Trying to get back to the subject in question, another factor seems to have been missed here.
If the BA pension was the major driving force behind people wanting to join up, then now it has gone people aren't going to be leaving their current airlines, and the fabled "retirement buldge" will not create the throughput that many here have predicted would happen.
That means a lot of self sponsored people out there won't be able to progress - which will be a nightmare.