SoaringFalcon
New Member
Here are the following questions I have about working for Emirates. I am trying to gather as much information as I can prior to my interview in August. I am sure all these issues are important to others who are thinking about doing the same. Hopefully, this will bring up some great discussions! (Of course, am curious of TyphoonPilot's responses too)
Family and Quality of Life:
1. Is there a support/play group set up for wives and children of Dubai pilots?
2. Schooling:
Living in Dubai
1. If you give birth to a baby in Dubai, is that child a citizen from the country you are from, a UAE citizen, or both?
2. What opportunities are available for Emirates pilot’s wives?
3. What is it like raising young girls next to Arab nations?
4. What type of insurance will one need in Dubai?
Benefits
1. Do Emirates pilots have jumpseat privileges on other airlines?
2. What flight benefits are available for families on other airlines?
3. Can families travel with their spouse on an overnight?
4. Are the following benefits under Emirates employees also available to the flight crew:
1. I noticed there were simulator instructor and examiner positions available:
4. How does Emirates determine who will go to which airplane?
6. Generally, how long is training?
7. Does your 6 month probation period start the day of hire or at the end of Initial Operating Experience?
8. How often does the company call pilots on their day off to fly?
9. How is pay determined when you are called on your day off?
Emirates Pilots Message Board Frustrations
1. In doing research there seems to be a decline in pilot moral at Emirates:
3. Is it true that bidding will eventually be restricted to no more than 7 days off in a row?
4. Is it true that there is only a maximum of 14 days off in a month?
5. Is it true that new FO’s and new DEC’s are being hired on a higher pay scale than currently employed pilots?
7. How do families properly plan for schooling for their children when they will be in temporary housing in one area of Dubai, then relocated to a villa somewhere else?
8. Was told at the information session there was a waiting list for schools and to register at more than one to ensure your kids get in:
10. Is it true that there are 9 day trips?
12. Do you have a copy of the FOM guidance for the order of upgrades - biggest complaint is the DEC jumping over senior FO’s that are ready to upgrade:
14. The website states, “Emirates Airline recognizes the aspirations of its Pilots, and will endeavor to provide career progress. Moves between aircraft groups will be offered whenever possible, at the discretion of Management.”
Family and Quality of Life:
1. Is there a support/play group set up for wives and children of Dubai pilots?
2. Schooling:
a. what is the education like in Dubai?
b. American schools are “profit” so cost more, but are they better than the other schools?
c. how is an “all girl’s” school looked at in an Arab nation?
d is parent participation encouraged or discouraged?
3. Schedule:b. American schools are “profit” so cost more, but are they better than the other schools?
c. how is an “all girl’s” school looked at in an Arab nation?
d is parent participation encouraged or discouraged?
a. what does the typical monthly bid look like?
b. what is your time away from home vs. your time at home?
4. Are there any Emirates pilots with families who we could contact for further information? b. what is your time away from home vs. your time at home?
Living in Dubai
1. If you give birth to a baby in Dubai, is that child a citizen from the country you are from, a UAE citizen, or both?
2. What opportunities are available for Emirates pilot’s wives?
3. What is it like raising young girls next to Arab nations?
4. What type of insurance will one need in Dubai?
a. automobile?
b. rental / home owners?
c. other?
5. Over the past few years – INFLATION RATE FOR DUBAI b. rental / home owners?
c. other?
a. this past year everyone received a 9% pay increase: do you see that keeping up with the rate of inflation?
6. What is the estimate annual expenses for a family of four in Dubai?
a. realistically how much money is left for new pilots to place in savings or to invest with?
Benefits
1. Do Emirates pilots have jumpseat privileges on other airlines?
2. What flight benefits are available for families on other airlines?
3. Can families travel with their spouse on an overnight?
4. Are the following benefits under Emirates employees also available to the flight crew:
a. telephone allowance?
b. domestic help allowance?
Generalb. domestic help allowance?
1. I noticed there were simulator instructor and examiner positions available:
a. are they line pilots, independent instructors, or a combination of both?
b. if they fly the line, how often do they fly?
2. How does one have a regulatory agency stamp your logbook? b. if they fly the line, how often do they fly?
a. do they really want each and every page stamped?
b. or is a copy of your latest 8710 enough?
c. will a letter from the chief pilot’s office suffice for your logbook?
