Following the Flydubai scandal, pilots with Emirates Airline told RT that the airline is allegedly cheating on pilot schedules by illegally prolonging work hours and intimidating them from reporting feeling sick or tired.

All of the pilots from the Dubai-based carrier that reached out to RT by phone or email did so on condition of anonymity. Some said they literally fear for their lives, as people can “disappear” in the UAE.

While Emirates Airlines ads sport a modern aircraft park and luxurious service, there is allegedly an underlying employment crisis that could lead to disastrous consequences.

One former Emirates pilot told RT that the number one issue to investigate is the airline’s problem with fatigue, as seven pilots at Emirates are forced to do the same amount of work as 10 or 11 pilots at any European airline.

“Obviously, these pilots have to work a lot more and get a lot less time for sleep and for recovery,” he said, pointing to the dangerous consequences of such a routine.

The reason for the overstretch is profit, he argued, saying that the airline is attempting to save money by not hiring as many pilots as are needed to match the workload. “The airline wants to use the pilots to their maximum, because pilots cost money. So they want to save that money and just exploit the pilots.”

Meanwhile, another pilot still working at Emirates said that the number of pilots at the airline has been dwindling. “They are not able to employ enough pilots to make up for the losses… So what is happening is that pilots are working harder, harder and harder. It is becoming worse,” he described.

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