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BA Direct Entry Pilot.

Old 21st May 2014, 20:27
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... but it seems every month or so you hear about BA pilots in the press. ...
and sometimes it has nothing to do with flying!

Britons face losing homes in Cyprus to pay builders? debts | Property | News | Daily Express
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Old 22nd May 2014, 06:41
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Superpilot: BA CC have always been "posh". Back in the day they were the debs who didn't get snatched up at the first coming out ball by chinless wonders from my old school. So they went on to try and snare a Nigel. It's not a bad tactic I suppose.
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Old 22nd May 2014, 07:34
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So skint, that the poor chap who is losing his Cyprus "bolt hole" seems to still be wearing his pilot shirt in retirement.
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Old 22nd May 2014, 12:59
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NR

Nah, it hasn't got pockets!!

If you knew the chap, as I do, you wouldn't say that.

He is one of the least pretentious blokes I know.
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Old 22nd May 2014, 15:14
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FinnCapt,

Good spot!

Glad to hear he's a nice fellow. As a foreign property owner myself, I wholeheartedly agree with his sentiment that it must be extraordinarily stressful to feel so conned.
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Old 22nd May 2014, 23:29
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Thread creep.......... To get back on topic, DEP recruitment will start soon for A320 rated pilots. I know it is frustrating if you have experience on a different type but market forces dictate type rated pilots as they can undertake a "short course" adapting to BA SOP's and get on line quicker thus earning money for the company. I don't agree with this policy but there it is.

As for the merits of joining BA I think your age determines whether it is a lucrative long term proposition. Under 28? It's a no brainer. Realistically, a command by your early 40's will close the financial career earnings gap to easyjet in the long term. 28-35? Then I would only choose BA for lifestyle and control rather than money. Over 35? Easyjet would be my choice, as you will earn more over the course of a career, gain command experience quickly while you still have the mental capacity to pass the course and benefit from a fixed work pattern which becomes important as you get older.

BA is still a great place to work but the gap to other airlines is closing rapidly and LHR is a tedious place to operate an Aircraft from.
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Old 23rd May 2014, 07:08
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Matzpenetration assuming BALPA call the company's bluff and IAG respond by farming out S/H to Vueling or what have you, what would be the point in joining a fleet that is staring potential obliteration in the face?

Yes it may well just be a great ruse to wangle a pay cut. Many operational fixes are required such as greater use of fixed links etc etc. But all of that aside, a threat still exists, albeit there are now only 6/5/whatever sounds scarier weeks to sort it.
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Old 23rd May 2014, 07:58
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if you join us bring your tin hat as you will be under constant attack. If you have a sleeping bag that would be good to because we won't have time to go home.

Unless this company changes the way it is run and gets rid of the silo mentality of top heavy departments don't worry to much about where you may get to on PP34 because the company won't even be around.

Sorry if it sounds doom and gloom but moral on the line is rock bottom. More to the point when does DEP to easy open?
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Old 23rd May 2014, 08:25
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It's open, and it's a contract position that is on offer, apply via PARC, if you get rejected expect zero feedback
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Old 23rd May 2014, 08:38
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So looking at this sensibly, BA are looking to hire between 100-150 pilots by this time next year. That's the number of pilots a loco normally hires for 10-15 new frames. If BA know what's around the corner (collapse of S/H, Spewling taking over etc), would they really go through the time and cost associated with hiring that many new pilots only to then deal with the mammoth ball-ache 3-5 years down the line? I mean, it's not like they are hiring contractors through an agency that provides pilots to The IAG group, or is it?
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Old 23rd May 2014, 09:30
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Superpilot, thanks but as frustrated as I am right now I don't think a parc contract would tempt me, but DEP SFO......I don't think any of us really believe that IAG, BA are going to pull the plug on short haul. It's the same threat which is always used. During the bmi take over it was agree to x or IAG will set bmi up as a loco out of heathrow (BA express etc etc) and all the growth will be there and you will be left to stagnate. Now it's a case of you must reduce costs, increase productivity etc etc or else IAG won't approve investment into short haul and Vueling will be the area of growth. IAG are not going to risk harming its most profitable brand which has just delivered the 4th best results in its history and is on track with its 5 year plan. All investors want more more more and IAG will be pushing BA management to deliver. In turn they are leaning on us.

