So they really expect an experienced EK 777 guy to pack up their life and work for a take home of around £2700/ month for 13weeks?

Pilots must really hate the desert.

[So they really expect an experienced EK 777 guy to pack up their life and work for a take home of around £2700/ month for 13weeks?
Well I suppose it remains to be seen how many they recruited from the desert on their recent holiday!

I have noticed on the advertisement that they offer a "great benefits package" What are the benefits they provide?

No, I don't hate the desert. It's a harmless bunch of sand dunes.

Luke Skywalker didn't hate the desert, but then again he didn't live in Mos Eisley.

Horses for courses, to each his own.

Some people can adopt to middle eastern working conditions, the money helps a lot. I was there as well, hated it like hell and ejected asap, after 2 years. Since then ghosting around in some european companies, most of them bad but still happy not to be down there anymore any being a piece of (very) high priced cattle without any working rights. Point.

This not to offend anyone, just some can live with that !!!! what they do down there, other ,like me, not. I prefer to live in free countries and for companies that are bad but are forced by european laws to obey rules that are clearly written down.
Of course you pay a price, but that's up to each individual pilot. Is it necessary to fly this brand new , shiny planes? Is money really everything? Do I really need this beautiful car and that expensive hotel/gym membership(especially for wife and kids) and so on.

I decided that I cannot take all that money with me into the tomb and voted for nice landscapes and european freedom.

I will have as well a look into that Jet2 option, even not being english/scottish(but loving Scotland) and moving up there if they want me. Let's see.

Roll up roll up, forget your 777s and 380s, we're offering knackered old 73s and 75s, and a 50% pay cut to boot... oh and you can forget you private healthcare, housing provision, chauffeur pickups, city layovers & first class travel... cos we at J2 are offering an industry below average 5% pension!!

J2 recruitment road shows in Dubai? seriously? I spot a jolly!!

Sounds great.

Interesting though that a significantly higher number of pilots (Captains mainly) will be heading the other way, despite the perks as advertised by the commercial dept.

Just sayin' :ok:

The pension is actually 8% for Captains, which (although pretty poor) is still more than Thomson will be offering new recruits soon DooblerChina!

I heard a rumour recently that new joining DEC's from the Middle East have been told a basic salary of about £100k. Anyone else heard this? Sounds implausible to me considering the rest of us skippers (apart from those on increments) are at least £15k below this level.

Quote.
I heard a rumour recently that new joining DEC's from the Middle East have been told a basic salary of about £100k. Anyone else heard this? Sounds implausible to me considering the rest of us skippers (apart from those on increments) are at least £15k below this level

I wonder if there are ANY recruits from the sandpit and how many of those will still have a current 73/75 rating? So PTF or bonding? (Not PM's favoured option since the two numpties who took the 73 rating and ran)

Penworth,

A poor 10% actually.

Penworth, incorrect statement about pension provisions at TOM but this isn't about my employer. My main issue is that there must be plenty of FOs command suitable. I know one guy in particular who has fell into the face doesn't fit category. Good pilot, good bloke just doesn't prescribe to the corporate babble and he will remain an FO because of it. Crying shame.

Meanwhile your recruitment team are hoovering up exit planners.... these are going to be people with cash in the bank looking to get home and get a cheeky pay check before retirement. Now who would be the better Captain? I would suggest a promoted FO any day of the week.

Anyway, as you alluded to, nothing to do with me so I'll say ta ta.

I completely agree regarding internal upgrades being preferred. The company professes to having the same view but when it comes down to it, guys who would make great captains don't get through and I can't understand why. They're consequently losing these folks to BA and elsewhere. This combined with a preference for taking low houred guys onto the pilot apprentice scheme is I feel going to result in an experience shortfall in the future.

(Regarding Thomson's pension, just going off what I read on PPJN - 10% in 2016 and 7% in 2017)

Yes, there several guys joining from the ME, at least from my airline anyway. Non-rated Captains (bonded for 3 years) and I think a couple of FOs too.

I can assure you that not one of the guys joining from here is cashed-up, close to retirement and looking for a cheeky pay check. We all just want to come home. No one is naive enough to think that it's going to be a chocolate-coated gum drops gig - we have all come from where you are now, so we know the score. Actually most guys coming home are in their 30s and 40s rather than their early sixties.

I know it's not nice to have a DEC suddenly jump in to that left seat that you're working hard towards achieving - we've all been there - but I can assure you all the guys joining that I know of personally are highly experienced, highly disciplined and well below retirement age. No over-inflated egos here either so don't worry about that sort of stuff. It's a win-win for the Company as they know these guys won't be leaving anytime soon looking for mega $$$ or big shiny new widebodies...

Hope there won't be too much bitterness shown towards DECs - if you put yourself in this position would you turn down a Captain position at your place of choice if it was offered?

Joining jet2
 

A word of warning. I recall one of the CRMIs saying that the goal posts @jet2 are fitted with very efficient castors. So Caveat Emptor.

Mr Good Cat

As a non-type rated DEC joiner are you, and your colleagues, being offered a 100% or 70% contract?

100% for the guys I know who are joining from the ME.

But are the ME guys getting £100k contracts though?

Errr... No.

Just the same as everyone else of course.

Good news for Jet 2 if they are getting guys coming home from ME. A lot of posters seem to struggle with the concept of EK guys joining given all the "roster woes" at Jet 2. Just goes to show it's not all about the roster stability (suspect EK rosters are fairly stable)

Mr Good Cat

Not true - several well qualified, if not better qualified DECs, still on 70% contracts from last year.