EMIRATES CREW CHANGES
Affected EK Ultra Long-Haul Sectors
In my opinion, having two complete crews has been Emirates' unique selling proposition against other airlines also conducting ultra long-haul flights.
I've always thought that a flight with Two Captains and Two F.Os is preferable to One Captain, One F.O. and Two Second Officers (who never actually land real aeroplanes).
I took my first flight with their airline in 1996, and I achieved Silver Skywards membership status long before I decided to work there. Their Dubai-Melbourne A340 flights, (four-engines-for-safety, and two crews), were my #1 choice. In fact, its why I knocked-back Gulf Air and Etihad to take a job there.
As a Captain you can sleep soundly in crew-rest knowing that the person who is sitting in your seat, and making the diversion decisions, has passed the gruelling command upgrade course, (arguably the toughest command course in the world).
It is rumoured that things are about to change, and they will begin rostering only three pilots on some Ultra Long Haul flights.
If they do, then passengers should be made aware so they can make accurate comparisons, and choose their carrier accordingly.
Source of the rumour [HERE].
20th May 2018
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