I think there is a very balanced view above from my original post a page back. I didn't expect it to provoke such a reaction! For me i stand by what i wrote, at no point did i advise don't join just come in with your eyes wide open about what it is you want BA to be.
For me there was no Due Diligence as i was getting made redundant and needed a job! I always knew BA would be very hard for me due to the time away regardless of SH / LH as i have young children and a son with special needs so home life for me is hard at the best of times. I am also the wrong side of 40 which is not an ideal age to join BA, again this is my personal situation. I can totally see someone in their 20's / 30's with no children would perhaps have no issues at all.
I find LH pretty exhausting compared to 2 sector days due to the night flying and not being someone who can fall asleep anywhere! I would describe it as feeling like i have mild permanent flu most of the time unless i have a good 4 or 5 days off. Again this can be a very personal thing but i know many that feel the same.
That said i was and still am glad to have got into BA given the alternative was redundancy or forced part-time and for the security it offers.
The lifestyle that Monarch offered me over BA was better (for me personally) and was for others i know. I wanted to point out to those that may have rose tinted glasses that BA is not perfect .....but where is.
The differential between BA and other airlines is getting slimmer all the time why else would they have to go to the ME / Far East to get the numbers they needed. As stated above they cannot stand still and will no doubt continue to lower terms to compete, i think this contributes to the lowish morale within BA as the realisation that cost cutting will continue and things will be squeezed further.
To conclude join with realistic expectations, accept it will take time to settle especially if coming from a smaller company, you do feel more of a number at BA but i have also had great support from BA when i needed it with my son they really were great if you have a genuine problem...
You will be away from home and for me that is the biggest factor and i miss the lifestyle of being home most nights, I have had many conversations with guys who admit when they were 25 BA was brill now they are married and have children its a different job and if they could get out they would!
I have found almost everyone i've flown with at BA to be just like everyone else at my previous airlines, great guys and good fun.
If i could go back to Monarch how it was i'd go tomorrow ......but hey life doesn't always give us what we want!
