CBP Facility to be Opened in Abu Dhabi

[General Lee]

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. Pat for the course, man.

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.

Sounds great for married expats bringing their families over, right? A Fu$$fest? Really? What do the families think back in "the Villa?" Sounds fun if you are a 32 year old single 777 Capt for EK! It's awesome you know a guy just like that! That would be extremely frustrating if you were married and actually loved your wife and wanted to keep her and the two kids..... Sounds like torture.
How many guys go over to Sandpit married, and then come home single? Is that counted in the monetary package?


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[Freight Dog]

Sounds great for married expats bringing their families over, right? A Fu$$fest? Really? What do the families think back in "the Villa?" Sounds fun if you are a 32 year old single 777 Capt for EK! It's awesome you know a guy just like that! That would be extremely frustrating if you were married and actually loved your wife and wanted to keep her and the two kids..... Sounds like torture.
How many guys go over to Sandpit married, and then come home single? Is that counted in the monetary package?


Bye Bye---General Lee

Actually, I'm a married guy with my family here. Wife doesn't want to go back to the US, but then again she's former military too. We have a fun life here... beach activities, sampling fine dining at various upscale restaurants, going to beach clubs at the nearby 5-star resorts (free with EPC membership), haven't gone 4-wheeling in the desert this spring, but it's an activity we like to do as well during the season which runs about 8 months of the year.

In the offseason (summer), we travel during my days off. This summer, my family will go vacation in the US.

My friend that you're referring to is actually happily married and arrived here like that. They just had a baby. Prior to having a baby, they used to go on various cruises a few times a year and go visit family back in the US.

Bottom line General, you can find happiness or you can choose to be miserable pretty much wherever you are - Atlanta, NY, LAX or Dubai, but things in Dubai - all things considered, aren't too bad at all. This ain't Riyadh - might as well be on another planet even though its in the same region. Not to say I don't have bad days here, but had them in SoCal and Hawaii just the same... I do however make a lot more money here and get to do way more than I ever did back home...

 

[fareview]

No use in arguing with GL.

He knows our wives & lives are unhappy because he reads pprune & talked to an EK pilot in DUS.

He does the same with every other airline on the boards (even the regionals)

So back to to the facts.

What is the hire date of the most jnr 777 Capt at DAL who does NOT have a RSV roster.

Just the answer - I'm not making any judgements. Just want to know thanks.

fv

 

[Dumb Pilot]

Taking what's written on PPrune as a good indication of what life is at any company or country/city, is as stupid as taking tax advice from a pilot.

 

[General Lee]

No use in arguing with GL.

He knows our wives & lives are unhappy because he reads pprune & talked to an EK pilot in DUS.

He does the same with every other airline on the boards (even the regionals)

So back to to the facts.

What is the hire date of the most jnr 777 Capt at DAL who does NOT have a RSV roster.

Just the answer - I'm not making any judgements. Just want to know thanks.

fv

Here you go again, comparing planes. What is the junior Capt on a DL 777 and not a reserve? Maybe 25 years with the company? ( the company has 18 777s and 16 744s?) That would be close. The 737-800 Capt at DL with 21 years probably has a better lifestyle, lives at HOME, and enjoys his job in a stress free environment (no threat of sudden termination). Comparing your planes without adding the SPF 200 sunscreen and DXB traffic means little. Overall, you are way over there near Iran, and I am not, vacationing in Southern Florida as we speak. I don't have to worry about breaking "PDA" laws, and huge retirement numbers at all of the US Legacies will help progression, all the way up to that 777 Capt slot, but enjoying it all the way without Lahore all night turns. You can have that.


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[Sgt. Hartman]

I'm guessing that someone with the time and obsession to make over 17,000 posts doesn't have to worry about "breaking PDA laws" if you catch my drift.....your laptop screen doesn't count.

Smooch Smooch---Sgt. Hartman

 

[General Lee]

I'm guessing that someone with the time and obsession to make over 17,000 posts doesn't have to worry about "breaking PDA laws" if you catch my drift.....your laptop screen doesn't count.

Smooch Smooch---Sgt. Hartman

Hahaha. When you can't debate, you go after the post numbers. Classic. Hey Sarge, I don't think you will ever have even one post with meaning or something of value. Nope, not even one you meat head.


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[General Lee]

Taking what's written on PPrune as a good indication of what life is at any company or country/city, is as stupid as taking tax advice from a pilot.

