The problem is that in reality it doesn't matter what you personally feel you want. If you are in a large airline like easyJet or BA, who both recognise Balpa then in order to vote or have a say, you should be a member or risk having no voice and no backup when things go wrong. If you are in the IPA, then you are out on a limb and will not get consulted on industrial issues which may affect you greatly. More and more employers are trying to get more from their pilots for less, have a look at these pages to see how many airlines are close to having a strike. Balpa has a lot of rescources which can be thrown your way, especially if you have a problem in Europe or elsewhere around the world, something the IPA cannot do.