Sick - you rightly said how BA have lowered the requirements....
Absolutely.!!!!! I hear that the recent interviews did not provide many "acceptable" ( their words) guys.
At this rate they will have to start sponsoring again!!!!!
I'm afraid our mgt here had no idea about the perception of BA in the job market.
Their initial advert for 777 or 747 type rated guys just highlighted their pompous attitude.
When the DEP req't was thrown up a year or so ago they thought other pilots would be beating down our door (all 777 or 747 type rated.)
Happily they are now seeing otherwise.
Thanks to pprune and other improved forms of info gathering .... guys realise that BA has certain drawbacks.
(i) Pay is only industry average.
(ii) Applicants now may NEVER get a command at BA
(iii) They (BA) work you very hard; eg 5 transatlantic trips per month on the 777 and you will NOT have a happy work life balance on any BA fleet with junior seniority. ( Bidline - the BA rostering system ensures that senior pilots get exactly what they want ... but it is always at someone elses expense... see other threads for info).
(iv) LHR is the worlds worst airport and operating there with BA's bizarre rules for ground transport and cabin crew hours will frustrate you !
(iiii) A family home in an area with good state schools near LHR will cost you 650K, maybe more. Commuting to LHR is not easy and journey times are unpredictable.
From what I can see, many guys are staying put in their existing outfits. ( except perhaps for the sad case of some of the MYT pilots) .
Some of my friends made moves to Cathay Cargo, Dragonair and are really glad now that they didn't join BA.
Others who did give up their seats(both left and right) with JMC, Midland etc and moved to BA in the last 5 years really regret it .
Many pilots reading this site, I suspect, aspire to Cathay, Emirates or Virgin but BA is not proving to be a desirable choice.