AdM, we met at OAA the other day and you either felt sorry for me or didn't want confrontation but you did not say any of that to my face.
In my defence - I failed the BA selection, not enough hours for EK, I've been on flexicrew for over 2 years, my first year I flew 900 hours, this year I have flown 700, which is a DECREASE in pay. Merlin hasn't produced anything at all. My circumstances mean I want to stay in the UK for the forseeable future.
For me going to Monarch is not a backwards step. I have 1800 hours, at eJ I am still an FO (not really an issue) getting paid by the hour. At Monarch I am now an SFO, on £48000 basic plus flight pay. During my groundschool with Monarch I got paid allowances - not at eJ. My uniform has just turned up - paid for by Monarch. It may be a longer time to command than eJ but their expansion plans are looking at an extra 8, possibly 18 aircraft over the next 3 or 4 years. Rumours are another 100 FO's over the next year. There is the oppurtunity of long haul (at the moment anyway), which appeals and with those expansion plans the time to command won't be that long. Even if it's 7 or 8 years it's still less than BA. Do you think that easyJet are going to keep expanding? I don't think there will be much more - everything will slow down then, and guess what - flexicrew commands, think it won't happen? Rose tinted specs.
20 year captain is on £117k plus flight pay - almost as much as you! TC's earn another £25k on top of that. Base trainers another £10k. What is so good at eJ that would keep me there?