easyJet and BALPA team up!

[CPT4C]

easyJet and BALPA are teaming up to try and get the ban lifted on over 60's being in command of an aircraft from flying over France.
easyJet are worried about being short of pilots to fly the 319's that are arriving in huge numbers and say that if the ban is not lifted then they may have to slow down their expansion plans

[Fifty Above]

Fine, but perhaps easyJet and Balpa might have been better off "teaming up" to sort out some more urgent issues for the huge majority of their own pilots who are under sixty!

Assuming that easyJet really have woken up to the fact that they have a pending recruitment crisis (for experienced pilots), one would have thought that they would be working together with Balpa on more pressing issues like rostering, morale and improving Terms and Conditions; that way they will be fishing in a much larger pool for pilots.

There are many over 60's who want to continue flying, but just how many of them are interested in doing 60 hour duty weeks and 12 hour days...

[fergineer]

Another good reason for any of the young up and coming pilots not to join BALPA. Instead of trying to put back the inevitable shortage by a couple of years BALPA and Easy Jet should be recruiting for the future. There are many young and not so young pilots more than ready to join up with airlines if only they had a chance. Yes for a few years there will be an 'experience' shortage but many airlines have managed to overcome this. Companies need to take the chance and expand for long term not short term fixes.
My job comes to an end soon not because of age but being replaced by a black box however I had no intention of staying till 60 anyway so I unfortunately will not be able to move aside for a younger guy.
Think about it you guys that are fighting for this, I know that there are some out there that 'need' to stay in work but for the majority of these guys with big pensions leave it out guys enjoy the rest and give the young guys a chance to get on the bottom rung, who knows it may even push up the pay but then that is another story.
There are companies that are willing to take the chance with young guys and long may there be some, the more the merrier.

[fireflybob]

I am all for pilots being able to continue beyond 60 but what about the pilots under 60 in the UK who EasyJet could employ NOW!

Here is one fit 53 year old with 14,000 hr (including B737 and A320 time!) who whilst not being current on a type would be happy to be at least offered an interview.

Perhaps BALPA should be representing people like myself over this issue!

[mjenkinsblackdog]

Balpa and easyjet.
MUST team up to sort out the poor rostering and crewing which has been going on since 1998.
Or they may lose lots of under 60s.:cool:

[Daysleeper]

And if they are anticipating a shortage why are they continuing to screw some experianced pilots into paying for thier own type ratings.

[Noax2grind2]

My mate in easy mentioned this and speculated whether the age of the chairman or ex chairman of the pilots council had anything to do with it?
How much easier it is for a company to take on a major `struggle` supported by the plc chairman than face issues like rostering agreements (they dont have one!) and pay and conditions!!
It also makes BALPA look as if it is `fighting issues` whereas in fact it is ducking the more difficult ones!

[FlapsOne]

easyJet are worried about being short of pilots to fly the 319's
Where does it say that in any of the documentation? Only 2% of the pilots are over 60, but it is seen as likely to increase to 5% by 2007.

My mate in easy mentioned this and speculated whether the age of the chairman or ex chairman of the pilots council had anything to do with it?
er........NO.

Never let rumour get in the way of any fact eh! Do you now honestly think that Balpa and the easy CEO are dancing to the tune of the ex Chair of the CC! Not one member of the easy CC is directly affected by this campaign.

This is INDUSTRY WIDE guys, not just Easyjet. This is just a worthwhile campaign that the company has decided to support publicly alongside Balpa.

It is not a points scoring exercise.

[outofsynch]

And BALPA (i.e. the CC) ARE sorting out the rostering, and crewing issues... Life is getting a 'little' more acceptable in the orange world. But these things cant be fixed overnight.

In the long run, easyJet will become an employer that many more will aspire to, and those within, will become proud of.

Ironic how those who snivel most, are in general, those who dont want to subcribe to BALPA, and assist with the improvements. :p

[Colonel Klink]

Noax, the ex-chairman was over 60, but I am, as current Chairman, only 42!

[Noax2grind2]

Noax means no axe, and no offence intended! Only repeating the speculation that I heard!
I too will be 60, eventually, although I hope I will have more pleasant things to concern me than flying over France. however I am old enough to have developed a healthy(?) cynicism about airline management.
Good luck!