Low Average
I’m definitely not an expert but I think it went like this. A pilot with a UK issued licence had to make a decision. Do nothing then on the stroke of midnight post Brexit the it became an ICAO licence issued by the UK. As far as EASA are concerned the fact that it was the same licence previously is irrelevant. This was how it was explained to me in an European training outfit. It’s just another ICAO licence.
Alternatively, you could have SOLI’d it across to another European authority. I know there were pilots at easyJet who went for the Austrian licence. Then post Brexit the UK CAA are allowing pilots with an EASA licence to convert allowing an orderly transition to the post Brexit world. I believe that ends this year.
I was chatting to a BALPA rep about this and I believe that the European Cockpit Association are lobbying EASA/UK to recognise UK licences and vice versa. Basically what we had before. Remember the CAA didn’t want to leave EASA but were forced to by their political masters. Does all this make sense - No. Was it entirely predictable. Absolutely! Happy to stand corrected.
That was my understanding. The only thing I would add is that there was the option, once having converted from a U.K to EASA license during the grace period, to apply for a U.K. ICAO license whilst in possession of your recently converted EASA license - for very little extra effort, but at a price.
There are several colleagues I know who now hold both a U.K. and EASA license. They did this for various reasons such as being British and working in or commuting to and from the EU, working for an EASA member airline etc.
It’s a very sad situation, and I have to agree it was motivated entirely by political considerations….