Does anyone actually like it out here anymore?
 

Pretty much what the title of the thread says?

In November this year, my family and I will of been out here for 4 years, at a time when we didn't think we'd do 2 years we've grown to love the place and the people and colleagues alike. We are a young family, still in our twenties, had 2 kids whilst being out here, done 900 hours every year, been in the box more times than I want remember, stayed in places nothing short of a war zone, been assaulted, done walkarounds in 50° heat and yet we still love it out here, my company (the noisy neighbours down the road) have treated me well throughout it all and I'm just about to start my upgrade in October.

So- chaps, does anyone still like it out here?

Yep, I do.. Just wish I could find a normal decent women in Dubai and then life will be complete.

New in the company for 8 months and honestly I like it. I don't love it but my biggest "annoyance" comes from grumpy colleagues which I don't blame them for as they have seen this company change.

But from where I come and how that company changes as we speak I know EK is better for me and will stay better even on this level.

TL;DR I like it :)

Congrats on the upgrade after 4 years that's great! Coming up on 9 years and I will be beginning my downgrade along with all remaining 330/340 drivers. So the next two years I will be sitting right seat after serving multiple years here as Captain. I and all remaining 330/340 Captains are no longer qualified to operate an EK aircraft from the left seat. So we will be sitting to the right of DEFO's and persons 4 years our junior. Apparently 20 takeoff and landings at 60 hours a month can not compare to 4-5 takeoff and landings at 90 hours. Oh and after I've done my time in the right seat I get the pleasure of going through a Captains review board and another command course. Yeah this place so totally rocks! Light at the end of the tunnel was indeed the train. Fatbus still likes it here.

Geeez man!

That is crap at its finest! Why the hell are they doing that, surely they'd of given 330/340 drivers a gig on the 'super jumbo' im pretty certain bus guys can convert in a week or so due to the cockpit familiarities between them?

Nailed it on the head Camel Rustler....just unbelievable.

Your being delusional if you like it in the UAE or your trying to fool yourself in to thinking life is good out here.

life is not good here, at best it's bearable but far from good.

Take a good long look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself what the hell happened to me that I'm posting on the prune that life is good in the UAE!!

Not everyone but very few have the requirement (2 or 4 Captains). Still unacceptable...

Sorry what did I miss? Doesn't OM-A 20.10.11.1 and 20.10.14 apply anymore?

Management by memo in full force. :\

CamelRustler & airbusgirl66

Care to elaborate please? A de identified copy and paste will suffice as proof of a memo that the Company is demoting Captains from the 330/340 onto 380 as F/O's!!!!!!!!!

Not a poker player but will definitely call you on this.

Harry

Absolutely hate it.

harry:.all the 330/340captains with less then 2000 hrs PIC on 330/340 received an email:

you'll go RHS "as a captain" acting FO maintaining terms and conditions, for a period dependent upon your PIC time ( 24months/1500 hrs if with <1000 330 PIC 18months/1000hrs if with <2000hrs). When time is up, you'll go trough a " Captain transfer course" (whatever that means)upon approval by the A380 Command review board.
Funny part is that is nor retroactive....those whom just CCQed without requirements are SAFE......

Harry, unbelievably, it is happening. I know first hand from a good friend who is getting screwed. The real kick is that they are 340 captains who have been here a while. They were forced to stay on the 340 while junior 330 only and 330 DECs were moved to the 380 ahead of them because the powers that be decided it was better than ccq. Most of those guys had way less than 2000 hrs 330 and some less than 500. As a result of this colossal debacle, 8 year EK pilots with 3-4 years command but less than 2000 hours due to the nature of the 330/340 flying, will be forced to sit right seat for junior captains with less command time. It's astoundingly bad. Yeah, they keep the pay, but its little consolation for the disrespect and insult.

Back to the thread.......now in my 8th year out here, and not only me, but also the wife still very glad we made the move. It ain't perfect, but still much prefer it here to back home!

skysod...I guess it all depends on where you are from....don't you think?

Then I hate to admit it but it's true.....the lunatics really have taken over the asylum!

Harry

CamelRustler

Point of order....mentions nothing of another command course. Still, that's this weeks policy...

EK has made a huge mistake with this one! Insulting! Indicates exactly what they think of their employees.

It would be funny if it wasn't so sad!

It is such an ill conceived policy one doesn't really know where to begin.

The irony to me is EK are making a damning statement about themselves and don't have the self awareness to realise it.

In the time these Captains have been at EK, they have been following company procedures and policies, flying a wide body airplane from the same manufacturer as the newer airplane in question and have been through the gauntlet of EK upgrade. If after all that, the airline thinks they are not capable of completing a conversion successfully, then I would say the company has failed miserably in the professional development of these pilots.

