May Crew Roster. New York.

Nine months ago, the average roster for Air Emirates Cabin Crew personnel was about 40 to 50 flying hours a month. Well that's what my girl was doing.
In August 2008, with the spiralling global oil price, Emirates froze all recruitment of non operational staff. Then, in February 2009 with the world global finances in free fall. It seems that (I don’t think it was officially announced) EK froze all recruitment and in house promotion (up grades to Buisness class ect). The company has taken a very pro active approach to falling passenger demand due to the global economic downturn, and will hopefully survive to see things improve. Further to the above developments, in April 2009 Emirates has also offered unpaid leave for periods of one to six months to cabin crew. The hope was that up to 700 from among its cabin crew work force of 12,000 would volunteer to take leave beginning in May of 2009. Many have done this, and for the cabin crew that remain, there hours have gone up. That is better for flying pay, but tiring for the staff involved.
This month should have been a standby month, but much to her surprise she got a roster! In a very fast turnaround, as soon as she got back from LAX she was off to JFK.

Being a mother I advised her not to do to much during her 24 hour layover, as I knew she would be tired and jet lagged. Did she take my advise? NO!!! She did it all, and like me loved New York.

It is a funny place New York, even though you have not been to it before it is all very familiar, you know the streets from all the films they have featured in, it is such a big city, yet seems small.

She had a Kuala Lumpur was swapped for a Manchester ! She has been to KL before, and needed to shop in Manchester. The shops in Dubai are very expensive, so it is a good idea to shop when you are out of DXB, even for food. Pork is normally taken back, but not this time due to the Swine Flu epidemic.

The month was finished with a second visit to Shanghai, where i am told shopping is the order of the day.

April Layovers in Moscow, Milan, LA and Nairobi.

April 2009.

Compared with the NHS rota system, the one used by Air Emirates is very fair. It gives all cabin crew the chance to be 'top bid', this happens about ever six months. In the NHS each month is just a 'free for all,!! April was Top Bid, and didn't she do well!

Her rota comes out on the 25th of each month, she can than swap things if she chooses to. Some crew swap to get the rota they want to work, Trolly seems just to work what she is given!?

She had got her bids in by the 15th March, and she bid for days off and the USA.

On the first of the month she flew from Dubai to Moscow. None of our family have ever visited Russia before so this was very exiting! It was still cold, it ranges between 1 to 10 oC at this time of year.......so she HAD to get another hat! The hat does look good...So does Moscow, I feel a trip coming on.

Because Air Emirates fly from Dubai the following destinations are turnarounds, Beirut, Bombay, Kuwait. She had a few of thease till the 13th of April, when she had her second visit to Italy. A layover in Milan.

then it was the big one! A 3 day layover in LA. Setting off from Dubai it was a long day as she travelled East to West.
She certainly got about in the short time she was in the movie capitol of the World. Seeing most of Downtown LA. Attending a filming of a chat show where Simon Cowell was being interviewed, and even saw 'Wolverine' AKA Hugh Jackmans hand print ceremony.
Africa was her next continent, Nairobi in Kenya. Her she paid (and paid a lot !) a visit to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. This is an orphanage for Elephants and Rhinos.

All in all a month to remember, and she gets paid to do this?! x

March layovers in Scotland and Japan.

Following our relaxing holiday in Thailand, The Dolly with the Trolly was straight back to work. Whilst we relaxed on the beaches of Phuket, she jetted from Dubai to Glasgow.
Whilst in Scotland she visited the capital city, Edinburgh. One place more than I have seen!
Her next stop was very exiting, a trip to Japan. It was her last flight of the month, and the last time EK would fly the route, due to the economic downturn. Dubai to Nagoya.
Whilst in Japan she took the famous Shinkansen train to Kyoto, the World Heritage Village. She seemed to pack a lot in during a very short layover.