Uhhhhh, not really. It shows what disgruntled, unhappy pilots feel about the mistake they just made flying for that particular airline, something all perspective recruits should read. Are you going to trust the Contractor companies that place you with the Foreign airlines? They are in this business to make money. Are you going to trust the airline website? How about road shows? Who exactly does those FOR the companies? You trust them?

Wow Dumb Pilot, your screen name may fit....


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[Dumb Pilot]

Uhhhhh, not really. It shows what disgruntled, unhappy pilots feel about the mistake they just made flying for that particular airline, something all perspective recruits should read. Are you going to trust the Contractor companies that place you with the Foreign airlines? They are in this business to make money. Are you going to trust the airline website? How about road shows? Who exactly does those FOR the companies? You trust them?

Wow Dumb Pilot, your screen name may fit....


Bye Bye---General Lee

I rest my case!

 

[flyboyike]

...and huge retirement numbers at all of the US Legacies will help progression, all the way up to that 777 Capt slot...

I've been waiting for those huge retirement numbers since 1999. They've been right around the corner the whole time.

 

[fareview]

25 years...wow. Even more wow - 21 yrs to B737 LHS "better lifestyle".

Now to the second part of the question. How many times has DAL furloughed &/or taken a pay cut in the last 25 yrs.

Just the facts - no judgement - just want to know the answer.

fv

 

[BILL LUMBERG]

Furlough twice 1992, 2002
Paycuts three times 1996, 2005, 2006

Keep in perspective....All not good times for the US airline industry and most other Major airlines were doing the same.

 

[fareview]

Thank you

 

[General Lee]

Austria bans Emirates A380, denies Qantas codeshare to Vienna
by Kurt Hofmann
Apr. 22, 2013. ATW Online

Emirates Airbus A380
By Kurt Hofmann
Austrian aviation authorities have denied permission for Emirates to operate its Airbus A380 on some of its 13X-weekly Dubai-Vienna flights. It also denied Emirates traffic rights to increase Vienna frequencies to 14X-weekly under its Qantas partnership. + Authorities fear too much capacity would be brought into Vienna, which could increase competition. It wants to protect the economical interests of the country. ?This is ridiculous,? Emirates president Tim Clark told ATW ...




More protectionism will continue.



Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[fareview]

Of course it will....and DAL will be at the forefront....and if I worked for them id be wishing for the same thing.

A couple of facts for you:

1) DAL made $7m Q 1 (80000 employees).EK made $569m in Q1&2 (50000)
2) DAL have furloughed & cut pay multiple times in the last 25 years
3) EK have never furloughed & never cut pay (overtime threshold increased by 15% in GFC)
4) the most desirable seat at DAL is the LHS of 777 hence a quarter of a century to get there...three-ish years at EK...
5) GL has never worked or lived in Dubai but portends to know how it is because of pprune.
6) after 25 years and you finally get to the left hand seat of the 777 at DAL you have to do the following that an EK 777 skipper does NOT:

A. Turn on the light in the morning in your house and pay the energy bill (our house & utilities are free - if you want to buy the co will pay your mortgage up to $50k per annum for as many years as you are here)
B. turn on the gas in your home to cook breakfast (my maid does that for me ) and pay the energy bill.
C. Go to your car and turn that on and pay the gas bill, insurance, maintenance, DMV, we get driven to work -
D. Leave your gated community (anything else just wouldn't do) and wave to the security guy that you paid for in your dues (what are they?)
E. get to 777 school and savor the thought of flying the thing for what....three yrs (most of will get 25-30 in the LHS)
F. Pay a lot of tax on that first 100k. .(all mine thanks)
G. Finally go and fly the thing and know that the first thing that happens when you get to the flight deck is receive a scowl from sky hag 1 thu 15 ( the first thing that happens to us is drinks orders, sambos, fruit, newspapers etc etc from a friendly hostie)
H. Get to outstation and and hang out with sky hag 1 thr 15 (when we check we usually get a suite but more importantly our per diem in in local cash currency in an envelope) and hang out with hostie 1-16
I. Come home - go to the country club and pay your dues (we have access to the top beach, polo, fitness clubs in DXB - heavily discounted deals at top restaurants, clubs, gold course etc) ps most of us play golf on the road (100+ dest) where two or four sets of golf clubs and road bikes are held at hotels - bought by emirate pilots club for EK pilots
J. Get home from said club that you paid full price on your beer and have your wife bitch about either; your kids classmates in the public school or; how you need to pay the school fees for the pvt school (all our go to pvt school subsidized heavily by the co - best part, all kids offspring of white collar professional expats
- on the same level if you jnow what i mean)
K. Fly the same old routes (we operate the 200/200ER/200LR/200F/300/300ER/300ER-ULR to at a guess 50+ dest - did I mention we are getting 275 777x's)
10 and last but not least (plenty more but heading to Shangri La Dubai for drinks - @ 50% off ; >)...know that one day you're gonna have Genny lee pulling your gear ....and I guarantee you...

