I'm a recent joiner (20 months) from a well known regional - I'm also 48 and have a 12 year old daughter.
It has been my ambition to fly for BA from the age of 6 and I've suffered all sorts of challenges along the way to get here including years as a turboprop FO, funding my training and ending up with a mortgage I may never pay off. While I worked a proportion of weekends in my previous airline the big difference I found when coming to BA was that I was not just working an early shift and coming home for bike rides and dinner with the family but was being sent away on a Thursday to tour Europe and coming home on Monday to sit at home in the house by myself until Thursday when I went back to work.
After 14 consecutive weekends like this last year and feeling that my daughter in particular was growing up without me I decided to find a way to make BA work for me. A very nice ex BMI skipper I was flying with said to me one day he felt exactly like I did until he went part time so took his advice and went 75%.
It's made a massive difference to my family life, my happiness and my enjoyment of the job. I now earn about what I was earning at my previous employer but work a lot less days.
Due to the 40% tax band, NI, less wear and tear on the car, less shoe leather I'm not out of pocket by that much and its a no-brainer. I'm now guaranteed a weekend off every month plus time around it to pursue hobbies.
I don't blame the guys who came before me on the better terms and conditions - they were given their contract and I accepted mine. I get to stay in some interesting places in great hotels, I'm paid pretty well for a guy who does 12 days work a month and I've met some fab people and my guitar playing is coming along a treat. Overall I'm just happy to be here.
No amount of wailing and gnashing of teeth is going to change BA, you've got to come here, embrace it and make it work for you and your family.
Right enough from me! I'm on a layover somewhere hot with a pool and I'd better get down there for a swim. I'm flying back tomorrow morning, should be home by lunchtime to see my daughter come in from school and then I'm into nine days of part time week.
BA is what you make it! Think about it.