apaddyinuk - Yes, you a correct. The norm in EU is 900 hrs per year as far as I know. However, there are certain companies, like Virgin, who have negotiated different max flight time limitations with their pilot force...in virgins case its 750 hrs I believe. I applaude the Italian union for pushing this issue, if that's indeed what happened. To bad BALPA was too busy fighting a silly ID card, that I have yet to meet any pilot who is really bothered about. Instead they should have spent all their efforts over the past couple of years or so lobbying JAA/EU on proper (750-800 hrs / year?) FLT limitations to be implemented in the EU OPS!! But that's another story.....
od