I think that you need to get a grip.
What makes you think that you know more than your airline, their security dept and the Ops teams?
No airline will want to lose an airframe, and they will not deliberately place it in harms way. EK and the UAE government will have better direct connections with neighbours than most.
Your job is to fly the aircraft and not second guess things like this.
So if you refuse, expect to be fired, and rightly so.
Maybe aviation is not for you?

What a childish and naive reaction….
So your airline knows better than all the others. Get a grip and assume that your commanding freedoms over there are lower than elsewhere.

AhHa, looks like I touched a nerve there Mr Arrogant.
I said nothing of the sort.
Don't big up whatever you think your role is. You will not have all of the information a large airline has, and there is no reason for them to share with you more than required, so get over yourself.
btw, not my airline.

Either this person is an immature clown or a troll. Don’t feed them. Imagine trying to work alongside such a person. Back on topic

what about you address the issues regarding company culture and captain support/protection in this airline vs western legacy carriers?

Whichever way you look at it, EK are a highly successful airline with an enviable safety record. I will say that last bit again, with an enviable safety record. They have proven that they make safe decisions.
They may have an approach that doesn’t suit everyone, but they get it right.
In the meantime, they pay very very well and offer outstanding opportunities.
All you need to do is do the job they pay you for, and then go home to your family and enjoy life. Really, they do know more than you.
Leave your ego at the door. Or simply don’t work there.
Its a pretty simple choice really.

Did you/do you have the same opinion on the Kabul flight which Emirates operated for many years?

Is it still part of the network? There’s your answer.

Routes change, start, terminate for a variety of reasons, such as economics, need, security etc.
Are airlines still flying over Afghanistan? Yes - BA, AF & KLM overhead right now.
Could it be that Fly Dubai are operating to Kabul as it’s a better group fit? FZ due into Kabul in 20 mins.

The answers are all there, so I’m not sure what your point was.

Open Flightradar right now, many reputable airlines such as EK, QR, EY, and FZ are flying over Iran right now. They have professional security protocols and departments; if they deem the airspace unsafe, they would not fly over it, and risk their brands, which they spent billions of dollars and decades of time building up. They are also a local player; they have people on the ground and in governing agencies feeding them live intel much quicker than by the time you get your headline from Sky News.

Just because BA or Lufthansa are not flying over Iran right now (because they are banned as of 2024, not due to the safety situation) doesn't mean other airlines have to follow their lead when they have a different operating standard.

If flying over this airspace is such an issue for you, just go fly for BA. They are currently hiring, and you won't have to worry about flying over Iran. Seriously, what has this come to? I don't want to fly for an airline because I have to cross this FIR and don't get to fly to the Maldives every week.

PS, the link you sent was to an aircraft that was shot down 30 years ago by the US Navy. If we avoid all airspace where the US military is present around the world, we wouldn't be flying much at all. (in particular, Greenland).

The department in charge of safety and security in EK is larger than the entire ops departments at the majority of airlines. They are well resourced and extremely proactive when needed. Don't conflate the amateur operations of some backwater airline with the way EK manages the operation.

They will have way more information that whatever you read on X that day.

Didn't they have an aircraft/crew stuck on the ground in Tehran during the last attack? :rolleyes:

Why dont you give it a rest and grind your axe some other place.

Quite a thread drift. Eagle 21 taking quite a drubbing yet on another thread, the Pprune 2o year vet gathers quite a few likes on a different subject. Hardly trolling.

On topic. Middle East., DEC. Different train-set, different owners. Different mind-set. Did 17 years there with a different outfit and best advice given after I was drummed out was that it wouldhave been better to just ;:Get in, stay in, become one of the unknowns-shadow person." Older sibling who played the game (literally !) told me upon joining ;" Watch what you say & who you say it to ". I ignored both advisories and payed a nasty price,

New DEC's. Take heed of both advisories.

Act like Eagle 21 with full regard to Command ideal, authority, responsibility etc, and look behind when it all goes horribly wrong -? there will be no-one there.
.
Truly understand that & you will have a blast.