3. Do you see the possibility of other bases in the future?b. or is a copy of your latest 8710 enough?
c. will a letter from the chief pilot’s office suffice for your logbook?
4. How does Emirates determine who will go to which airplane?
a. can you bid as an FO to another airplane?
b. is upgrade based strictly on seniority (i.e. three years minimum with the company), merit, or both?
5. How does DEC hired pilots affect upgrades for senior FO’s with the required qualifications?b. is upgrade based strictly on seniority (i.e. three years minimum with the company), merit, or both?
6. Generally, how long is training?
7. Does your 6 month probation period start the day of hire or at the end of Initial Operating Experience?
8. How often does the company call pilots on their day off to fly?
9. How is pay determined when you are called on your day off?
a. is it in excess of your monthly minimum?
b. is it time and a half?
c. is it by block time, a daily minimum, or time away from base?
b. is it time and a half?
c. is it by block time, a daily minimum, or time away from base?
Emirates Pilots Message Board Frustrations
1. In doing research there seems to be a decline in pilot moral at Emirates:
a. since Emirates is a “service orientated” company, what is management’s future plan to increase pilot moral?
2. Can you explain what is happening with the manual insertion of trips?
3. Is it true that bidding will eventually be restricted to no more than 7 days off in a row?
4. Is it true that there is only a maximum of 14 days off in a month?
5. Is it true that new FO’s and new DEC’s are being hired on a higher pay scale than currently employed pilots?
a. how has this affected the overall spirit of the pilot group?
6. Is it true that temporary housing is in the worst areas of Dubai?
7. How do families properly plan for schooling for their children when they will be in temporary housing in one area of Dubai, then relocated to a villa somewhere else?
8. Was told at the information session there was a waiting list for schools and to register at more than one to ensure your kids get in:
a. since Emirates doesn’t have permanent housing available, will they pay for more than one registration fee since we will have to register in two different areas of Dubai (instead of 3-4 schools, now 6-8 schools to register for)?
9. Is there an incentive if one waited to move the family to Dubai until housing was available?
10. Is it true that there are 9 day trips?
a. how much time is left to spend with your family when you are gone for over a week?
11 . Is it true that there are 4-5 day trips with a 3 day layover in TPI or TUN, but you are only paid for 12 hours?
12. Do you have a copy of the FOM guidance for the order of upgrades - biggest complaint is the DEC jumping over senior FO’s that are ready to upgrade:
a. shouldn’t the FOM be changed if the company is not going to follow its own guidance (three year FO’s, accelerated FO’s, then DEC’s)?
b. understand the training costs for a DEC, but what about the ultimate cost of pilot moral and having a senior FO train a junior captain about Emirates policies/procedures/locations?
c. if FO’s are being “bypassed” by DEC’s or accelerated FO’s, is there a pay recourse for them while waiting for an upgrade slot?
d. if not, is this something Emirates will do in the future to improve moral of the pilot group?
13. When available for upgrade can you only upgrade in the aircraft you are in or can you switch to the first available slot in another aircraft?b. understand the training costs for a DEC, but what about the ultimate cost of pilot moral and having a senior FO train a junior captain about Emirates policies/procedures/locations?
c. if FO’s are being “bypassed” by DEC’s or accelerated FO’s, is there a pay recourse for them while waiting for an upgrade slot?
d. if not, is this something Emirates will do in the future to improve moral of the pilot group?
14. The website states, “Emirates Airline recognizes the aspirations of its Pilots, and will endeavor to provide career progress. Moves between aircraft groups will be offered whenever possible, at the discretion of Management.”
a. how often does this occur?
b. is there current documentation as to how many pilots have requested switching fleet type over the last five years and how many of those requests were granted?
15. What type of communication channel does the company have with it’s pilots?b. is there current documentation as to how many pilots have requested switching fleet type over the last five years and how many of those requests were granted?
a. have learned that a pilot group is a very intelligent group of people, and working with them, soliciting insight and suggestions goes a long way than implementing changes
b. are the pilot’s concerns taken seriously?
16. How is information shared between the different divisions of the company?b. are the pilot’s concerns taken seriously?
a. do the different divisions work together or are they pretty much their own entity?
17. Is it true that for anything you need or want, as Emirates as your sponsor, you have to go through tons of paperwork?
a. what does Emirates do to streamline the process?