1) The CAA have never liked having crews based at two different bases for longhaul ops, which would operate close to the FTLs if they their duty day starts at a different base.
2)The reason for two days early at a LHR is most probably cover for the Saturdays operation.
3) BA pilots (espc LH) are some of the MOST productive crews around. A substantial amount of -400 pilots are averaging 850-890 hours this year. 777 folks are not far behind. When you couple this with the fact that NO other flag carrier pay their 777/747-400 pilots less, (Air India) you can see that BA gets amazing productivity from their pilots. This has been proved IREFUTABLY by BALPA, by the way of significant research, rather than by the way of peoples half cooked ideas and ‘Chinese whispers’ about how little BA pilots work and how much they get overpaid.
. .4) You are all missing the point, sniping at BAs 'better' deal than other carriers. (in the UK market place only that is…). The top paying airline will always have a positive affect on the pay of other airlines within its region. As long as people leave charter carriers/BMI/VS etc to go to BA, the other operators will be forced to review their packages. Its called market forces, and it benefits those in BACE, just as much as it does receiving mainline deals.
PS. the crew ratios havent changed over the past few years, but somehow, despite selling large lumps of the company off, the headcount has gone up by 10,000 or was it 15,000? And if AA/UA/CX etc made money in the 90's with Skippers on $300,000 - $350,000 operating the 777, I think that crew remuneration has less bearing on the balance sheet than the grossly inflated managment structure.