I have a certain ambivalence about this whole subject of Openskies.
Being a strong BALPA member and supporter I will always support a group of Pilots who are engaged in a tussle with Management to preserve their terms and conditions.
But there is something about this Openskies business that indicates to me that it is not just BA Pilots squaring up to BA Management - it is also about BA Pilots also exercising their muscle to the disadvantage of other non-BA Pilots. It appears that they want the work for themselves to the exclusion of others in the same way as was done in GSS and BACON with F/O's from BA parachuted in as Captains with no consideration for the F/O's already in those Airlines.
Right now I don't buy the notion that Openskies is BA Pilots work, however I remain open to be persuaded. But I see it as follows - and please bear in mind that I might not be Mr Bullshot; I could be Monsieur Bullshot or Herr Bullshot:
As Monsieur Bullshot I might reasonably object to being excluded from flying my own countrymen to/from my own country under the highly dubious argument that it is 'BA Pilots work'. Similar for Herr Bullshot.
Neither is it likely that they would be using BA Aircraft. The 757 is an obsolete aircraft. BA would be disposing of some of them to Openskies - in the same way that they disposed of 757s to DHL for example. I don't remember BA pilots demanding that they fly all of DHL's night freight, so why should that argument hold up with Openskies?
The Management of Opensies might come from BA, but you can be sure they will be employed by Openskies, not BA. Someone previously mentioned that IT systems will be BA's - this is really scraping the barrel for excuses, but in any case, I was informed that an Airline that used to employ me has a contract for some IT services with Openskies. It seems that WW will have it all covered...
I am therefore, still quite perplexed as to why there is an IFALPA ban on employment. How did you BA guys twist that one?
In any event, I can't help feeling that you Chaps might be fighting the right war, but you have chosen the wrong battlefield. It will be interesting to see how it all pans out but please Guys, stay calm and keep the silly insults on Pprune down a bit.
Cheers
BS