JW411
You said:
"I think not; he regaled several of us in the pub for nearly an hour on the subject. Frankly, he was as incredulous as the rest of us. This was some time ago and if the practice has ceased then I for one am very pleased."
It sounds as though he enjoyed the attention. The point being the practice didn't exist as far as I am aware.
Going sick at home would mean that the person going sick would lose all the allowances and flying hour pay and the chap being called from standby would be paid those allowances and flying hour pay. Absolutely no gain or loss to the company. One pilot worse off, one better off. What would be the point?
Couldn't agree more about some of the pillocks you mention, in fact I think I know at least one you mention!
Out of the now 4000+ pilots in BA we do have some real idiots. Certainly the proportion seems no lesser or greater than my last two companies.
I think you would be suprised how normal most of us are.
Anyway back to pensions.
As the lapsed actuary says the writing has been on the wall for some time.
At risk of stirring up the hornet's nest now that those in NAPS realise that there FSS is under threat they may well regret taking less interest in the now defunct proposed APS/NAPS merger. Had it happened it might well have safeguarded the NAPS final salary scheme.
Never really did get a satisfactory explanation why BALPA initially gave a £100,000 contribution to the APS anti-merger group to fight the proposal.