Caped Crusader and Max AoB - you are both absolutely right. Franchise pilots are manifestly cheaper than mainline pilots to employ. That, along with our other greater efficiencies make us cheaper. Land ASAP, you have put your finger on the real issue - you simply resent us on routes that you erroneously imagine are yours. You (BA) did not want them because you could not make any money on them. You are alas the victim of poor management and pilot greed. You may not like us but you will like easyJet on the routes even less - and that is what will happen if you continue down your current plan.
We at GB are a great asset to you and not a threat. Your own management sold off GO for peanuts and has now seen it sold for not much under £400 million. This new GO/easy package presents a real threat to us all, and you trying to attack the franchises is simply not where the battle is at. We at GB offer a fantastic service to you at mainline. We are not the enemy and resent being treated as such. We will never give in to the 'bully-boy' tactics being employed by BA/BALPA to gain routes that do not, and in most cases never have belonged, to you.
The current arrangement of us having gentle expansion (2 aircraft/year), primarily out of Gatwick, is the way to go. We will be a huge benefit to BA, and you in the meantime can get on with the job of fighting the low-cost guys.