I think a lot of people are waiting to see what the latest announcement will contain, if indeed it happens. The job could be a lot worse, but it is the continual lack of direction, focus and leadership that has caused the problem.
1. Lack of the first two, with continually changing strategic plans and tactics which vary on a daily basis have got everyone feeling very insecure.
2. The lack of leadership, and the magnitude of brown-nosing flattery from the inner circle combine to make most people realise that there is NO commitment to the troops, be they aircrew or groundcrew. The perception of self interest matched by a degree of dancing to the fiddle and pipes of Waterside, with no firm planning or leadership as far as our future is concerned combine to make people worry for their future.
So, many people, (including myself) are looking for a safe way out. All that really stops the flood is the lack of a perceived security with any other operator currently recruiting. However, the wise have applied to Monarch and Britannia / Thomsonfly, only the lack of required type rating is holding some people back. Already a perceived safe slot on the RJ is now in doubt, following the wording of TDL's missive about it being uncompetitive and unreliable. This is the same sort of message which preceded the closing of several bases, and the abandonment of several fleets.
Newbies and wannabes should be in no doubt that BACX is a good place for a first job for a couple of years, but is no longer a place for a career. Trouble is that a lot of us have a decade or so invested, and hence the jump is quite big. Most human individuals dislike change, and therefore sit tight hoping things will get better eventually, I hope that approach may be the best one for all our sakes, but I hope even more that my latest trolling for a job with BAL works out.
