Reality Checks -
You're right to ask that this thread does not descend into a them versus us discussion but let me respond on a few issues.
The Airbus order (Which if all were 'firm' works out at around 100 hulls), came to a very tidy price, which you must agree would have never been achieved by GB as a single bidder. This is a subsidy for GB Airways and I can't see how you can disprove that. The A320-200 IAE's were intended to replace 757's, but instead the 757's were taken out as part of the Future Size and Shape capacity reduction program. The Airbus's were considered to be 'surplus' hence GB's bargain purchase.
What BA pilots worry about is that you inherit routes that are defined as unprofitable by our creative accounting department, however the 'real profit' of these routes is far from that. Perhaps you might care to mention why the FAO route, which you inherited a few years back has very high yield to BA, judging by the amount BA.com asked for when I tried to book online recently.
The Big Picture in my opinion is this. Staff costs as a franchisee are lower, I agree, but which ones in particular? It isn't the pilots, and this is not a Nigel whinge, because I know the pay scales of each airline. It isn't the ground staff because we use the same people. It isn't the ticketing because we use the same call centre in Newcastle. It isn't the marketing etc....
The ONLY staff group that BA and GB have a huge disparity in pay between is.......wait for it.......drumroll........
The Cabin Crew
GB's are a mere snip compared to our hard working (but expensive) colleagues.
So to summarise, the pilots of BA S/H feel that you are a threat, but we are caught in the crossfire of the considerable cost differential. Until BA can address this, you at GB will be recieving our 'supposed' loss making routes and 'somehow' making a profit. We, as BA pilots, refuse to let the inefficiencies of others erode our route structure. Some of us don't like Long Haul.