"Crewing dept will try and get away with making you work illegal rosters if they think you don't know the rules."..
I don't know about bmi, but be assured that it happens more than you can imagine. (Not only with scheduling agreements but also with CAP371 rules!)
Both the two airlines I worked for before had this problem, they were so desperately short of crews that they would do anything, and deal with the consequences later on.
They would disrupt your rest for a start, and make you go on impossible trips just to save their backside (like rostering you 5 days on at the end of june and 4 days on at the beginning of july...as if ppl wouldn't notice that even if on different months it is still 9 duty days in a row! Or screwing you up between time zones, for example sending you on a 7 day-duty in the americas flying somewhere every day, followed by 15 hours off at home and then another 4-5 day trip to India this time) and to save some money (eg: not providing a hotel after a very long multi-sector duty before finishing with a "DHDing on company aircraft" when clearly you still had to operate as crew as there wasn't anybody else to do the safety bit for you!!!)
I have the proof that things like this happen and can discuss anything (privately) if you're interested. I just hope that bmi isn't as bad as what I have seen and experienced on my skin!!
Also to notice that I have seen many crews accepting illegal duties just "because I really need the money".
Take care you guys.....look after yourselves xxx
FBW
