengthening. Thus everyone here is being affected to some degree, except for those whose home currency is tied to the USD.
The other point worth noting is that our management made a big song and dance just over a year ago explaining that although our salaries are low, when you take into account the tax free status and the strong USD, then we are doing OK. That was probably a fair comment at the time. Now however the USD is not doing so well, and probably heading further south, so accordingly our salaries are going with it.
I expect you will trot out the exchange rate protection line next. That is an excellent benefit we have, but it is only applied to half your salary and capped at 15%, so there is a very definite limit to how much benefit that will gain you.
As I have said earlier, I am not trying to put EK down, I am happy with my decision to come here. I just find that a lot of posts here are from reasonably new guys who have not been bitten, or seen anyone bitten by the fine print. Therefor their posts tend to give a one sided rosy picture. As a counter point, i am trying to let people know a few of the glitches to being here so that they can make an informed decision on whether to come or not. Given the present climate in aviation, I suspect that nothing would stop a prospective aviator from taking up a position here, and i say good luck and welcome to them. On the other hand, even guys who have no other job to go to will be far happier here if they come with an awareness of a few of the less attractive aspects of life in Dubai.

I don't intend to trot anything out with regard to currency exchange rates 'cos I ain't a merchant banker and haven't got a clue!!
I do know that the £1 has dropped against the Euro and I get very little salary extra at the moment but heh, I'm ALWAYS broke anyway..

Just for clarification Mister Ghostflyer: WE didn't go on strike, just before the bankruptcy, for more money it was a last and desesperate action before dying !

Before writing hurting and, probably heard at the bar, stupid assertions try to verify them !

Ex-Sabena pilots are all around the world now and I didn't hear any complain about them as far !

STAY OUT OFF ASIA
 

LOOK YOU WHITE BOYS. GO BACK TO YOUR DAM COUNTRY AND STAY OUT OFF ASIA.
LEAVE THE JOBS FOR THE ASIANS.
DONT COME HEAR AND CREATE TROUBLE AND TAKE THE COULOURED MANS JOBS.
GO BACK TO YOUR COUNTRY.

FOR ALL YOU ASIANS IN EMIRATES:
BE-AWARE OF THE WHITE MAN THERE. YOUR COMPANY IS BECOMING ANOTHER CATHAY.
THEY COMPLAIN WHERE EVER THEY GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

HEY WILCO 77

IT'S DISAPPOINTING TO OBSERVE PROFESSIONAL PILOTS OR THOSE WHO CLAIM TO BE PROFESSIONAL, MAKING RACIST REMARKS. PEOPLE LIKE YOU MAKE A BAD NAME FOR NON-WHITES AND THE AVIATION PROFESSION AS A WHOLE.

BY THE WAY, PLEASE DON'T TAKE THIS THE WRONG WAY, BUT YOU MAY NEED TO LEARN HOW TO SPELL ENGLISH CORRECTLY.:yuk:

On the subject of the pros & cons of EK.

There are some questions I urge prospective EK pilots (especially those with family) to check CAREFULLY prior to commitment.

Firstly, and most importantly, insist on knowing where you are accommodated. The majority of accommodation is fine, however, there are a few inappropriate locations and once you have been allocated a location there is very little chance of moving under the new rules. This is a commonly trivialised issue, usually by those in good accommodation, but where you expect your wife and children to live can make or break your life in an expat environment. There is an option to take an allowance and make your own arrangements but this is 70% of what the accommodation dept. has been allocated for you so you are not going to find much better on that amount.

Secondly, do make time to think about schooling. There are a rapidly increasing number of expats needing schooling for their children in Dubai and very little expansion in schools and no known plans for new ones. Ask about schools and prospects for your children getting into them. Don't get brushed off with generalised statements like, "it'll be fine."

There are a few other issues that I could mention here but they are small compared to these and we were lucky and pleased with the schooling so that is fine for us but we do know of several parents that have been very unhappy with the schooling here. I do appreciate the many pros to flying for EK and contrary to some suggestions I believe command will be quicker than suggested due to greater numbers of aircraft arriving than projected.

If you are well accommodated and your children are well schooled then all the other issues here may be important but are not critical.

I left an OK, secure, command job to come here, and on the issue of accommodation alone I question whether it was a good decision. May be time will tell.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As for the comments of wilco77 may I suggest that he is not who he appears to claim. He is most certainly not a professional aviator.

wilco77 and learn how to spell coloured while you are at it!!

Silly boy!!

"It is a deliberate policy not to provide a ticket,it tests your incentive"

If the recruitment process was up to speed, they wouldnt need you to prove your incentive with your wallet.

For the record wilco77 is banned from this thread. There's a lot of hotheads out there at the moment. He's a classic. If you've got nothing to do, check out his profile & click on his previous posts. He hates expats and a few days ago he was talking in support of the ex-Iraqi information minister. A twisted lad. Every village has one.

Any further such outbursts, by any member, will result in loss of privileges.

wilco77 any more loudmouth trash from you & you'll need a new IP address.

