United Airlines I guess is having some troubles complying with crew legalities under FAR 117 as well. Caught a blip of that on the news today.
What's interesting about the WSJ article is that it states, "Ismail Al Balooshi, director of aviation safety affairs at the General Civil Aviation Authority, the U.A.E.’s airline regulator, said in an interview he would now investigate allegations that state-owned Emirates isn't fully reporting pilot duty hours......" Tee-hee-hee.
Why Tee-hee-hee? If you look at the mafia, eh, I mean ruling family flowchart in the whitepaper exposing the subsidies to the Big ME 3(page 64), it shows how 3 guys basically control just about everything in Dubai. Ismail Al Balooshhi (mentioned above) works for the director of aviation safety affairs at the General Civil Aviation authority, which is the UAE's airline regulator. He's going to "investigate" the alleged problems at Emirates.
Wait, it gets better. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum is the President of the General Civil Aviation authority. Guess what else Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum is? A Chairman at Emriates!! You can't make this stuff up. Remember how I posted United is in a bit of trouble right now too with the FAA? It would be like Jeff Smisek (United's CEO) being the FAA administrator AND senior management at United Airlines. I wonder how impartial an investigation that would be? And, of course, Smisek would have ruled unions illegal, so pilots would have to shut up or risk losing their jobs (at a minimum).
To investigate the above mentioned problem at Emirates, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum can just call himself up and say, "Self, are there any problems at Emirates with their flight crews, and my, you're looking good today!"
"Thanks Sheikh. You're looking good today too! I just did a thorough investigation of myself and found no problems."
"I thought so Sheikh. D**n those WSJ reporters with their free press. They had no idea what they were talking about!"
"Yes Sheikh, I know! By the way, while I have you on the phone, please keep another 2.4 Billion handy just in case our fuel hedges go sour again in the future, OK?
"No problem Sheikh, you handsome devil! I keep some pocket change like that around just for the occasion! No worries!"
"Thanks Sheikh, good bye!"
"Too-da-loo Sheikh! Talk to you soon!"
It's good to be the Sheikh.