Just to confirm (I have been BA crew on L/H at LHR for quite some years),
Any trip with a 5hr time change or more generates a
minimum of 3 days off, eg get home on monday, & get tues/wed/thurs off, back to work on Fri. This goes for anywhere in USA. It also works for India, but only when the time change is 5.5hrs, not when its only 4.5 hrs.(summer vs winter time change)
Places such as the mid-east, Africa only generate 2 days off due to the smaller time change.
Just to confuse things further, any trip which is deemed "long range" (by BA that is) will generate a minimum of 4 days off.
There may be one or two exceptions to this rule, [our old "mid-fleet" used to be able to bid for trips, but some did accrue less days off, iirc] & it may be different at LGW, but if L/H LHR based BA c.crew do eg a JFK n/stop, 3 days off it is.
You VS guys, please keep focussed on your real issues, not what other airlines do. Thats a potential big can of worms. You are professionals, & deserve pay, & T&C to reflect that. What other depts of VS get, & what other airlines pay is irrelevant. They will fight their own corner when the time comes.
Stay on track, don't get caught up in irrelevant side-issues, & go for the best you can get.
Don't believe that VS can't afford it. They won't go bust. The absolute final & best offer hasn't appeared yet. Its just called playing hard-ball-negotiation. There is a deal there somewhere whereby both sides can come out with an acceptable deal, & faces saved.
Your unity (or lack of it ) will be crucial.
