Just a few thoughts on this subject.......(This is NOT an antagonistic post, I'm just trying to make a point and provoke some thoughts, so no insults please!)
My father was a flight engineer at BA/BOAC for 25 years (retd back in 87) He logged an average of 470 hours per year, which is only half of what you BA guys are doing now! However, his earnings in real terms were about half yours, due to the fact that for many years he was in the 80% income tax bracket, with sky high uncapped national insurance contributions. So, you see, its all relative. Yes its true that property was cheaper, but interest rates were also a lot higher, so mortgages were not as cheap as you think back then!
Son of Piltdown- quote "our job demands more respect these days than it ever did".....would you still say that if you were flying an underpowered, manually controlled, unreliable, low automation Boeing 707, into airfields with few basic navaids...? on three week trips, multi sector days with no flight time limitation regs?
I worked at BA as a maintenance engineer for several years, I was not happy there so I left to pursue a piloting career. If you are unhappy there then do something about it, or go elsewhere. If not, then please stop posting your angst here and just get on with your life, doing the best you can like the rest of us!... Its very sad to see BA pilots, who are still in a good position relative to many others, whinging about T's & C's. Okay, so the "golden years" of the 80's and 90's have gone, but virtually every airline is having to cut back now. Personally, as long as I can earn enough to have an "average" standard of living I am happy as a pilot. There are still multiple rewards in terms of kudos and personal satisfaction that are nothing to do with salary, pension etc....