Hand Solo - With regard to EF scheduling...
More and more of the trips are minimum rest, with links added to the beginning and the end of multi-day trips. BA uses Carmen which, supposedly, constructs the trips in the most economical way / maximum efficiency within the current Industrial Agreements.
The main 'gripe' from Flight Ops and other departments with regard to EF scheduling seems to revolve around the CAT and Compass turnarounds. Two things here:
First, we could go 'a la midland' and do multi-sector trips on the same aircraft with no break. I did my fair share of 4 and 5 sector DUB and BFS trips at BD. Fact is, they ARE tiring, and whilst BD might be more 'efficient' in their scheduling, ask anyone who is ex. Midland on their views about this... they'll say the same thing - great crew, but knackering - and that's one of the reasons why BA is able to swoop up so many ex. BD crew. Better T&C. Also, as you know, we did trial fixed links, but the whole thing fell apart over disagreements with other areas such as CSD on EF etc.
Second, we're back to the allowances thing again. Midland (and Easy, and the Charters) all have a higher basic than BA new contract crew. Remember that 'new contract' guys now represent 65%+ of main crew on EF now. Whilst the basic pay is what it is, the union will fight to protect the allowance system which is the only way that the pay is able to come out decent. If we look at getting rid of CAT's and Compass turnarounds, thereby reducing potential allowance earnings, then the basic pay will have to be relooked at. It's not something the company is particularly keen to do. Much cheaper to have pensionable pay set at £10k a year and exclude all those allowaces!
I support efficiencies with scheduling, but the issue is more complex (allowances etc.) than just slashing turnaround times.
The North American system of block hours where one works 75 block hours a month gives crew the option to bid for 'light days' with extended turnarounds and long layovers and good $$ for per diem, but you need to work more days to meet your monthly quota. Alternatively, you can work more 'efficient' days such as 8hour hard time 'there and backs', less $$ for per diem, but you max out quicker and get more days off. Crew have more control over lifestyle, and the company wins too...
It's a totally different system from the BA Cabin Crew agreement, but maybe something like that is what we need? However, I doubt it would ever happen as the company and the union just wouldn't see eye to eye over losses to allowances etc, and quite frankly, for new contract crew, we can't afford to lose the allowances.
Final note - with the 767 longhaul flying coming to EF, there is a real possibility that many crew will start to edge close to the 900 hours, thereby working the same number of hours as the Flight Crew community.