FLR,
TCX is not a bad place to work, but it doesn't feel very secure at the moment. For FOs towards the bottom of the seniority list things are looking increasingly uncertain, with 3 aircraft confirmed to be leaving the fleet this year and persistent rumours of further reduction in fleet numbers next year and beyond.
Management are unable to provide any reassurance or denial of these rumours simply because everything is totally down to how many holidays the tour operator sells, and world events mean that the 2011 programme is still constantly changing never mind the 2012 one.
TCX will always have the problem of having a lot more flying in the summer than in the winter, unfortunately it is my own opinion that it's beginning to look like the airline will be permanently crewed for the winter with extra temporary capacity being brought in for the summer. I think we've already seen the beginnings of this with the Aurela/Mint/Astreaus aircraft which have been used to top-up the fleet in peak season.
Comparing TCX and BA is like comparing apples and oranges - BA is an airline, TCX is the transport arm of the tour operator and is subject entirely to its capacity requirements, which are seasonal, changeable and wholly dependent on whether or not the public are willing to spend cash on foreign holidays.
Last edited by Eurotraveller; 9th May 2011 at 20:39.