Fair point about 2006...but who knows what is going to happen...aviation will probably be exempt.
All aspirational bids have to be honoured before any external applicants can move onto a fleet. If there are 40 places on the -400 and 40 unfrozen pilots bid for -400 places then there will be no DEP's on the -400. However many of the guys who are bidding at the moment are under either the initial 5 year freeze or in a 4 year equipment freeze. Which is why the company can put pilots on the LH fleets. In the not too distant future, as the LGW pilots become unfrozen, I think it highly unlikely that any DEP's will go to the -400.
(A note of caution to those joining, the last lot of DEP's were given -400 slots. It even had this written on their contract. However when they turned up for day one they were all put on the 'bus. Some have really enjoyed it and will probably never go LH but some were VERY pissed off as they commuted from the furthest flung parts of the UK. BA can do what they like with you in the first five years. Please bear in mind that what is written on the contract may not be the aircraft you end up on. Some guys even completed the -400 sim before being moved to the 'bus.)
behind the second midland
Don't take my word for it ask SM the BALPA rep or even better look at the BALPA BA forum. BA can't reduce the numbers for internal applicants and then put a DEP on that fleet. DEP's are used to fill in the gaps.
Promise
