Shaftsburn - voluntary unpaid leave has been offered fairly consistently over the past year or two but we have been carrying extra pilots on SH from the BMI merger, that is no longer the case - just ask the LHR crews!
I think Bex has made the most salient point. The SH review will bring about fairly significant changes. My bet is more hours at work (EASA FTLs), shorter night stops in hotels much closer to the airport and potentially the end of the current bidline rostering system (as we know it) for SH. If you're a junior BA SH pilot this will already sound very familiar..
And the biggest question mark is what IAG do next. Vueling and IB Express are growing. BA SH will only likely grow at LGW - our "cost low" base. IAG has 100 narrow body Airbus on order - and they are currently white-tailed. Any ideas where most of these A/C will end up and hence future expansion will take place......?
BA will continue to offer an attractive set of T&Cs and the lifestyle on LH will still appeal to many but changes are coming, and this is worth thinking about.