Originally Posted by
Ver5pen
Hi guys, I’ve read through most of this thread and I’m sure many of you reading this will be thinking most of my answers are already answered but if you’d be so kind to entertain me I’d much appreciate it
currently on the 320 (just over 2500hrs on type and in my very early 30s) as an SFO in the UK, at this point in life/my career I’d only be interested in LH DEP and that too on the 350. yes I know that is very entitled but it’s really the only gig I’d possibly consider switching where I am for and even then I’m on the fence so I’ve got a few questions
1) salary wise I’m on around £100,000 gross minus any bonuses and a ~5% uplift expected from next month. I believe that’s not a million miles from a year 1 LH FO? Is BA in a position where it’ll be giving notable uplifts anytime soon?
2) I know someone adjacently who has just gone from my gig to BA on the 350 but I’ve also spoken to a few who are still in the LH hold pool and some were offered the 320, what is the LH hold pool looking like realistically especially for the 350?
3) obviously this is like asking how long is a piece of string but do you guys think the Middle East disruptions are going to have much of an impact on the LH recruitment process or any fleet in particular?
4) how realistic/sensible would it be to think about commuting even as a very junior FO on LH? I already live in the south but one of the biggest appeals of LH to me is the idea you can commute and live anywhere (within reason) so I’d probably look to go somewhere quite distant (by road). In this vein is it unserious to consider being able to commute using BA/EF/CF metal domestically?
5) what’s the tempo like? I’ve got a mate that dos long haul in the US (earning silly money of course but that’s a different conversation) and he can go months without a TO/LDG and regularly does landing sims when his 90 day currency runs out. Is it possible to do that at BA?
6) what’s the culture like at LH? From the outside I’ve heard anecdotally of quite the barrier/coldness that exists between flight deck and cabin crew within BA, I’m not sure if this is fleet specific or goes all over now there’s mixed fleet. I do have a couple of friends who are SH BA who say they have some pretty lonely trips when they get a skipper whose not interested in socialising and the cabin crew are not particularly interested in being around flight deck outside of work. this is less important but still something I think about when I consider going from a place where nightstops are very rare to when they are the routine, I could see how that would get lonely pretty quickly.
I’ve always been on the fence about leaving my current employer as long term I genuinely do think it’s one of the best places in the U.K. to fly for but I sort of feel like I’m in a now or never position as I’d hope to be starting the command process here within the next ~12 months and as many describe it- those are golden handcuffs and I wouldn’t be willing to walk away from the pay or part time options that come with command here. Hence anything that might make my BA 350 ambitions unlikely within the ~12 months I’d rather know upfront and just give up on the idea from here on.
I’m going to keep my answer short since others have provided more detailed answers .
If your acceptance of any future offer is based on getting the 350 specifically, and you won’t accept anything else, I would suggest applying to BA will be a huge waste of your time and efforts.