I joined easyJet over 4 years ago from a BA franchise. More interestingly, I joined with a top quality guy in his mid-thirties who had previously been a Captain at Midland on the A320 then went to BA for a few years - 757/767 followed by an FO slot on the A320. We were both taken on as direct entry captains and have really enjoyed our time at easyJet. I speak to him regularly and, quite surprisingly frankly, he is still glad he made the move. He just got worn out with the culture of negativity as he described it. He felt like a small cog in an enormous machine and rarely flew with the same skipper twice. Also, he is a family man and was away from home too much - even on short haul. There is no doubt that he made a big loss on the pension as we give a dismal 7% into the kitty whereas he was on the final salary scheme at BA (long gone now I gather!). He now works 50% and has a great life doing other work in his 2 weeks per month off.
We also have several ex-longhaul 747/777 Captains with BA who hit 55 under the old rules and came here. To a man they all enjoy it, but are nonetheless blessed with some serious pensions that just about exceed their salaries at easyJet - nice work if you can get it! There are very few pilots at easyJet who do not enjoy their job, and that really does say something. Could you do it for 35 years? Well, that is another question altogether!
The huge advantages of easyJet are the 5/3/5/4 roster pattern and the fact you hardly ever go away from home. Offsetting that, you would be a very brave person indeed to be a 24 year-old Airbus pilot and turn down a job offer from BA. In all honesty, if it was my son and he was that age, I could not, hand on heart, tell him to stay at easyJet when a full career, and all the potential variety that could offer, awaits at BA. Just a personal view - but there it is!