I agree Gordo. Working in the ME as a pilot or anything else for that matter requires a certain ability to ignore, rationalize with or compromise over unwanted truths. As for these much vaunted security departments, highly trained or specialized, a combination of the CIA, MI5, SAS, FBI all rolled into one…They may or may not be quite as competent as you think. Working for a new airline equipped with B737s (guess which one), to all our surprise and disquiet a new route to Kabul was announced. But…we protested and listed a series of what ifs. No need to worry was the response. What if the aircraft has a technical fault and the crew needs to stop over in Kabul? All covered, we know what we’re doing, just fly the plane etc, etc. so, the law of sod being what it is that eventuality came to pass. The Plan? There wasn’t one of course, nothing organized, just chaos and confusion and a risky (very) one night layover in not very friendly, downtown Kabul. Don’t believe in the airline propaganda. Just stay safe, watch your 6 and take the dough.

Had to check: thought I’d ended up on Jet Blast accidentally.

Me

Emirates is undoubtedly a safe airline with high security standards but I find your blind faith puzzling.

My point is I'm not sure overflight of Kabul airspace, or other "dodgy" airspace for that matter, is the same as actually operating a scheduled service into the likes of Kabul. Losing a London-Singapore flight overflying Tehran or Afghanistan full of tourists/business people etc would damage a brand probably beyond repair; hence I think you're right with your assertion that an airline wouldn't do it unless they thought it was relatively safe. Is it really exactly the same if an aircraft was to be lost flying into Kabul Airport? I think the reaction of a lot of Joe Bloggs would be "its Kabul, who in their right mind would fly in there anyway..."

Afghanistan is a country of close to 50 million people, some airlines want to serve that market, maybe just maybe the passengers on that flight to Kabul actually want to fly to Afghanistan, mindblowing I know, people booking tickets to the destination that want to fly to.

I did just over 10 years at EK and I have no regrets about joining when I did but I have no regrets about leaving when I did! During my time at EK, I made some great friends, but I missed out on many holidays and special events, leading me to decide it was time to leave a job where I had no control over my lifestyle. What was very surprising is that my eyesight improved after I left EK and those specs I needed to pass the medical each year at the EK clinic are now a thing of the past! I never realised how tiring the job could actually be.

One risk of joining as a DEC is if you struggle to pass the course, they may offer you an F/O position, and if you have moved the family over and the kids are settled in school, it can lead to career suicide if you have been in the LHS for many years. On that note, my biggest piece of advice for any DEC is do not move any of the family over until after your line check is done!!!

As above, 11 years EK, over 3 years out now… I have never felt more alive… EK is an exhausting existence!

How easy is to get part time?

0,0% of chances

That’s funny. 🤣 🤣🤣

Easy, use the bidding option in your MSFS to assign your blocks. Later as you grow older, into the double digits and the meds work you can look at full time. On the MSFS

Good to know for any applicants

The funniest post I have seen on here for ages! 😂🤣🤣😂 well done

It is actually a lot of fun, to piss you off just by highlighting the downsides of working for them.

One has over 20 years of experience and enjoys all the commodities, protections and part time at a western legacy carrier, obviously on a lower salary.

As highlighted by others above not all is great over there and new applicants will benefit from having ALL the information.

Better luck with your next application to EK.
I’m sure that the feedback will be helpful

On a more serious note regarding part-time, whilst I was at EK I flew with a colleague who was operating his last flight prior to resigning. What was noteworthy is that he didn't actually want to resign, but after one of his parents suddenly passed away and the remaining parent was suffering from declining health, which was deteriorating faster after the death, he asked Fleet Management for a month's unpaid leave so that he could get his affairs at home in order. The response was, if you want that time off, then you have to resign. An indication, if any was needed, that any part-time working is certainly not on the horizon!

With the idea of part time being so laughable...are there any other idiosyncrasies that would be worth knowing, that perhaps wouldn't be considered by those working in the West?

Sorry but you've completely missed my point. I don't doubt that many want to fly there. In fact it was one of Emirates' most profitable routes before the Taliban victory. And that profitability just might have been a factor during the risk assessment. I have operated in and out of there many times. Just putting it out there as food for thought...

When I left EK, I went for my “exit” interview with the Chief Pilot and he asked if there was anything that would make me consider staying. I said that either part-time or commuting would definitely make me reconsider. His answer was that apart from some sort of commuting contract on the freighter it simply was never going to happen for many reasons.

i was offered to take either my accrued leave (72 days) or unpaid leave to let me have a cooling period on my resignation which I declined.

The conversation was very amicable and professional btw.

Ex Recruiter From Emirates.
 

