As one very well-disposed towards GB, I have followed this thread with great interest. I am aware of the current concern in the camp regarding pay and conditions, but many of its pilots (certainly those writing here!) seem to have an unrealistic grasp of the situation that GB finds itself in. The truth is this has been an extremely difficult year for the company - and it is not likely to get any easier in the foreseeable future. GB is having to fight the juggernauts of both easyJet and Ryanair head-on, while at the same time trying to appeal to loyal BA customers. Nearly every route GB operates is under attack - only today easyJet announced direct flights to Marrakech from Gatwick starting in July for example. That will inevitably affect its LHR-RAK service which has always been one of the 'star turns'.
It is very easy to criticise your management but they have to balance the books. As far as I know there was never any suggestion that the tracker would disappear - except by rumour control rather than known facts. What this is really about is the fight to get 900 hours per year from each pilot - the sooner everyone at GB recognises both the inevitability and necessity of such a move the better it will be. Your competition is working significantly harder than you at the moment and that is simply not supportable in the long term. As one who now flies 900 hours, all I can say is that once you have arrived it is not too bad - the hard bit is getting there!
To all the doom-mongers - GB is not dead and buried but it will need to change. They are a great airline with great people but they are fighting against huge odds. The GB 'product' is superb and is totally different to the one that Ryanair or easyJet offers - there will therefore always be a market for what they are offering. The secret is ensuring that in handling the inevitable changes and concessions required from both sides, the BALPA CC obtain the very best deal possible for the pilots. No one should forget that although the 900 hours simply have to come, they are the 'jewel in the crown' of the pilot contract. If your managers' eyes don't water when you tell them what you want for them then you probably asked too little! Best of luck to one and all.