Without any insider knowledge, I would assume the average path of FO in BA (pardon the terminology):
JFO SH- year 1 to 3
FO SH - year 4 and 5
FO LH - year 5 to 7
FO Lh - year 8 to 12 (good bids).
command course therafter
as opposed to EU LCC/ACMI path
FO P2F - year 1 and 2 (bonded salary)
FO - year 3 - 5
CAPT - year 6 onwards (fleet expansion times).
There's a signigicant overlap of experience and training received between BA FOs and CAPTs elsewhere, surely they are both qualified and capable to make the correct call. I would also suggest that apart for the loud bang cases, any FO who's inside 2 years from joining the type (4 recurrent SIMS) would be cautious and careful to take a non-reversible action to the extent that the PIC's call to execute it might come simultaneously.
If the best-practice operators can sort the responsibilites for a 2-captain or CP-INST crew, surely BA can sort theirs with FOs. Moreover if SOP exist for it.
To be completely square, if there is a risk of making a wrong call, or not making the good one, imagine this crew:
FO PM 15 years total aviation, 12 years BA, 4 years on-type (37 y.o.)
CP PF 35 years total aviation, 20 years BA, 2 years on-type (57 y.o.)
The probability in such setup is heavily skewed for the FO to make the correct decision faster and more coherently. BA decide to empower them, their choice.
That being said and returning to the original inquiry:
Anywhere else the decision rests with the commander and the action pertains to him too. If some airlines authorize an FO to make a call to stop, still the captain's action is what confirms it thus he retains a vetting chance (final decision). Removing that from the PIC is unique to BA, a single point when the scratching gets audible.
Last edited by FlightDetent; 26th Nov 2022 at 16:44.