I am aware, common sense is thin on ground these days. It appears HR in some outfits display the same illness.
There is an ex recruiter at "The Emirates". who is selling packages to prepare one for airline interview. On Facebook.
As an introduction, he states "I have seen many talented pilots fail the selection process". Really?
If the candidate is talented, should not there be extra effort to get that candidate onboard?
The reason being, talent can't be taught in a classroom. It can't be bought.One is born with talent, ability, flair or aptitude. They either have it or they don't. A God given gift.
Would it not be sensible to take the talented candidate and teach them, what can be taught.
That too me, would be common sense.
I did mention this to him on the comments. My query was removed and no response.
Maybe someone from human remains, from any outfit could explain this to me. At the moment I am unable too get my head around the thought process, that allows them to come up with this nonsense.

Will the current crisis deter pilots from applying or entice current pilots to leave Dubai?

eagle21

I should imagine that recruitment will be delayed...............

I am not even close to being recruiter or have anything related to HR just my tought as an open conversation.
In most fields of life talent is only needed at the top, highest levels of it. Yes you most likely will need talent to fly for blue angels or red arrows etc. but do you need it to fly highly automated in a rather “boring” type of operation where you press 10 same buttons for 10 hours? Another problem with talented person is he/she is more likely to feel wasted in his job, then they feel the need to change for another job that will use them and benefit them how they deserve. Airlines probably need average person that follows sops, can read manuals, passes sims, doesn’t break the law and accepts shortcuts on SID and STAR.

Hold on ! Give me 30 minutes. I need to run to the shops to get some popcorn 😂😂🤣🤣

It depends on how you define “talent”,
Natural aptitude or skill might be a “god given gift” as you say, but is on it´s own nowhere near enough to pass stringent selections for any job.
A broader definition of talent also engulfs attitude, experience, discipline and ability to work hard towards a goal, these required personality traits are not “god given”, but are essential in the cockpit.

People with natural ability or skill(god given), but lacking the above mentioned traits often peak out early and then get surpassed by those that have disiplin, patience and work harder. I know which kind I want beside me on the flight deck.

Fair comment.
What is the most important skill a pilot needs, to operate with any degree of safety? My answer is to be ABLE to FLY the aircraft.
Everyone is so fixated with the automatics, not to much thought has gone into, how will this person will cope, if the automatics fail? In most cases not very well.
This was beginning to rare its ugly head 20years ago before I retired. Example, Asian airline, linecheck, on approach checkpilot pulled the A/P CB. The pilot flying couldn't cope. Turned into an incident. Ok the time to do this stunt is in the simulator, not in the a/c loaded with passengers.
This incompetence has crept into the industry to the extend the FAA are very concerned. 20 years late but better late than never. It has caused at least one loss of an A/C. You only have to watch any aircraft landing in adverse wind conditions. They have no idea, most of them. Not the crews fault, as they are unable to get any handling practice. Some outfits, manual flying is not allowed. Every time I strap my backside to an A/C these days I pray to (God) the autopilot don't quit.
As far as the other types of "suitablity" are concerned, these traits really cant be picked up at interview stage. Take a. recent case when a Captain punched a F/O, for telling him to slow down on the taxi. He didnt slow the taxi so brakes were applied, then the Captain hit him. Nice behaviour? I could go on, but most can take the point..When I was flying multi crew up to 3 , I would always invite critquec. Some would look at me as if I had come from Mars. Not encouraged these days I bet.That let the others know I made mistakes like everyone else.. There is a lot of psychology involved in getting the better out of people you are working with.
Flight deck? It was always cockpit in my day. One word fitted all. Take a Piper Cub for example, would you call the pilot seating area, a flghtdeck? Some of you youngsters need to get over yourselves. Only aeroplanes at the end of the day.

Hi Guys,

I'm interested in the Accelerated Command opportunity, however my career to date is pretty messy. I have 8 employers (5 of them bankrupt!) and lots of experience flying adhoc charters on Airbus and Boeing for smaller companies. Though I have letters confirming hours flown from most of them. Only one is stamped (from a Far Eastern operator). There is no way on earth I can get a "stamped" letter confirming my hours (less stamping each page of the logbook). I can't be the only person in this position. What is the usual way to address this? PM me if you prefer.

Thanks

That’s why most airlines have a sim assessment as part of their recruitment process. To make sure you have both basic flying skills, plus the wide range of competencies needed in a modern flight deck. You can fake an interview. You can’t fake a sim as easily - under pressure it’s hard to hide the true you.