It *has* to get better soon...surely...!
BA Euroflyer's expectation was eighteen aircraft and more than two dozen shorthaul destinations from Gatwick by end of May 2022, for which they have been taking bookings for several months.
Since the BA Gatwick Lite pilot voting hiatus last year - ("We'll ballot until you vote Yes") - BA Euroflyer, who will be operating on the BA AOC for a while, has since -
1. Unsurprisingly failed to attract enough volunteers from the ranks of serving BA captains and co-pilots and even from their own pool of temporary and permanent unwanted, who think that a fixed six year 'secondment' might be a freeze too far especially if they are close to the mandated requirements for command.
2. Boasted of the flood of qualified external applicants from Easyjet, Wizz, FR (who all seem to be paid significantly more than Euroflyer is offering) and from various dole queues around Europe - many of whom have since been ignored or failed to demonstrate any reasonable standard.
3. Had to arrange for promised flights to be operated to a large extent this year by - take your pick from - Vueling or Iberia Express, Finnair, Titan, BA Shorthaul at LHR etc.
The latest scuttlebutt according to our 'favourite's' apoplectic Captain in the pub last night, is that Iberia will be supplying a couple of dozen co-pilots specially promoted who will join Euroflyer on the BA MSL as DECs and as a sweetener, will have their pay enhanced by the parent company. Apparently a lot of that is 'according to the Spanish Pilots Union' who may have jumped the announcement gun, because it was 'news' to everyone else.
Thus there is likely to be much accusation and denial before all the ducks are singing from the same hymn sheet. The principal subject of outraged 'debate' seems to be -
"What is Balpa doing to stand up for its members ?" - Short answer - "Nothing we can do, old boy, but stand by for comms."
Assuming he doesn't resign from Balpa (again) for
Balpa's alleged support for the Spanish Imposition, we may find out more at Quiz Night on Friday, because he says BA has screwed up his recency (again) so he's lost another long trip (again). A long hot summer will not be good for his wellbeing.
LFH
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