You are not entitled to free accommodation on your entry into the company. You are employed as a 'pilot officer' and your base will depend on the fleet you join. You do not 'join' your fleet's status list until you have passed your final line check, hence there is no requirement to accommodate you initially as you have no base. When you are based at LGW and have done your 5 year engagement freeze and decide to change fleet to say, the 747, you are then provided with accommodation as it counts as a base change. Accommodation is paid for by yourself and the cost reclaimed. If you are LGW based, you are allowed to claim excess mileage for your sim check and SEP. Pilots may claim for the excess mileage (home to Cranebank less home to Gatwick) This is calculated by flt ops admin.