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Old 05-22-2008, 12:27 AM
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Typhoonpilot
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Joined APC: Aug 2005
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That's a long list. I can't answer them all in detail, but I'll do what I can. Maybe Gillegan or Gillegan's wife would like to chime in.


Originally Posted by SKMarz View Post
I am writing this under my husband's screen name and have some questions about Emirates and some specific concerns about living in Dubai.

My husband currently has been working at a legacy carrier for the past 9 years and it is becoming increasingly apparent to us that it is a sinking ship. He has already been furloughed once and with the way things are going, it is only a question of when it will happen again. Other options in the US have become increasingly scarce. He is in the pool at UPS but it is very unclear when they will start hiring again and in any case, being in the pool is not exactly a job promise. So we have been actively trying to figure out what other options he has and have not ruled out moving overseas. It seems that Emirates and Cathay are the most viable.

I have read posts on EK until my eyes are crossed and I'm sure some of my questions have been previously addressed. However, EK is having a road show in Chicago on Friday and he is considering attending so I wanted to pose some of my questions before hand. I realize opinions can be extremely varied but I really want to try to get a full picture of what working for this airline and living in Dubai means.

1. We have currently have a committment to a foster child which means that we could not move until some time in the middle of next year. Having said that, is it even worth attending the road show at this time? I don't expect he will be applying right now but would wait until the end of the year at the earliest (assuming he doesn't get furloughed first It's worth going. It's a show not an interview. More of a sales pitch than anything and a reasonable place to get some questions answered face to face. Emirates is not like U.S. carriers. You can give them a starting date 6 months out and it isn't a big deal. The typical European notice period is three months so they are used to 3 months or more.

2. We are a blended family, our one year old is from Vietnam and our almost three year old is from China. Are blended families common in Dubai? How are they received? Lots of multi-racial families in Dubai. All sizes and colors.

3. We have a dog, do the villas permit pets? Yes

4. From what I have read, if you take company accomodations, utilities are paid for, is it an allowance, or is it covered entirely? As of now, yes. If the some of the residents of Silicon Oasis keep wasting water and electricity that might change. You never see a bill.

5. When women go out, do they have to have their hair covered? What other specific issues do they face? Answer to first part is no. I'll let someone else answer the second part.

6. I'm respectful of other cultures but I am a former police officer and while I would like to think I am not obnoxious, I am also not a wall flower. How much trouble am I likely to get myself in?As a former police officer it's unlikely you'll suffer from road rage; flip somebody off, or drive while under the influence. Those are right near the top of what gets people in trouble here.

7. We have previously lived in San Francisco, how might the cost of groceries compare? An average price of milk, cheese, etc.? Can you purchase items that you would typically eat in the States?

8. What is the current price of gas? $1.64/gallon

9. Are there any provisions for bringing over any personal belongings aside from clothing? There is a weight allowance of 100Kg per adult, 30Kg. per child. It's not specific as to what you pack. Most people ship containers or pallets of must have stuff when they join. That is at your cost.

10. What is the average cost of cable, phone, cell phone? My satellite TV is about $75/month. Internet is $68/month. Cell Phone depends on use, but about $50/month, local phone calls are free.

11. How do most people stay in touch with their family? Skype? Skype, MSN Messenger, and other services. You'll need a Personal VPN to get around the proxy server that blocks those services, but that's max $50/year

12. If the price of oil continues its' stratospheric climb, how do you think it will impact EK?Less so than airlines in the States, but it could reach a point where it's painful to Emirates and they slow growth plans.

13. My husband has spent time on the A320/A319 but is currently on the 757/767, if he were hired, which fleet would he be more likely to be assigned?Usually goes by the type he is current on, but not always.

14. Our kids love playing outside but I grew up in Arizona and realize that during the hot season (which sounds like makes up most of the year in Dubai), outside play is not so feasible, what activities are available for young children? Lots of indoor play areas. It is very kid friendly here. There is always Ski Dubai in the heat of the summer . That said, it's not unpleasant in the evening even now. Most kids are out in the neighborhood in the late afternoon/early evening.

15. I have ridden horses competitively my entire life, while I'm no longer interested in competing, I would like to continue to ride, are there any stables there or are the only four legged creatures dogs and cats? Plenty, although that's not an area I'm familiar with. Wife has some friends who are taking riding lessons in Mirdif. Haven't you seen Hidalgo? The Arabs love their horses, just look up endurance racing and the Dubai World Cup.

16. How the three year bond dealt with? Do you have to front the money or is it a contract you sign? Contract that goes declines $1000/month after final line check.

17. I know the company website mentions discounted travel after a period of time, how long is that time, and what do the discounts look like? 6 months. I've posted typical charges on here before, but it's not cheap to travel with the fuel surcharges getting higher and higher.

18. Are people still only getting 30 of the 42 days off? I get all my vacation. The only year I didn't was when I upgraded and then I took 60+ days the following year.

19. I have read deadheading gets 1/2 pay, are they still treating pay for bunkies the same way? Wrong. Deadhead is full pay as is Augment crew. The thing that is half is the amount towards flight and duty time limitation on Ultra long haul flights. means that a person could fly well over 100 hours in a month when including the time in the bunk. Complaints about that are due to fatigue, yet a lot of guys love the overtime it generates.

20. Are there any monthly, annual limits to how much pilots can be flown and, if so, how much? What if you get sick, is there any sick time? Do you get in trouble? Yes. 100 hours in 28 days and 900 hours in a rolling 12 month period. Again the bunk time doesn't count towards those limits. The company is very generous in regards to legitimate medium and long term illness.

21. I have read there is a housing shortage, how long is the current wait for villas? Rumor has it, 6 to 9 months Can you request one with four bedrooms vs. three or is just whatever they feel like?It's what's available. Can someone describe the villas in greater detail? Are they more like condos, townhouse or stand alone homes?Both. Some are stand alone and some are more like townhomes. There is a wide variety.

22. Our son had some medical issues when we first brought him home, he is doing well now but I'm concerned about the quality of health care available. Can anyone comment on how it compares to PPOs in the U.S. Hit and miss. There are good doctors and bad ones.

23. Emirates website says "generously subsidized health care" for family members. What does that really mean? That means you'll pay a monthly premium of around $75. One thing to know is that they will not cover pre-existing conditions.

Sorry for the laundry list but we are trying to do our best to think this through and be realistic.

Walking around our home, the thought that we might have to leave upsets me but not more than not being able to support our kids. Any input is greatly appreciated.

Hope some other people chime in because this could turn out to be a decent thread.


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