I don't think you will find a single pilot who would say no, we are not prepared to agree to changes to strengthen our business. But what you will find is all of us saying we need to change how we work, improve productivity through structural changes throughout the business. Not the usual example of poor leadership of leaving the difficult tasks alone and targeting the pilot work force with a cut in terms.

Back to the thread

The only reason BA need more pilots and are opening DEP is they simply got their numbers wrong. How? I don't know but I guess it's all to do with new aircraft, delayed deliveries, delays to retirement of 767, the biggest flying program ever. I think there has been uptake of part time contracts and also a reduction in people doing overtime.
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Old 23rd May 2014, 10:17
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The only reason BA need more pilots and are opening DEP is they simply got their numbers wrong. How? I don't know but I guess it's all to do with new aircraft, delayed deliveries, delays to retirement of 767, the biggest flying program ever. I think there has been uptake of part time contracts and also a reduction in people doing overtime.
A lot of guys in the very recently abolished DEP holding pool (we are talking less than a year here for some folk) predicted this as being the case. Because it was also the case back in 2008. I'm a firm believer that quite a few in pilot recruitment regarded it as being the case too. So another DEP campaign, more time and money. And then what? A job, a hold pool position, no job? Only Airbus pilots are good enough when in times previously it was the person not the rating that was good enough (I know the last campaign was mostly type streamed). And don't give me the training risk, shortened bridge course argument. BA transfer it's own crew from Boeing to Airbus back to Boeing regularly. Plus they still recruit military pilots with zero commercial experience plus FPP guys with diddly squat. Who really decides things in BA? People with actual operational or training experience? I doubt that. IAG want all the 'leanness' of a modern day airline but I reckon the ivory towers structure of a government owned institution still exists in places.

Last edited by Callsign Kilo; 23rd May 2014 at 10:45.
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Old 23rd May 2014, 12:29
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The build a bridge, suduko type recruitment is a load of tosh IMHO. Experienced guys should be a interview, quick sim and minimal conversion course. Job done

Who decides things? Accountants and the city boys saying they will take their money elsewhere if the don't get more more more I assume
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Old 23rd May 2014, 14:02
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I wanted to at least read it, but can't find the offer. Taken down already ?
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Old 23rd May 2014, 16:00
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Who really decides things in BA?
Nobody. They are told what/when to do by Madrid
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Old 23rd May 2014, 19:28
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And if you don't like it, don't apply. BA won't give a stuff of your view when it always gets an oversupply.
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Old 23rd May 2014, 22:59
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FANS is right, BA will not change until they cannot get enough suitably qualified people that can jump through the hoops that BA want. It may not be quite the holy grail that it once was, but BA are never short of applicants. Until they are short of applicants or the turn over is such that they cannot cover flights BA will not change and if you don't like it then build a career elsewhere.
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Old 25th May 2014, 09:31
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Are there any murmurings of what is expected from the SH review and when this is likely to take place?
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Old 25th May 2014, 10:04
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Are there any murmurings of what is expected from the SH review and when this is likely to take place?
The management are pushing for fundamental changes across all of Flight Ops at the moment. I think it's pretty much guaranteed that there are going to be significant changes in the rostering agreement (Bidline) and as far as the Short Haul review is concerned a tremendous amount of unhappiness at the management's demands/thoughts are being displayed by many Flight Crew members on the internal company forum (including some fascinating insights from those who joined BA after working for a certain LoCo). I think anyone currently thinking of moving to BA from a reasonably rewarded job with stable rosters in another outfit might want to be very thorough with their due diligence.......

We should know about the possible changes to rostering by the end of June, can't give a date for the Short Haul review......
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Old 25th May 2014, 14:21
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"including some fascinating insights from those who joined BA after working for a certain LoCo"
What's your point?
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