For a lot of our Captains, VAA is their first and only airline, and quite frankly the
FourEngines, the above is absolutely spot on, that said it not only applies to Captains but also to FO's who are enjoying their first airline. Not wishing to start a whole us and them debate(we know 'Them' are), but some of them are so blissfully out of touch with the realities and requirements of being a 'Commercial Pilot' it is absolutely incredible. Recently I had the pleasure of listening to a protracted rant by one of our colleagues who was incensed that crewing had the temerity to change his/her trip pattern, which rendered it unsuitable for the mini break he/she had planned to take his/her partner away on! He/she had even demanded to speak to the duty pilot, I kid you not!
This does lead on to the fact I believe that the work force(VACC) has frequently in the past become bogged down in niff naff and trivia whilst in pursuit of better T&C's, but as is so often the case in these matters its the empty vessels which make most noise.
But the impact of BALPA's conduct in the last round of negotiations has not yet been felt, and is unlikely to felt for some time. The benefits you quote are of great comfort, as I have spent most of my career(here an elsewhere) under the umbrella of such protection there is no doubt I could be accused of taking the them for granted. But the BALPA of now bears no resemblance to the VACC of old, its akin to associating the glory of England's 1966 World Cup win with todays squad of also rans. The truth of our vulnerable position now is that we have been accepting relative pay cuts since 2008 and unless we see a deflation in the UK economy our pay is only going to reduce further in the future. We must consider the staff travel perks are not contracted therefore can and will be withdrawn/reduced when needed to bolster bonuses.
This is probably the crux of my point, is that what you see is not what you will getting in future. I just wish to give a heads up for the people contemplating joining us, the position we are in now is potentially as good as it will get. With little hope of the 97% reforming, we are left with a disillusioned and largely self serving workforce, so the hope of this being turned around is slim.
Outside of BA there is no other airline I would now consider working for in the UK, but people should think long and hard about what they are sacrificing to move company. The prizes available at Virgin are diminishing and what New Joiners currently possess in their current employment is worth more than they realise. When I joined if I hadn't liked the new job other options existed, but I know that isn't the case anymore. Tie this in with the fact that such a leap of faith will in no way what at all be rewarded by any kind of loyalty from your new employer.