Could you provide your age? Unless you are quite a bit older, I would say things appear to be brightening up at UAL right now. We will retire half the seniority list in the next 10 years, and financially things seem to be improving. There is money being invested in the operation for the first time in a long time. Still some acrimonious things going on with our management, but nothing like what you describe at Emirates.

I've seen T & Cs at foreign carriers erode over the years... especially after 9/11 when pilots were in abundance. It's becoming a pilots market once again as many are returning to their home lands... US, UK, GER, NETH, FR, to name a few. ME carriers, rightfully so, will feel the hemorrhage of quality crews. Perhaps they will realize their philosophy of indentured servitude does not apply to professional expats.


QOL for you and your family should be of the first priority. Apply and interview to as many carriers you can, both in the US and carriers offering DEC positions for the triple. There are carriers offering 747-400 DEC for non-type rated pilots too that may offer a decent QOL.

After you get all your facts together, sit down with your family to discuss the pros and cons for each carrier you've interviewed with. It's a lot to ask of your family to remain overseas when opportunities are abundant at home.

At this stage of the game, you've accumulated a tidy some from EK that could help fund the shortfall of the first few years salary at a US carrier. That said, an apartment or a rental home near an airport may be a better choice rather than a crash pad.

Don't let the right seat syndrome get in the way of your decision. 7 to 10 years in the right seat, depending on your age of course, may be a better option to get you and your family back home.

In any event... good luck with your career progression.

It's pretty amazing that a 777 Captain would even consider trading the job for a newhire NB FO position.

I know my observation is not helpful to the OP, but his quandary sure is revealing for the rest of us. I doubt we see younger pilots consider Emirates instead of a domestic carrier. Makes you wonder who will be flying all those new airplanes for Emirates, 5-10 years from now.

I'd come back for sure. Your name says it all. Unless you've consistently made some really bad choices odds are you can easilly afford first year pay and then a solid 6 figure job in the US, even if it remains less than your take home pay for a while.

You kinda have to get an interview and be successful with it first though.

I never interviewed for a job I didn't want, save one, and haven't interviewed for a job I was wasn't offered, save one. The exception was an atrocity, for reasons I won't explain here.

I tend to think differently than the other posters. Make up your mind as to what you want to do, then go for it. If you get a job offer, and have a short time to make a decision, that's not going to refine your thinking. It's going to put added pressure on you to either burn a bridge, or take something you're not sure is 100% for you.

You don't have to know with 100% certainty that you want UAL before interviewing, but you should be reasonably confident.

Oh I'd agree for sure. You shouldn't apply for pure sport and curiosity. Before even hitting "submit" on any airline app you should at least think you may seriously want to go there. If you know you don't, then don't waste an interview invite where you will inevitably turn them down as it will be much harder to get another one down the road should things change and you want to go.

We had a gal a class or two behind me here at Alaska who came from Emirates, if that helps.

One question: if things are going downhill now, what's the catalyst that's going to make them better?

Emirates has rock-solid direct and indirect state support, not just from their Emir, but from our government, and is blessed with an ideal geographical location. If they can't make you happy now, what's going to change?

I don't think they'll have a change of heart in terms of labor rules. So will their saving grace ultimately be to offer foreign bases, and more money? Will that force them to offer local contracts to employees, or will they still be able to keep you under their thumb?

Sink r8…

It absolutely IS true that an EK 777 captain would consider going to pretty much anywhere else…. even in "Crew Gardens" living with 10 other guys! That is how bad things have gotten at EK the past 3-4 years. I know of about 8-10 pilots who have been hired at other carriers and have resigned, some to Europe, some back to the States…. and some of whom I never thought would leave this place.

Emirates is not a career place…. Not many could possibly last here for a 30 year flying career the way you could at more reasonably rostered airlines because they'd kill themselves with all the 92 hours a month and mix of day night/night day operations let alone all the time zone changes.

Everyone here made decisions to come to EK based on the best info at the time. Little did we know that one little man… AAR came to power and has no concept of what it's like to be a pilot or cabin crew and wants us all to work the same amount of days in the month as office secretaries! None of us saw this coming until it was too late.

And now, while I don't know specific numbers, I've been told EK is indeed losing more pilots than they have in many years. Cabin crew apparently have a waiting list to leave from what they tell me.

To the original poster… even though the UAL's, DL's and AA's have tightened their own QOL items due to the bankruptcy contracts, as the pilot supply dwindles vs the need, the terms will get better there and it would be foolish NOT to at least interview. At EK… it will NEVER get better… EVER!

Best of luck.

I tell all pilots to interview and then make the choice. The more times an airline offer is rejected the better the pay and benefits will become industry-wide for new hires.