Originally Posted by
Chugalug2
Thanks for the reply JT and for being so frank. I'm not very surprised of course, but it spells out the BACC position clearly so that no-one can now be in any doubt. We have here two powerful entities in UK aviation; the MOD and British Airways. It seems they are very much hand in glove with each other regarding BA pilot careers thanks to the Managed Path Scheme which now it seems is a two way highway, with pilots shuttling to and fro between the two on a supply and demand basis. Very cosy and convenient no doubt but it raises questions about why pilots trained to UK military standards at tax-payers expense should be directed by the MOD to one particular airline rather than to UK airlines in general. It may no longer be nationalised, but the irony is that then it was somewhat hostile to recruiting service pilots, preferring its home reared Hamsters instead. Its competitors are now going to shrivel up before our very eyes thanks to the effect of Covid-19 and it must be smacking its lips in gleeful anticipation. Given the twin advantages of its size and slots, we can now add the Managed Path Scheme which provides it with trained military pilots who can be off-loaded back to their origin in hard times like these. I ask again, where is the advantage to the RAF in this arrangement and to its long suffering tax-payers?
You seem determined to see this as bad thing. If the MOD and the RAF and other Services don’t see anything in it for them, they will doubtless not take anyone in. It’s their call, no one can force them to take anyone. Indeed they are choosing who they want, not just taking people that BA want rid of. I’ll say no more on this as you can only view it through a very negatively biased lens. The MOD feel differently from you and that is what counts, your opinion far less so. Feel free to write to your MP with your dislike of this. There is no stitch up here just two organisations making a mutually beneficial arrangement. It is not exclusive, anyone from another airline can also approach the MOD with a similar offer if they feel it to be worth while for them. It is not BAs or the BACCs responsibility to protect anyone’s jobs other than those of the people they represent, BALPA on a larger basis can do whatever their members ask them to do.