Hand Solo
Whilst I agree with most of your post, I would suggest that any F/O above about PayPoint 9 in BA would not be interested. The money will be similar but they will lose 2 weeks effective leave (duty free week) and life style choice via bidline.
It appears that all the successful bidders are PP9 or below (seniority number 2000 or higher).
However a very substantial inducement for these guys is the heavy command time. From October 2006, the current Compuslory Pension Age of 55 will have to be scrapped at BA. This means that all commands will be delayed for up to 5 years and for some of the more mature F/Os this will mean forever - even for shorthaul at LGW.
Time to command has also been distorted by the absorbtion of CitiFlyer. Some of the CitiFlyer Captains have "Grand Father Rights" and so will be placed in the left seat of a mainline fleet before some more senior BA F/Os. Some of the CitiFlyer F/Os have been placed in the right hand seat on long-haul. Not bad eh? Turbo-prop to Jumbo in one leap!
BA F/Os get screwed just like everyone else.
To those in GSS who regard the BA F/Os as stealing their commands - what about your currrent Captains? Some get more than 2 times a GSS F/Os pay just from their BA pension. Then they get GSS command pay on top! Why don't you ask them to just slide off gracefully and let you have their job?
So to all those in GSS, aviation life in not fair.
Of course you at GSS have the right to moan, but it's a done deal so learn to live with it or go elsewhere.