Little Prince;
"however, the point you have demonstrated so well on this and other threads is that you clearly place yourselves above the market"
Where is this reflected in my post ? By saying we are the first ones to feel the effects of outsourcing but you could be next ? My whole post was about how we should(as UK Pilots) be standing together on issues such as SCOPE. If BALPA fail at BA to secure Scope you could find your own job being done by a 3rd-world Pilot sooner than you think. You might be a lower cost solution now but don't you think mgmt will look for even lower cost solutions in a couple years ? How about when Hungary, Turkey or Greece join the EEC in the next year or so ?
"Eventually, BA will have to sort out its act, and become viable."
That was my point exactly in my post to thedude. Outsourcing flights to GB, will not "sort out BA's act." or solve the real issues.
fiftyfour;
"Some of these routes are not nearly as profitable as they were expected to be (or used to be) because BA has reduced its long haul,"
" for example, Tunis to LGW (not an ex-BAEOG route) used to carry 30 plus connecting passengers to long haul Houston."
So you finally admit there are some advantages to being part of BA's route structure then do you ? You can't pick only out the disadvantages and ignore some of the advantges of being part of a BA franchise. How many people in N.America have heard of GB Airways, how many have heard of BA ? Overall I think your bosses would admit they benefit from being part of the Brand.
Talking A/C size, seat pitch or level of service is a waste of time. We fly the planes we're given and we all do the best level of service we can.
The real Issue is SCOPE affects or will affect all Pilots world-wide over the next few years, especially with future "Free Skies" and Mergers. I wouldn't wish ill on any Pilot anywhere in the world fighting this problem Now because I want a clear precedent set everywhere that it is unacceptabel.