Anyone can update us on the flexibility of dropping and picking up flights? I have heard some guys tell me that they drop flights so they can get more days off, or choose longer flights together to get a block of 5-10 days off in a row. Any truth in this?

 

While the company does provide a trip trade/swap system, there are some severe restrictions put on these:

* No more than 5 (sometimes 7) days off in a row... system won't let you trade if it gives you more than this

* No less than about 15 days off per month but that's virtually impossible (for 777 captains) due to the hours minimum as well.

The most difficult thing to get around is that the schedules (rosters) are so tight, that there is very little "wiggle" room to get groups of days off and often times one cannot trade anything except for another trip on the either the same day or 1 day before or after the original trip

Additionally, they've restricted greatly our ability to bid. We used to have a desire and avoid part of the bid system. The "avoid" part was literally taken away simply to make it easier for the company to fly us right up to the max of 92 hours per month. We used to get up to 5 hours overtime and could trade up to 5 hours over 92 (97) but that was stopped as there is a hard tightening policy going on now. No one but no one flies over 92 hours per month. That would trigger overtime pay.

Every since they implemented this rule, my roster has been pretty consistently at 91:45 right up to 91:59. Amazing how they're able to do that.

What makes that very difficult is the long haul flying we do.... one week it's North America, the next week it's China or Japan or even Australia.
Really wreaks havoc with your body clock.... and the company could care less about that. They think we're robots here and can just switch on and off and always get a full 8 hours rest.

FYI... I tell all my colleagues at the previous airline to look elsewhere. You sell your soul to the devil at this place. Hard working conditions.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

"No less than about 15 days off per month" I think you meant to say no more than 15 days off.

And that is hard to get. I know of 2 long range commuters , each are getting home for a week every two months, 10 days off , 5 in a row at the end and beginning and 3 days min for travel.

For you own good don't consider this for commuting.

 

Thanks for the correction, Fatbus!! (wish it was the way I wrongly wrote it!!)

And yes... commuting is VERY frowned upon here let alone next to impossible!

K

 

same same but different!

 

I wonder how many times you guys will have to say that EK is not a commuting job before people understand that EK is not a commuting job.

 

Prediction: this isn't the last time for the commuting at EK question.

GF

 

So how easy would it be to commute to the east coast US if I got the Airbus fleet at Emirates? What about the Boeing?











In general, yes, even my RJ work rules are better than yours. But at the end of a 5 leg day, with 3 preflights in the rain, a one leg trip to Europe doesn't seem so bad.

I'd happily give up a few days off in exchange for a bit more $ at EK.

With the upcoming retirements in the US, do you expect the ME carriers to offer more attractive compensation packages?

 

It will be based on supply and demand. If there is a surplus of pilots, they would be offering P2F. If there is a shortage, there will be a bidding war for pilots.

Emirates, to me anyway, has always seemed like they try to recruit relatively young, moderately experienced pilots looking to jumpstart their careers. While they have managed to get some from major carriers, I think they were mostly early retirements, etc.

Their compensation package is decent, and there are still enough relatively young pilots out there looking to - jumpstart their careers. I doubt Emirates will deem it necessary to greatly increase their compensation package anytime soon. They continue to have no problem recruiting the type of pilots they want to hire.