Originally Posted by
FAULTPUSH
Can we read anything into the fact that this series of roadshows has 14 venues, while the last had only 4?
I think yes, you can. There was such a good response to the last 4 road shows that they know the USA is fertile ground for recruiting pilots. The airline needs about 200 to 300 pilots per year for as long the delivery stream keeps coming. There aren't enough applicants from anywhere else in the world for two major reasons. Europe has pretty much dried up since there are plentiful jobs there and they pay in Euros or Pounds. Most pilots make good money in Europe and it's generally a pay cut to come to Emirates. The rest of the countries in the world just don't have the number of pilots that Emirates needs. For Americans the pay doesn't decline as the USD falls into the toilet versus other currencies since the Dirham is pegged to the dollar. That means Americans see the pay as pretty reasonable. With U.S. carriers dropping like flies there are a lot of pilots looking for work.
Stability is an important point when chossing an airline to work for. Emirates made over $1 Billion last year. That is with oil increasing past $100/barrel. They will make money this year and next, even with oil inching towards $150/barrel. The U.S. airline industry is going to be a bloodbath this year with mergers, downsizing, and liquidation. Stability, that is one of the many things that Emirates can offer. U.S. pilots are finding this increasingly attractive.
Typhoonpilot