It was the cruellist quirk of fate and BA mismanagement that saw CFE absorbed into EOG swiftly followed by the announcement to move the aircraft to the regions.
However it must be said that the RJ is a godawfull aircraft for the punters that is cramped, uncomfortable and slow. For sectors under an hour it is bearable with the current (charter) seating density but to fly it further afield - No thanks. What is more the Club accomodation & product is very much below the standard offered elsewhere in BA for punters who are paying top dollar.
These guys (CFE) were doing fine feeding off the brand but it was decided the brand had become too diluted so we know what happened next. It was an enormous commercial mistake incorporating this operation into BA mainline.
Having said all that we are stuck with the problems of the Status Quo. In their first 5 years the Flight Crew can be directed anywhere at the behest of BA. As for the LHS>RHS situation your current salary becomes preserved until the new scale catches up - at least that is the agreement.
Perhaps someone might correct me but I understand a number of exCFE skippers do not have the BA experience requirements for command in BA ???
Worst case scenario for ex-CFE is that BA turn around and say;
1. Here's your relocation package i.a.w agreements
2. Your current salary is frozen/preserved
3. Your contract of employment is hereby transferred to BACE MAN/BHX
All totally legal and i.a.w. current agreements (bar the contract transfer of course).
This will naturally be against BALPA's wishes but since when did BALPA dictate BA's commercial strategy? That of course would be the principle submission in court when BA sought to get any strike declared illegal.
As for BACE - you guys are working for a wholly owned subsidiary of BA - like-it-or-not. If you are happy to work like the proverbial then good luck, but some of the posts above seem to say:
'I work longer and harder for BACE and I get paid a lot less and I'm really proud of it'
'Scuse me if I sit here scratching my head
