Woofer

May I please enquire whether Etihad plans on recruiting DEC's on the Airbus 320 this year of early next year?

Thanks for any feedback.

jet320

From Matta directly, director of training, is DECs next year! getting 2 A/Cs per month.

Woofer

Thanks for the info. We'll just have to wait and see.

EYBusdriver

Logically, yes DEC's on the 320's. Most guys on property due for upgrade will elect to go on the 330. Internally the 320 fleet is not very attractive route wise whereas the 330/340 has some very nice trips. If you look at some of the other forums (Pprune) you will read of a lot of unhappiness with the QOL until you get CCQ'ed on the 330.

Woofer

Thanks EYBusdriver.

I am not flying fanastic routes at the time being (not to mention the pay!).

iflysky

I would very much discourage you to join EY on the 320, especially as a skipper. It is the most hardest working, underappreciated, lowest paid fleet here. 330/340 and 777 fleets are like a totally different airline. Your paycheck will be ok'ish, but you will fly your tail off for it and you will truly, genuinely be fatigued most of the time. Average 80-90hrs per month with 8 days off and on average 6-10 red-eyes per month (sometimes the whole month night). Although 80 hrs doesn't seem as much with continious flip-flopping night to day, short sectors (4 a day - 11 hrs of duty with only 4 hrs flying) it will catch up with you very fast.
Additionally due to the 320 skipper shortage all transitions to the 330 (MFF/CCQ) have been cancelled with no end in sight. Guys that have been here for 2 years have at best probably another 2-3 till the 330.
A lot of current 320 guys have started throwing their towel in and the internal upgrades are avoiding the 320 like a plague hence the shortage and the need for DECs very soon. It is not like we are expanding out of control just people bailing out. I am not sure where this 2 aircraft per month comming from cause we are all awaiting 1 more and 0 next year, but it is kinda hard to get a staright answer from anyone here, so who knows ???
Like I said 330/340 different story. Most guys are very happy. 320, well ......

EYBusdriver

In a nutshell, I like it here as I'm 330/340 but if I were to be assigned 320 I would resign. However if I was unemployed or coming from a similar situation maybe things would be different.

Normann

Guys are gonna get even more ****ed with more DECs. I have friends there, they just got there but some of their class mates are already bailing for EK. The argument so far for going to EY vs EK was that EY promised no DECs. Once that is out of the window there is no reason to go with EY. Who cares about expansion if you don't get upgraded anyways, and if there is no seniority based bidding. Then it is down to Abu Dhabi vs Dubai, apartment vs a villa, and a 330/340 vs a 320. Pretty easy choice.

Woofer

Guys,

Thank you all for your heonest feedback.

Can anyone confirm the above that no villas are given to new joiners? Are any villas planned for the future?

Thanks

EYBusdriver

There are vacant villas and apartments as a number of pilots have taken the allowance option and are renting their own places in Dubai as the rents are down. What you get re company housing don't know. I was offered a choice but opted for the apartment as I prefer being in the middle of the city with access to everything.
As far as guys bailing for EK, I doubt that, as they have more than enough of their own problems. Did hear though that some EY 320 copilots went to QR into the T7 right seat.