New captain in EU LLC, -> FO Qatar or Emirates?
 

Hi people,
passed both Emirates and Qatar interviews.
Pros and Cons? Spoke to an ex colleague who is in Qatar at the moment and he said he has 6 days off per month in a row and he is commuting back to europe and he is attaching 4-5 days each time so pretty much he is home in EU every month for almost 10 days.
What about Emirates? How many days do you expect to sleep home(in Dubai) with the family per month? Any days in a row off guaranteed per month?

Thank you everyone

PS Typical haters of middle east who never worked again in Europe since you left your legacy carrier and you think EU is good, stay away and do not flood this thread please

Gonna have to raise the BS flag on that one. QR, In my seat on my fleet haven't had a block of six since 2019. And it is bid every month.

If you've been accepted to EK, don't consider QR. Especially on Airbus.

You should absolutely leave EU LCC for a number of reasons. Whatever you are looking for from the career is here: money, routes, travel, luxury/pampering, family life, girls etc etc. Anything you want is at your doorstep. Expat life is very good for kids under 14, and expat life is exceptional for single guys. The only counter is if you (or your wife) have a close knit family in EU that you would be upset to be away from (And bidding for a trip home every month or two isn't enough for you).

both for b777, not airbus. been accepted in both.

I was more positive for qatar because of the 6 days off in a row every month but WrldWide says its BS.. however my friend confirmed that (he is flying 787 FO).

Seems like to me that flying for Qatar I can go home every month or 2 because they say you can split the annual leave to small blocks.. while in EK is not possible as people say on the forums..

Anyone with experience in EK can confirm that we cannot split the annual leave in small blocks etc?

Why I shouldn't consider QR compared to EK?

Thank you for your info

It depends also on the European low cost you are leaving. Leaving let’s say easyJet is not the same as leaving Wizz, Vueling, Volotea or the likes

Could you elaborate a bit on that ?
I've heard the worst about the middle east, and the best, but you're speaking about it better than I've ever read !

Because he is an indian bot trying to give you a wrong impression. Forget commuting at QR, it may be possible from time to time on 787 or 777 but you will burn out doing it. They also don't like to see it because you are supposed to spend your rials in town. BTW, if you have your 2 - 3 magic days off after a long haul trip and go home, you better swipe your RP at Hamad 12 hours before your next report, because if you don't it will be held against you the next time you call sick or complain about spending 1300 hours in the airplane in the last 12 months.

EU LLC or middle east ? best option is neither!

If you go to QR or EK is to live there not to commute.

You won't last long if your plan is to go home every month, forget about it. It just doesn't work.

True true! With an average of 110/120 hours flown every month (legal thanks to the factorization rule),almost all one night layover and back, the commuting will turn to burn you out soon. On top of this, don’t be too sure about the fleet……they might change your plane at the very last moment (even just one day before your first simulator) for company reason and in turn change your plan (roster on 380 or 777 are pretty different). If you go there, is basically to stay…..

@dirk85 you forgot to mention the largest one ;)

​​​​​​To my understanding working for EK you can go home 1-2 times per year while working for QR you can go home every month or two. Dubai more fun etc
regarding EK, do i get it correct or they also do give 4-6 days in a row off per month so i can go home/relax with family?
And if yes, do they allow to split anual leave in small blocks or not?

i love dubai but i dont know if they give you many days off per month in a row .

PS my home is like 5h away from dubai. Commuting while working in LLC takes me way more than 5h and still not burnt out.

Does the new captain have 1500 hrs PIC?

On Emirates own web site it states that pilots get a minimum of 7 days off in a month, in the the longer months 8 days. I can’t see how you will get 6 days off in a row.

Ryanair makes sense long term in my opinion only if you have the chance at some point to be based at home. If you have to commute all your life, I wouldn't see it as a good solution, and I would understand looking at other options.

It underlines the contingency planning for the next downturn 6-8 years from now.

Lifestyle should take good precedence, either way. Sooner or later everyone craves to work from and live in the same place. What moves is not the biggest question, whether or not you can achieve it is.

if I understood correctly you are a new captain in LCC eu
why do you want to give up left seat for the unknown.
beside what else you have to give up, family friends etc.
bith are not commuting companies. Off request have a high uncertainty and leave basically only twice a year not guaranteed you get all your 42 days. In EK there is countless numbers of people had only 30 and less a year.
in EK maybe live leave works on short notice - worst case 12 hours before planned departure and highly uncertain for being granted at all
acclimatization rule for return to Dxb before next schedule duty (means min 12 hours before you need to cross the Dxb border)

giving up left seat without sufficient hours - I consider that as a fat mistake - in EK there are to many factors out of your hand to get back on the left seat.

What has been said above is very true. After 8 years in Ek, when I left, I got paid out 9 weeks ( I think) annual leave, because you only have to get a legal 3 weeks leave. ( I am sitting happily home in Australia, with a new career, that gives me 9 weeks leave a year, using up 5 weeks at the moment). Think very carefully before you go….it’s not all what it seems.

Going home from the Middle East is a pain. Most flights are slammed and have undesirable departure times, if you run from an operating duty to get to the terminal to catch a 2am departure home you’ll be absolutely tired out. Worried about getting back for your next report is also very tiring.

Moving to the ME and thinking about going home all the time will be the end of you.

Don’t get me wrong, The money is nice, if you don’t get caught up in the lifestyle creep then it is possible to save a lot of money despite what some people will tell you on here, but you need to look past the headline figure as you’ll be renting or in company accommodation so won’t be buying a home like you could back in Europe. You also may not be contributing to any state pension/company pension and could get a reduced payout in retirement, so it falls on you to make those preparations from your salary.

The mix of destinations and associated layovers is a big plus and I miss it dearly now being a freight dog doing laps of the world with lots of stops in China!

It’s your decision to make but basing it on a guarantee of 6 days off in a row and tacking it on to leave to go home is a very bad idea.

Why i want to leave?
Because on the left seat at the moment i make slightly more than !!!half!!! that I was making as cadet on the RHS. Covid they say...

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Yeah you won't be commuting at either airline. If you come, you have to let go of your current home life and commit to living in Dubai or Doha. Bid for trips home, bring your relatives over to stay often - but don't focus on how many days you can get off in a row in order to commute - it will leave you disappointed and vulnerable to rosters/upgrade/leave/disruption etc.

Staying until 1500 hrs PIC is a reasonable choice. Keep in mind that if you come as an FO, most DEC contracts will want recency in the LHS as a joining requirement - so that hedge of having PIC time will be quickly lost. Also many big operators want 4000+ hrs PIC to be eligible for a DEC contract, so have a look at what waiting for 1500 hours will actually get you.

The difference is not much.

Whether or not you will join SmartLynx 2030 as a CP or FO. That scavenged recency might define the road for years thereafter.

​​​​​​? Maybe.
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