Originally Posted by
VinRouge
Permanent LHS longhaul. Why anyone would want to move junior after 20 years enjoying decent roster control, I don’t know. Money isn’t everything and BA FO pay is still pretty amazing
No, it's not. 34PP Pay in the first few years is not 'amazing', it is poor by comparison (LH, Air France, KLM) and not really enough to buy a house in the South East to house your family, large enough that you don't need to move again 2 years later, paying another load of stamp duty and moving expenses. In the past many gave up Commands or potential Commands to come to BA (I did), but no more I think. Huge salary cut to join BA, and you'll never make anything close to the difference back. JSS, costs flat, Management attitude and culture driving constant savings despite making nearly £2bn in profit, low pay, 900 hours etc. I'm afraid the Ts and Cs are not market leading for Junior pilots, they are not even competitive. Compare LHS on SH at 2, 3, 4, 5 years seniority, compared to a Command at eJ, Ryanair, Jet2 etc? 900 hours, no fixed roster, bottom of the pile on JSS and doing all this for just over £70k? Compared to £110k, 115k or 106k basic? DECs? Don't think many would apply for those Ts and Cs.
The job is still ok, the people I work with are really nice, the cockpit gradient very shallow due to experience, and the lifestyle definitely suits some. Definitely some good points, and things get better slowly over time, unless more attacks on Ts and Cs by management. Don't expect a land of milk and honey though, and do your due diligence.
Lots of senior people commenting about how BA is still great - and for them I'm sure it is, and they are being honest. For new joiners, not so much, it has changed markedly in the last 20 years, and hugely in the last 5 years. Caveat emptor.