To add a little balance to the negativity that seems to be in abundance on pprune.....
Yes things are changing, but let’s try and see the wood for the trees -
1. The pension has just improved by 3% for new joiners and is arguably as good if not better than anywhere else. As an example, the total contribution is 50% higher than easyjet (my previous employer)
2. Yes, bidline as a bidding function has gone, but it has been replaced by a powerful new system which remains better than any other system I know of in any other airline.
3. The hundreds of pages long Bidline agreement (Bidline Rules) which is essentially our rostering agreement, is largely untouched as a result of the new bidding system arriving. It is this set of rules that makes our life relatively easy at BA compared with previous companies I’ve worked for.
4. Once the rosters are published they are set in stone. This is a massive plus from a lifestyle perspective and can not be said of too many other companies.
5. Despite the rumours, we still can bid to move fleets. Aren’t we trained to make decisions on facts rather than speculation? Besides, even if the rumours do come true to some extent, BA still needs someone to fly all of the aircraft types we have. Movement might slow down, but it logically can’t stop....
6. If money is what matters to you, pay might be lower at first, but across a career it isn’t far away from the LoCos.
7. We still get off the aircraft and have time to explore the places we visit all over the world. Personally, I can’t put a price on the incredible experiences I’ve had on company time. It’s a huge privilege.
8. At Heathrow on short haul, we start work a good hour later on average than LoCos do, and rarely finish beyond 10.30pm. We also seldom do 4 sector days. Compared to LoCo or Charter flying it doesn’t take a sleep scientist or a doctor to demonstrate the positive impact this has on health, longevity, mood and happiness.
9. For the most part we stay in nice hotels in city centres, so we can easily enjoy our destinations. Rumours are always that this will change. However, for those without selective hearing there are strong counter arguments to this, and anyway which wise man ever made choices based on rumours?
10. Staff travel, despite its foibles, allows us to take our families on great holidays all over the world for a fraction of the cost, often in premium cabins.
11. As for the prestige, I guess that’s personal. However, rightly or wrongly the public perception is that BA has the best pilots. I personally don’t agree, but that’s not the point. We are all human beings and so if someone is impressed by the fact you work at the perceived “best company” it’s hard not to feel at least a little bit good about it.
I know some people will try to pick holes in the above arguments with nuanced, cherry picked and speculative pointers. I just want to show potential joiners the positives to go alongside the negatives which are so prolifically stated and, dare I say, often exaggerated on this forum.
Good luck to all who are considering their options.