CBP Facility to be Opened in Abu Dhabi

[Quack]

And that will never happen until they fire all the Dinosaur FA's

My point exactly....

 

[Jetjockey]

And that will never happen until they fire all the Dinosaur FA's

If only the US could discriminate, and fire people based on anything they saw fit..........pesky civil rights and US Labor laws.

 

[Freight Dog]

If only the US could discriminate, and fire people based on anything they saw fit..........pesky civil rights and US Labor laws.

Sounds like a self-imposed handicap to me... particularly in the global market.

Too bad... I want to see the US airlines at least put up a fight in the competitiveness arena, not just pissing and moaning about how the world and everyone else around them is "unfair."

 

[General Lee]

General, you have one valid point - the value of living at home, in your home country, in your hometown, in your home state. How much is that worth depends on an individual and the individual circumstances.

For example, when my airline went under... I simply could not afford, nor did I think it was appropriate to go to the bottom of the list of some regional making less than I make in per diem now. Talk about exploitation of cheap "professional" labor....

You bring up FlyDubai as an example. They are equivalent of your ASA, Mesa, Compass, TSA, etc. The difference however, yes, their starting pay is far superior to Delta's, and Delta won't catch up to them for a great number of years because at FlyDubai, one will upgrade within 2 years and go on a different payscale. 2 of my good friends came to my current employer from FlyDubai. Do they fly into some less-than-desirable places? Yes. Delta flies to Lagos - talk about dodgy... I take FZ to Belgrade, rent a car, and drive to the Adriatic coast. Dodgy? Not by a long shot... Convenient? Very much so!

But here's something that a number of FZ pilots actually like - they only have 2 layovers system-wide which means they're home with family and don't miss out on much. Yes, night flights can suck... but to each their own.

Emirates... one of my best friends here is a B-777 captain at Emirates. The dude is 32 years old! You talk about crap destinations... I look at his schedules, and the guy doesn't do anything but Europe, US, or Brazil. Tehran? I think he's been there twice in 5 years - doesn't bid for it. He gets an occasional regional turn here, but that's it. However, he also gave me some nice pointers about Mauritius as I flew a trip down there... but he doesn't like going there despite that it's way cool because he wants to avoid late night/early morning starts like the return from MRU.

Etihad... ironically, I know a former Delta guy there who was a DEC on B-777. He took the lump sum after bankruptcy, and came out here. He couldn't be happier. He loves the flying he does, the money he makes - and in his words... "... timed everything perfectly, and couldn't be happier." Again, to each their own.

I fly corporate here, and let me put it this way... I don't eat crappy food at work, our catering does not consist of Subway sandwiches, KFC or Pizza Hut - I eat the Palace chef-prepared food whenever I leave base and get similar quality when abroad; I get treated with respect by my pax - unlike a number of my peers flying large cabin bizjets back home. I get a schedule so I can plan my social events or travel on my days off - get a minimum block of 7 off in a row. I get to see the world from a whole different perspective than even my Emirates/Etihad counterparts, or you.

But yes, you're right in that I'm not in own country, and that I'm a guest here. But when my employer pays for my kids' US college tuition in form of direct payment to the university, you think twice about leaving. I have the lifestyle here that I couldn't afford on Delta's pay. It's called "the golden handcuffs." I know I will go home at some point, but I'll go having seen the world, having made and saved a lot more money than most of my counterparts back home which will enable to me to retire on my own time, comfortably, and much sooner than the airline guys in the US.

Do I support CBP preclearance here? Absolutely. I think it's an excellent idea. Furthermore, if this fight is so important to ALPA, it reminds me of Wag The Dog... In my opinion, ALPA has contributed to the freefall of the pilot profession in the US by not holding certain thing sacred such as pensions, or scope, or pay, or quality of life for the vast majority of its members. Yet even furthermore, there is nothing stopping Delta or American or UAL from flying to Abu Dhabi or Dubai or Doha and utilizing the same benefit. Why don't they? Ask your CEO...

The ignorance and childishness of some of these replies... if you have to put down others to make you feel better about yourself, well... shows a lot about the quality of your airline's screening process and the psych tests/evals, etc.

Bottom line, to each their own...

