Nice Touch - thank you for your conciliatory tone. I think WWW has accurately answered your questions. He is not at my base and there is no doubt that experiences vary from base to base as does the flying pattern. If you are based in Scotland for example you can find yourself doing 6 sector days but that is not the case in Gatwick for example. The downside of Gatwick is the dreaded Car Park X which can add at leat half an hour, and sometimes more, onto your day - every day!
Regarding the issue of posts being informative or balanced, I believe they are accurate. They may, on occasion, be the same as management or BALPA buletins but that does not make them incorrect. Inevitably there will be those who perceive things differently, and outsiders have to weigh the relative opinions of all contributors. You need to know that I am not a manager and have no desire to be one. I do, however, know easyJet quite well and am not afraid to say something is wrong when it is. A review of my previous posts will find that there has been criticism when it is due. Equally, when things are going well I do not feel constrained to find fault in all the company are doing just becuause I could. My own perception of easyJet is that there is a whole lot right and it is getting better. This is not Virgin and if you want an easier life with posh hotels then this is not for you. I love coming home to my wife and kids every night and have only spent about 10 nights in the last 2 years away from home. It suits me in that easyJet offers unrivalled promotion opportunities, work with a wide range of top drawer people, intereting flying in great aircraft and is well paid. If you hate Airbuses and want a lot of night stops then you should be looking elsewhere!
Studi - I did not fully answer your question. You can change your duties with other pilots assuming crewing agree which they usually do. What is not easy to arrange are short notice 'domestic' changes (obviously not emergencies like a family accident or whatever). The bottom line is that on your 5 days working pattern you are expected to work. There is a facility to apply for 'PDOs' which are basically days off in your 5 day patttern which will be subsequently taken back from your days off. The typical use for one of these would be to go to a friend's wedding when you have time to give 6 weeks notice. I hope that helps.