In the midst of the Madhatter's Tea Party inhabited by Narrow Runway and Sk8erboi, I dare to hope that some rational discussion may yet prevail.
Sprinkles - I have some considerable sympathy for your position and I am genuinely sad you felt you had to leave. I do not know exactly who you are, but I suspect you are one of the guys who went off to Monarch, having become really hacked off with easyJet. In all honesty, I have always felt that going to Monarch was a bad move, but easyJet have to take some responsibility for creating the environment that made you all feel you had to leave. The simple truth is that your time here coincided with an increasingly vicious battle between the pilots and management that only came to an end with the NEC agreement. I fully accept it is not perfect and that there have been winners and losers from it. Considering the very difficult balancing act that BALPA have had to perform, I think they got the best deal they could have done without turning to industrial action. Had they done so then I do not believe they would have had sufficient support to go to a strike - they knew that and our management knew it too. Given that scenario they called off the dogs at just the right time. Although I could not personally cope with the Monarch SOPs, the deep night flying, the old aircraft (posh new ones coming some day soon they tell me) and a very uncertain financial future, I can see the attraction. They have somehow managed to make their pilots believe they are in a great company despite it all, and for that I can only commend them. It is not BA or Cathay, but there are a lot of pilots who like being there - difficult to knock, even if it is not my bag.
My own regret is that we managed to alienate so many of you when we just did not need to. We failed to show you from Day 1 that we were a genuine medium to long term option - inexcusable really. Nonetheless, times have changed and there is a permanent contract for all new joiners, and for that I rejoice. Despite the ramblings of Narrow Runway and his mad mates, the Captain contract is still 100% intact, which was a critical concession easyJet had to bite the bullet over. EasyJet is a great company to work for and it offers a range of opportunities that few airlines can match. Another key part of the whole attractiveness or otherwise is that, love it or hate it, you know from Day 1 what you will get paid and the exact details of the contract. For some of you it is not enough, and that is fine. My own view is that anyone who comes here looking to make it work will have a great chance of a fantastic career. If it is not for you then that by all means go elsewhere. if you have a better job in the offing then I am sure you will take it. Good luck.