It is simply ridiculous.

Habibis.

If you do not write in to HD and JA etc, then you are accepting that this is OK :yuk::yuk:

Send an e mail in, fill up their e mail boxes. I will be doing this, silence is not an option.

SyB :zzz::zzz:

This has got to be the most insulting ill-thought out decision ever made! It categorically sums up the total inadequaccies of all of our management! How ridiculous! We all know that so called experience is dictated by hours, this highlights how wrong that is. The 330/340 guys fly to the most challenging destinations on our network and they do it on a regular basis. 20 sectors gives you 50 hours if your lucky! I did a 100 hours last month and did 2 landings watched a few movies in the bunks, struggled with the dailymail crossword, and probably got a few hours controlled rest too! All that suggests Im 100 hours more experienced! I know thats not the case. I did many years on the 330 flying consistently at night to many monsoon destinations, and achieved limited hours, but I know for sure where I gained the most experience! Emirates this is the WRONG decision! Watch more people walk out the door and I hope they do!! Wake up and start making the CORRECT decisions!!!!

Well said haveago....

And what will be the answer ?

"Row harder Minion" I guess....

As long as people do not walk out the door, nothing will change.

Amen , haveago!

Like 'skysod' said, back to the thread (and 'CTWO', no, it does not necessarily depend on where you are from).
12+ years in Dubai. Single when arrived, married with two kids now.

Life in Dubai has been very good so far. Not a single thing gone bad/wrong to me, my wife or kids. Enjoying our afternoons after school, week-ends on the beach, even mid-summer (no, I don't get enough week-ends off, but who does? BA, LH or SAS complaining about the same, as does my buddies in Cathay and Qatar).
Traveling to amazing corners of of the UAE, like the dunes southeast of Jebel Hafit, the mountains north of Ra's al-Khaimah, lunch in Hatta, then visiting the mountain streams to the east, taking the southwestern access road to Liwa Oasis, enjoying the beauty that is the Empty Quarter.
Camping. Swimming. Golfing. Biking. Clubbing. Water-sports. Dining.
Visiting Oman. Driving to Salalah (several times). Using our ALT's to go to South America, North America, remote areas of Africa, remote areas of Australia. Stewart Island. New Caledonia.
Enjoying it very much, and have not regretted joining EK a single day.

Have I seen a constant decline in our T&C's? Sure.
Do I like it? Certainly not.
Do I inform our management about my displeasure? But of course. Do I think they care? Did not when I joined, do not now. (I came from a highly unionized company in northern Europe, and I knew what I left behind. I though I knew what I was going to, and it has been overall 'as expected').
Do I like my B777 left-seat roster for September 2016? Most definitely not.
Will it get better in the near or medium future? Don't think so. Will call sick when needed to take care of #1. No drama. Will resign if rosters do not improve, long-term.

Back to the thread starter, and title; yes, I (& family) do enjoy it out here still. Very much so.

Let the hazing begin ;-)

I still like it on the 26 th of the month. Living in MS dump has moved up the departure date.

Ek- or- bust
do not want to enter in an argument and I appreciate your point of view. fair enough.we are all different,thanks God.

I only want to add a little piece in the jigsaw: "you still like it out here"..from what I hear and read many do not anymore. Question is; do we share the same picture? You have been probably very lucky buddy and I wish you all the best for the future. But just stop a moment and look carefully around you at your colleagues ...you might be enlightened by the "discovery" there are not too many in your "happy" state of mind.

Sure enough 'CTWO', and I do feel sorry for them and also for what is happening to the 330 boys & girls. I have been lucky, but also a firm believer in making ones own luck, as far as possible. Staying away from training, staying well clear of management etc.

'fatbus' - I stayed in company accommodation for a full 10 months before I linked my future happiness in Dubai directly with moving OUT of company accommodation. Have not regretted that decision for a second. Yes, at times it has cost me more than what EK was willing to pay, but who can put a price on, etc........

EK or bust...

You've been drinking way too much company "cool-aid". The fact that you're on Prune, on a thread about how much people don't like it at EK.... is that not a little bit telling?

I think you in fact do see part of your world crumbling a bit around you but you're "making lemonade out of the lemons" you've been given: Warning letters like confetti, punitive company culture, 105 hours a month, no credit for vacation and getting squeezed for every single minute they can get out of you before and after vacation for month, changes (for the negative) to your "contract" unilaterally..... Honestly, I wonder if we're talking about the same airline!

You must hear quite a bit of negativity on the flight deck with your colleagues, so many of whom are looking elsewhere and want out of EK. Why is that do you suppose? There is a reason for that, and is it possible your colleagues are slightly surprised at your more upbeat assessment of the same airline they are talking about leaving soon?

