PTG
Well done on your sucessful completion of BA selection! I know some good people who didn't get that far, so it was not easy.
I am not a great expert having only recently joined BA but these questions are of importance, so here's what I can tell you...
1. look at ppjn.com it covers BA DEP pay as well as rest of industry. The annual increments are about £2k per year on top of that.
2. Balpa have stated somewhere in the (very)small print that they want increased contributions for BARP members (British Airways Retirement Plan) ie.all joiners post April 2003. But bear in mind that BARP guys are all new joiners to BA (150 bods), and Balpa's priority is the final salary scheme (NAPS) for 3000 bods, so where would you guess BARP comes on the Balpa agenda? Also note that less than 50% of Balpa members supported the final salary scheme for new joiners, so what's the chance of them voting for better contributions for BARP....
3. The actual figures are 7% + 5% of pensionable pay, pensionable pay being 75% of salary. Try crunching the numbers again and see what you come up with. Watson Wyatt, BA appointed administrator/actuary for the scheme have quoted me £7,500 annual pension after over 20 years service. State pension on top of that of course. Can't wait for that luxury retirement.
What I believe it all means is that you will have to put aside a serious chunk of your pay to have a liveable pension on retirement, or get lucky at the horses. The pay ain't bad so get saving!
Good luck
Barney