OBK!
Thank god for some common sense. I echo your sentiments entirely.
PP1 at BA is £50,800. PP34 is £113,500 (long haul FO). Add £12,000 to those numbers for flight/duty pay. There's a whole lot of money inbetween. But the paypoints don't tell half the story - it's the "having a life" bit thats actually important. The bidline, the staff travel..the general humane treatment.
Hiwing - if you aren't happy with prospects at BA, toddle off to easy/ryanair. Having worked at the former I can tell you that it bears no comparison whatsoever in terms of lifestyle - and I'm still in the bottom 10% seniority wise. At least now I don't suffer constant roster instability and fatigue.
Oh, and I'm living in london quite comfortably.
Good luck to all those swimming in the pool - I wouldn't think twice when plucked.