...your chain

Later ; >

fv
ps sorry little tipsy (heading out on one of my six week of paid vacation)..had to indulge .. Doh!

 

[General Lee]

Wow, you are crazy. Countries in Europe are starting to figure out that your airline doesn't just take people to Dubai, but rather poaches their own passengers to onward destinations. Good business, or cheaper labor, cheaper AC loans, and cheaper gas? Who else can order 275 777s? Countries are starting to again take notice, and more protectionism will pop up.

I don't need to be 777 Capt to be happy like you do. Did you read any of the financials or look at the numbers for DL's 1st Quarter? March had a $300 million net profit, the highest ever for March. The Spring and Summer months are usually even better, so get back to me after the Summer and we can compare financials. It's great you used BOTH Q1 and Q2. Let's wait until our Q2 is over. If March had $300 million net profit, well, you get my point, hopefully. Here is a snippet from the conference call about fuel prices for DL so far this year:

"The recent drop in Brent crude from $113 to $99 per barrel represents roughly a $1.3 billion annual cost reduction for Delta. We anticipate the lower fuel costs, combined with prudent capacity management, will more than offset any revenue softness. At Delta, we are focused on margin expansion."

That's gotta help, and without Gov't help. Amazing.

I can already hold a domestic narrowbody Capt slot, probably make more money that you do, and don't have to fight DXB traffic, weird PDA laws, and feel comfortable, AT HOME. You can do Lahore and Kochi turns, and I will enjoy my country and home life. My wife actually works and makes more money than I do as an Advertising Exec. Can Expat wives find work if thy wanted to in DXB? What if they are bored, as you go out on your trips? Don't lie, I know people who are in that situation. What if your wife or kids want to travel around DXB, does a chauffeur pick them up? If you buy a car, is it more expensive, insurance, paperwork? Traffic is probably a lot worse there. If a local hits you, do you lose? Lots of questions that you don't want to answer because you are drunk, and 6 weeks of paid vacation isn't enough probably. Kiss your chauffeur in private, he will take your Capt seat if he is a local eventually. Bye!


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[Furloughed80]

That's great fareview, I am glad to hear you are having an awesome career at EK. It's obvious that life in Dubai working for EK is better than anything airlines in the US have to offer. I guess us poor schleps in America should apologize to you for trying to maintain what little we have gained after the last decade of decimation in the US airline industry. It seems that flying in the left seat of a widebody is not enough for you and you would like to see the entire industry here sink into a black hole leaving all of us jobless. We have already discussed ad nauseam the numerous advantages EK has that western airlines cannot duplicate. Most EK pilots acknowledge this; you however for some reason refuse to. I actually agree with you on a lot of points. I do think EK's lobby in the US is far more influential then Airlines for America and that in the end EK will get it's way; but that doesn't mean we should give up the fight here. Enjoy your paid vacation; you obviously are not coming to the US because this place is such a ******************** hole.

 

[fareview]

Lol ...hit a nerve huh.

Where in my post did I EVER suggest the USA is negative?

GL ... To clarify:
DXB traffic doesn't come close to I85 in rush hour
Our wives can and do work
We can travel when we want
I fill my HEMI engined large vehicle for $40. Car costs v similar.

F80 ...the reason for smug(ish) the post is that I can call my sister ugly...but when GL & others tell us how bad we have it yet has no clue - it gets old.
What's particularly interesting is the amount of DAL (& other) pilots kids who are here. I meet these guys and they shake their head in disbelief at Johnny boys life.

No one from EK constantly telling DAL guys how their situ sucks...but he just can't resist...if its not us its SWA or other.

Right off the the Suite, the Bar, the shower, the caviar and the Dom p...just love vacay!

; >

fv
Ps to the neutrals - the water is warm, the beer is cold, the upgrade is quick & apart from the same 12 guys on pprune - the other 3500 of us are living life

 

[8sugarsugar]

now back on topic, Dubai is set to open CBP facility in Dubai

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324763404578430643249947724.html