Is it just a matter of time before you see EK for what it is? It's akin to holding your breath: Some were not able to hold to as long as you are... but at some point, you will have to "come up for air' and will realise what EK all about.

I just can't tell you how happy I was to be able to transition out or EK into a much more appreciative airline, who are happy to have me work for them, who ask what they could do for me as I approached a desk in their HQ as well as a much more civilised roster, and a chief pilot who actually offered a cup of coffee as he shook my hand congratulating me after finishing training.... just to say "thanks, we're really glad you're here".

That sentence.... is long lost at any EK chief pilot or manager for that matter.

Kap

Kapitanleutnant - very happy for you, finding a place to live where you are satisfied. Well done in ecaping the Sandpit, where you obviously were not happy.

I had it wrong then; thinking this was NOT a thread about EK, but rather a thread about living in the UAE. Which I really like.
Please re-read my initial post, focusing on the last bit, regarding my current employer. Where do you see me making lemonade out of lemons?

HTC- In the year 2019 I (A 11 year FO.) will be placed in front of the Captains Review Board. Upon passsing I will then enter a modified NAC course. This modified NAC course will have 1 less sim then the actual NAC course. Call it what you want. But if it walks like a duck

If anyone is reading this thread with the idea of joining EK make sure you do your research. I guess there are still some happy pilots here but they are few and far between. I'm on my way out and I don't regret my time here. It's been quite an adventure and leaving is going to be a bit emotional.

When I joined I was getting 16-17 days off per month and having a blast. The last 2 years have been a steady diet of 8-10 days off per month. I became an airline pilot so I could work 10 days per month, not have 8-10 days off per month. You will work harder than you thought possible here and there is a higher level of stress at this company than you are probably familiar with if you come from a union environment.

Dubai has some interesting things to offer. Most of them revolve around shopping and 'luxury' things. For me the excitement of nice cars, clubbing, fancy restaurants, and 5 star hotels didn't last long. After a few years it all felt a bit empty. It can be a bit of a mirage. I used to love hitting the beach or going dune bashing with friends. But now you might get back from a ULR, have 2 days off to recover, and then be rostered for a night turn to India. Basically you spend the first off day in bed. The second day doing laundry, errands, etc and then it's time to fly another brutal pairing. It really wears you out over time.

The allure of a widebody command is quite strong. Be sure you know what you are signing up for.

Hi everyone.
I found this video on youtube.
A bit long and boring, but God descended on earth to give this press conference, mixing a lot of tosh among sensible words. Must be hard to get this nonsense on a daily basis.

https://youtu.be/oFBr5d1ZO4U

EK...

I actually agree with you on Dubai. Somehow, it grew on me and I accepted it. I told friends that Dubai was "an acquired taste". I've been back once and honestly didn't miss living there but enjoyed the 4 days I hung out with friends.

For me, it was all about EK the airline... the city for me was do-able.

Didn't mean to come across quite as strong as I may have....

Kap

is this a joke?
 

I think you are delusional. You say the company has treated you well but:

- you have flown 900 hours per year for the last 4 years
- there has been no increase to the salary or allowances for as long as I can remember
- the corporate bonus and iAchieve payments have been reducing since 2013 (this year you got NOTHING despite record profit)
- your roster and request system sucks (especially if A320)
- oh and your crew meals just got reduced in size!

You've grown to love the place and the people despite being assaulted, and doing walkabouts in 50 degree heat. Your company housing allowance of 160,000AED has only been able to afford you to house your family in a 3 bedroom or equivalent place like Al Reef - which is fine if in your previous life you lived in Afghanistan or Iraq. Like others have just mentioned - it's all relative to where you come from.

Do all the prospective AUH airline wannabes a favour and tell it how it really is.

Xhamster, love your username! It's my favorite website when all else fails. Too bad the UAE has restricted the use of a VPN!

Highlight

xhamster... haha!

Very well said. This is the only truth about this place.
I had the same experience.

So much more happy now.

Actually my friend - YOU have treated the company very well, not the other way around! They have done the absolute bare minimum for you by paying your salary and rostering you to the absolute legal limit and to their credit, they are giving you a chance at upgrade. And so they should...I think you are just feeling the love at the moment because you passed the upgrade assessment.

This airline needs guys like you. In fact it thrives on guys like you. Take it in the a** for 4 years because you want your upgrade so you can tell your buddies back home who are still in the right seat of a LoCo - hey I'm now a captain for Etisalat Airways. Big fu*n deal. Been in both situations and I value being in the right seat of a narrow-body LoCo on less salary and paying tax much higher than being left seat of a widebody in the sandpit.

xhamster, I fell in love with you. :)