Thanks for proving that there's some folk who still think the Island is full of old fashioned fools Tyreplug. The only thing 1950s about the place is the low crime rate and safety of the place for bringing up families. Once you live here, you learn to appreciate the virtues of the place (depending on spouse often) and either leave quickly or become embedded.
It's certainly not about any form of benefit from working for BA or suchlike. I've hardly ever used Staff travel for anything other than short trips to London, often taking the ferry with the family. It's very much Dead Man's Shoes here for a VERY good reason- Quality of Life. Quality of Career is something else and if you know me, then my example of how you can screw a career progression by staying put is a good example!
IOM/LPL or MAN?? oh how I loved that Cb dodging fun for six sector days! You'll find we used to do IOM/DUB/JER, Chambery charters, IOM/LTN/ Kerry, LHR now LGW and loads of other stuff too back when we had a management with some vision. Myself and my colleagues mostly do want some variety and spice to keep us awake. It's just the enjoyment of seeing family at nights is more powerful than the job for most of us.
There's still some resentment of the IOM crews in Bacon, God knows why? Granted low direct tax. Petrol costs a fortune, so does heating and electricity. Phone company takes the piss, weather's CRAP, roads dire, the Government generally incompetent and stuff costs a fortune and takes forever on mail order. In Manx days we were under constant scrutiny from management and at their mercy mostly. Now it's just a withered outpost. Why do folk still think we've got it so good I don't know? Must be the quick walk in from the parking lot?