davejohnson6 - Agreed...
In normal times BA had a system where you could select a pre-retirement trip to be taken in the last few months prior to your known retirement date ...it didn't get you the fire arch but gave you the chance to pick a trip to go somewhere nice if you couldn't usually get it as a result of seniority and the normal bidding process.
Thing is we're not in normal times right now and the priority for scheduling staff ATM is fire fighting - they need all of the reduced sectors they can lay their hands on in Long Haul to get or keep people "recent" and/or in check....I rather suspect they haven't got the time or the inclination to start allocating retirement trips for those about to hang up their headsets when they need those rare as rocking horse do-do Long Haul sectors for those who are staying on.
Frankly whatever the reason for the overheard conversation as a 30 year plus ex'ish Long haul captain I really hope none of my colleagues of similar seniority would not be complaining in public about not getting a hearty send off ATM ...I'm saving my sympathy for the 250 plus junior pilots who without any doubt at all have been laid off at short notice without farewell trips..(and of course sympathy for the likes of TURIN's colleagues).
Last edited by wiggy; 25th Aug 2020 at 16:06.