Hmmmmm. Well, I respect your post and there are some good insights, but FlyDubai vs Delta? No way. You are way off. Great, you can be a 737 Capt in the 2nd year or whatever. Who cares? The cost of living in Dubai, the weaker compensation package vs EK, and flying at night to Kandahar. No thanks, not for $2 million. Hands down, FZ loses. I can't believe you actually tried to compare the two. First year pay you are comparing? Really? 717 to Charleston, SC or 738 to Donetsk, Ukraine..... Hmmmmm.


And the US carriers want to hub in the UAE why again? What they have there is a connection hub (at DXB, DOH, and AUH). The only people really going to that "hot spot" are migrant workers from India, Nepal, Pakistan, etc who need to work to build skyscrapers. Others use it for a transit area to Europe or SE Asia and Australia. Other than a small percentage of super rich that want to have a mansion on Palm Island or whatever, most are workers. Why would a CEO from a US legacy want a hub all the way out there? The fight out there is between European carriers and the big 3 Gulf carriers. If they don't watch it, more protectionism measures will be placed to protect their own National carriers. Germany and France already limit flights, and Canada does too. That's just the start if more pushing is done. EY buys part if Air Berlin, but they still aren't doing well. Italy allows one flight from MXP to JFK, and the World is over for US or Italian carriers? Highly doubtful. That actually helps highlight the ME threat, and highlights the cheap loans from the Ex IM Bank that need to be stopped.

What else is unsavory about going over to the Gulf? When you can't legally kiss your girlfriend on the sidewalk without the threat of jail, why would anyone?
I certainly wouldn't, I like my freedom here. And your buddy the 32 year old 777 Capt, he will probably burn out literally and figuratively soon. Most of the former Ryanair guys who left the UK in search of the Sun are thinking about returning if BA hires again, even if it means leaving the left seat in a 777 to the right seat in an A320. Their families want out of the Sandpit, and an unhappy family isn't fun after returning home from Harare, Zimbabwe.

So, those FZ and EK guys can have their quick upgrades, Kabul night turns, expat compounds, chauffeurs, and whatever else. They and their families still wish they were at HOME, and the US legacies or big US Cargo (Fdx or UPS) are still the best job out there for Americans.


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[General Lee]

hush! Don't tell Delta guy that, for some reason he is severely insecure about Emirates. Would hate to see him get all huffy puffy again. hahahahaha

remember, he is the Emirates expert "in absentia"

Watch it! You are being monitored, and are risking 30 days in jail for kissing your boyfriend at The Burj!


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[General Lee]

God this thread sounds like a bunch of 5th graders trying to see who's #ick is bigger. For those who have decided on making the desert or another foreign carrier their career, good for you. I am glad that you upgrade quickly, fly good equipment, and benefits are handsome. However, you also need to realize the number of US pilots who have the ability to live your life is probably under 1%. Sure when we're 25 and single, or heck 45 and single, it's extremely easy. And yes there are families over there as well, but good luck finding many wives who would move their kids to the desert so dad can pull gear on a 777. There's not many. And if you've found that special someone, congrats, but don't give me the "you can have this life too if you want it" attitude. For most of us it's unattainable...period. Families should come before this job, and if they don't then shame on you.

What should be proposed is a level playing field....no more gov't backed entities in the UAE, no more Em-Im backed loans, and no more US dollars going to invest in oil rich countries. When you have this you have competition. Let the US open up it's cities to more UAE flights, and see what happens. One thing is for certain, the level of service from the US airlines will have to change. PERIOD!

Most of what you said was true, family life and adjusting to UAE laws and bias might be tough. It's not for everyone. And, US airline service needs to improve, and I have noticed a big change in hiring, new interiors, lie flat seats, menus, etc. The big 3 are trying. But, US anti discrimination laws etc don't allow for firing due to age, etc. While people make fun of that, they fail to see a possible 30 day jail sentence for kissing your girlfriend in public in the UAE. Which is worse? The big 3 US airlines are now trying to offer early out buy outs for senior staff members, and other senior employees. It's a start, but it is happening.



Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[General Lee]

Jet Airways eyes global footprint via Abu Dhabi
Saurabh Sinha,TNN | Apr 20, 2013, 04.07AM IST


NEW DELHI: This could be the biggest ever global footprint plan firmed up by an Indian carrier. Jet Airways has decided to link 23 Indian cities to numerous points in the US (including a nonstop to San Francisco), Gulf, east Africa and Europe via Abu Dhabi. These flights will be in addition to the nonstops it operates directly from India to the west and Southeast Asia, which are going to be increased also.

Jet's has submitted its ambitious expansion plan to the aviation ministry at a time when the airline is all set to sell 24% stake to Abu Dhabi's Etihad for close to Rs 1,600 crore and hopes to get access to the oil rich emirate's low-cost funding. The airline, which currently has 100 aircraft in its fleet, has told the government it is in talks with Boeing to place a massive order for Boeing 737 Max and 777s.

According to the plan, Jet will kick-start this expansion by operating its wide-body aircraft like the Boeing 777 and Airbus A-330 from Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai (in first phase) and Hyderabad, Cochin and Trivandrum (in second phase) to Abu Dhabi. Replicating its 'scissor' operation of Brussels on a much larger scale, these aircraft will then fly onwards to US cities like San Francisco, Washington, New York, Newark and Chicago. After a quick turnaround, these aircraft will then fly to the Indian metros via Abu Dhabi.

Jet's narrow-body Boeing 737, which will be deployed from other 19 cities, will be used to fly further on to nearby destinations in the Gulf and even some points in Africa.

The network planning of Jet given to the ministry indicates that all flights to Abu Dhabi from 23 Indian cities will leave at late night and reach there by midnight. The flights from India will reach there in time to for onward journeys on Etihad and Jet. The airline has told the ministry that as this model stabilizes after two to three years, it will connect Europe also via Abu Dhabi.

In addition to the flights via Abu Dhabi, Jet has sought more flying points in Europe like Paris, Zurich, Dusseldorf, Berlin, Amsterdam, Manchester, Copenhagen and Barcelona to India. The airline expects a substantial passenger load on these flights to be of passengers flying between Europe and its other destination in Southeast Asia and China where it plans to restart operations to Shanghai.

Since implementing this plan will require a substantial addition to the fleet size, Jet has told the government that it will get back 5 widebody B-777s by next year that are leased to Thai Airways. The airline has an option for five A-330s and is in talks with Boeing to place an order for more B-777s. The Dreamliner B-787 will join its fleet from 2014.




Looks like EY will try to gain access through Jet Airways, but that will stifle some of their own growth. The European Gov'ts will be watching, and again almost zero US passengers will fly from SFO, JFK, or IAD to Abu Dhabi and then back track to Europe. This siphons off pax going from the US to India or Pakistan, but not the US to Asia. Too far. But, European airlines will have to watch it. Also, even with an injection of capital from EY, Jet Airways still is a hurting Indian Airline. They haven't been doing well as a bunch lately.




Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[Golden Falcon]

possible 30 day jail sentence for kissing your girlfriend in public in the UAE.

you left out the part "in front of a hotel full of prostitutes"

 

[General Lee]

possible 30 day jail sentence for kissing your girlfriend in public in the UAE.

you left out the part "in front of a hotel full of prostitutes"

You should watch the "welcome film" for Qantas crews for their Dubai flights. Very informative, and "interesting...." Is Bahrain the same? Interesting news coming out of there too a year or so ago.


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[Freight Dog]

General, you do realize that a good number of us live here (DXB), right?

Yes, I've seen the video and yes I'm very familiar with the two cases. And again, I'll tell you this, I see more tight skirts, G-strings and hot looking women here than I ever did living in Hawaii or even SoCal. I happen to live in a tower right by the most popular beach in Dubai - it's literally downstairs and I can see it from my terrace. Let's just say that you don't know a quarter of what goes on in Dubai.

EK is a friggin' f$&kfest! So many single girls in their 20's and 30's and want to get hitched... and preferably to someone with a western passport. Par for the course, man. Similar goes for EY... Some wives see this and they automatically make things miserable for their hubbies. I reckon this is where Delta wins hands down - the wives see your FA's and all the worries are gone...

Don't read too much into stuff you read. The laws are indeed there, but they're about as enforced as sodomy laws in the South.