4HP

Actually I have a soft spot for the ex Iraqi Information Minister.

I expect to see him on Letterman any day now.

As for this thread.

It depends on your attitude to a new place and how adaptable you are.

I have lived in ME and know DXB well. I have not lived there, but nevertheless like it very much.

Yes it has its faults but so does everywhere else. Nowhere is perfect, especially if you are looking for faults.

IMHO you could do a lot worse. Good advice though to take the missus to look first. My wife and kids loved the ME and we were all very sorry to leave.

I thought about retiring there, but it was not to be.

wilco 77
a) there is nothing wrong in constructive criticism
b) cathay is a good airline
c) labour problems are not uncommon in any part of the world
d) in todays world if one were not fit for a job he/she would not last for a day longer.Regardless of colour or gender.
e) nothing is perfect certainly not the airplanes we try to fly being imperfect ourselves ,keeps the thinking going,and then don't we land safely?however,if one part was perfect would there not be a problem?
f) some one told me years ago that the worst nightmare for a flyer was crashing and moments before crashing realising that he had no idea where he was.When you are angry you are lost too.

Now that we know what the basic salaries are, what are the AVERAGE net incomes at the end of the month for a first year F/O? How many hours do you generally fly each month? Can you bid for a commuter schedule like 15 days on, 15 days off if you do not want to live in Dubai? I heard from a friend that if you choose to commute to work and not reside permanently in Dubai, the company will give you an exta $2,000 a month. Could you please verify if this is true?:confused:

Yes it is true,
they give you 15 days off each month, they pay for your 1st class ticket back home every month, they give you a company car, they give you 5 months of holidays, and on layovers they pay for the hookers.

Now you think why to hell do they pay for everything?
The answer is because in times like that they can't get enough qualified pilots and there is a worldwide shortage of pilots.

Dear Gents and Ladies. Would somebody be kind enough to info me with the type of entry experience ek is looking for. Also curious about the rosters? Many thanks.

Happy Flying:D

Can somebody be kind enough to info me with what type of entry experience ek is hiring. Also what are the rosters like? Many Thanks:O

The starting salary for EK is jsut under 17,000 dirhams a month. Convert to your own currency. The company is great to work for. If you have a command already and take the plunge. Providing you have over 6,000 hours, you will have your command inside 3 years. There are guys who have been in EK for just over a year on their command courses now. You can choose your work, the 777 goes more far east and the 330 goes more europe. Thats just rule of thumb but changes as with most things. You will fly about 750 hours a year give or take 50 hours.

The interview is what I would call a do or die. You get one shot at it. Just be yourself and enjoy it. You have to want to come here. Remember Dubai, the lifestyle and the job does not suit everyone. If you want to come here to see what its like do it. But dont try to get a few days in the sun whilst on the interview. You will waste your time and everyone elses. If you like the local pub in a village and are a true anglophile this is not really the place for you. I gave up a command to come here with a perfectly good company. I dont regret it for one second. But then that is me.

Good luck.

Chuck,

As usual here is some persepective to the previous one sided post.

If you have previous command time and 6000 hrs you may get a command inside 3 years. Yes there is one guy who has been here just over a year doing his upgrade. There are also guys with the same qualifications on the other fleet who have been here 3 years, who also have accelerated command time and have been bypassed by the previously mentioned lucky individual along with many others and they are none too happy about it. But that is life at EK. There is little right of appeal.

You can choose your work within limitations. When you are near the top of the bid, yes, you get most of what you want. When you are at the bottom, you are on standby and often end up doing the worst flights that others call in sick for.


The Rev

Doug,

Beg to differ but there are 5 people I know who are all on upgrade courses and they have all been here just over 1 year. The call is that all the accelerated commands will be used up by the end of next year. I am one who has been by passed as I fly the Boeing. All the above joined after me and are personally known to me. There is no logic in why they have done it that way but we have to accept it. The 6,000 hours was put into place because of Gulf Air. There have also been alot of people passed over this year who all fit the bill. We are however talking a couple of months here not years. This year is the Airbus year, the Boeings turn comes next year.

You say may get a command with 6000 hours and previous command. Like any job though the proviso is that you make the grade. At the bottom of the bid pile I get usually what I want. But then depends what you bid for. Finally Rev might be an idea to keep the 2 gentlemen in question close to your heart. Not good to air that in public or private. Unless you were involved.....

8way - glad I'm not the only one sided poster (with my rose tinted specs) anymore. According to the good vicar i know jacksh*t about EK. Even though it's the best move i ever made. Isn't it a bummer to actually enjoy going to work:{ :{ :{ .

I'm sure he'll find greener pastures elsewhere one day!!!

We are here because we want to be. I do enjoy Dubai and also the villa they gave me. I like the fact that they pick me up for work and I have no bills. If I dont see the UK again it would be too soon.

I have found in my life in aviation that those that constantly moan are going to moan wherever they are. Maybe they should change their career.