BA recruitment retread

[Threethirty]

I see it's all gone quite on the recruitment front; which I suspect funnily enough is because there won't be any non cadet recruitment for the foreseeable future, every new plane appears to be replacing an old banger and the retirement exodus doesn't seem to have come to fruition as the old boy network props up their pension schemes.
I found myself in the unenviable position of passing the 1st stage of selection and being told to reapply when the bmi merger went from idle speculation to horrible reality. Can anyone here offer any hope to a slightly jaded and frustrated individual regarding the recruitment potential in BA?

[time2leave]

Feel your pain! Passed sim check the booted out of the pool and now unable to apply as the goal posts moved. Chucked the towel in as far as BA goes for me

[Callsign Kilo]

Recently received the thanks for everything but unfortunately you have drowned in our hold pool email.

Suggested they hoped I'd reapply for a future campaign IF I fitted the criteria for application. More non committal than those in the 2008 pool who were 'fast tracked' into the process commencing in 2010. Unfortunately a few of those poor buggers drowned in this pool also!

Some guys within BA suggest DEPs will be needed again in a year, however with SH becoming exclusively Airbus and enough internals able to bid on to LH you might be a bit :mad: if you have anything other than a Toulouse based airframer on your licence? Type steaming was the way of the previous campaign however there were considerable numbers involved. OCCs are considerably less of a burden than full type ratings to any training department. They're also considerably cheaper.

[no sponsor]

Last I heard was the potential for 30-40 guys for LH positions next year.

But, very few retirements, and the airline isn't growing, except by about 4 hulls.

[Wirbelsturm]

DEP will always factor. FPP isn't good enough alone.

As for growth, the hulls are coming, growth depends upon how quickly old hulls are retired. At the moment it isn't certain that the gain/replacement is going to run at 1:1.

Retirements have been a known factor since 2006. Those of us who were 'realistic' never followed the companies 'logarithmic' retirement graph from 55 to 65 and, sure enough, most stayed on. There is a bulge at the top that will have to start moving from 2016 onwards.

[Threethirty]

Thanks for the replies, I'll certainly hope for the best.

[Heathrow Harry]

Also a lot more people are hanging on due to the world financial situation - I know people who, in say the mid 00's , who would have gone by now and started their own small business or lived on their pensions & invetsments. But it's very cold outside and interest rates are close to zero on a lot of ISA's and plans

It's a logical move to hang on to the bitter end - things outside may have improved by then

[fade to grey]

Amazing how badly BA treat potential employees. Getting in appears to be like a quest for the holy grail, and then to be dumped without hope.

I know a few guys who went through the process twice, that would require a loss of dignity I imagine.

[benjamin1981]

Having been through the BA recruitment system twice, I wouldn't say getting in second time was a loss of dignity. Been in 2 years now, count my self very lucky and I enjoy every minute. I am sure DEP will happen again soon.

[Callsign Kilo]

Whilst your tale is commendable Benjamin, I reckon the OP is directing his comments towards those who passed the DEP process twice and didn't achieve a position? They do exist unfortunately, not the fault of the recruiters I might add.

[BugSpeed]

Management quote on Day 1 Q and A session c. Sept 2011:

"...what happened to the hold pool in 2008 will not happen again...."

Hmm. Really? Must have been a spam email I received last week then. The worlds favourite airline does not have the worlds favourite "fair recruiting" policy!

Subsequent efforts by several second timers to be a part of the solution and not the problem were quite abrubtly rebuffed. To the point of feeling like we were a nuisance in fact.

We asked for the empirical evidence of 18 month validity in science fact. No such answer was forthcoming. A number of other carriers, as many will know, do not employ an expiry period because it simply doesnt make sense.

Rant over.

[no sponsor]

Unfortunately, BA is just a big machine with lots of processes, and a lot of departments with their say.

I guess the BMI acquisition threw everything off track; it gave BA too many pilots initially, and with the disposal of some of the BMI aircraft, and the cutting of several of their routes, the pilot surplus remains.

I can't understand how one month you are suitable for BA, and then next you are not. By this same logic, every BA pilot, indeed, every BA employee should be re-applying for their jobs every 12 months. No doubt someone with the bigger picture will come along and set me straight.

[Cut-Throat Jake]

Well I don't feel any loss of dignity. Completing the BA selection process isn't easy and I've done something very few BA pilots have achieved by passing it twice. Drowning a second time was certainly a blow, but given the circumstances...we were simply unlucky.

The preference towards TR'd and Cadet candidates was unfortunate, but if/when DEP returns it will be very interesting to see where we stand with BA. I understand from colleagues on the inside that the recruitment team are a decent bunch. Apparently Monarch are revisiting their Hold Pool from 2008 for their 'one-time drowners' so there's every reason to remain positive.

I'm quite happy in my current job, but given the opportunity I'll be back for round three.

[truckflyer]

"fade to grey" Loss of dignity??? :}

I would not let my dignity get in the way if it meant I could get into BA, seriously, there are not many other companies that are better out there!

[Juan Tugoh]

It's all a voluntary process, there is no compunction to put yourself through the mill if your dignity is so precious. You don't have to join BA. It is unfortunate for those who have "drowned" while in the hold pool, but it is not as if they were ever given job offers that we're reneged upon.

[fade to grey]

Hmmm ok, I still feel mighty upset if I'd been through their procedure twice.
My first question would be , ' Are you going to waste my time again ?'.
But then again I say it straight.

As for all the bleeding about bmi getting in .... I have a friend who was from bmi and a top bloke . Another ex colleague was such an unpleasant character with a messiah complex no one wanted to work with him and he sailed in.
So don't make out its not flawed and infallible .

[downwind24]

Cut-Throat Jake

That is a brilliant post.

The positivity and determination in your mail is outstanding :D

[prisoner24601]

I've heard 2016 for a mass exodus of retirements.

[Holyjoe]

Nope..2016 is not a mass exodus for retirement unfortunately.there is merely a trickle from now for the next few years.add to that the BMI pilots and future pilot prog cadets who are arriving soon, BA is actually experiencing a surplus.notification was sent today that unpaid leave is available from October for 3 months.That is fact.
But the industry is fluid and who knows what the future holds. But that is the position as of today chaps

[Juan Tugoh]

There will be no "mass exodus" in 2016 BUT those pilots that stayed beyond 55 when the law changed in 2006 will start to hit the 65 age limit. Retirements will start to pick up again. So while there will be no exodus, the stagnation that has characterised the last few years will start to ease. Furthermore over the next three years there will be a net increase in long haul hulls so there will start to be more posts available. Some of those will be taken by the FPP cadets, but not all.

[ManUtd1999]

Slightly off topic, but does anyone know if there are going to be 2 separate Airbus bases for pilots now they're replacing the 737's at LGW? Or are pilots going to be based at both LHR and LGW simultaneously?

[binsleepen]

Two separate bases.

Regards

[CanAV8R]

Mentioned at recent management forum during training that DEP recruitment will begin middle of next year. 30 to 40 mentioned.

Don't shoot the messenger.

[chocolateracer]

Along with another sizeable FPP recruitment part three.

[Love_joy]

CanAV8R,

I've heard exactly the same. The stars are aligning for a recruitment process to begin in Q4 2013, for courses to run in the Winter months.

Numbers will not be large, expect circa 50 positions to fill the boots of those lost by natural attrition.

[Callsign Kilo]

Would be a touching gesture if recruitment were to invite those who sank in the recent hold pool back for another shot at the title ;-)
Think there were about 80? A few have moved on, others may no longer be interested. Hopefully it will be seen as the fair thing to do, providing those concerned are considered eligible for the positions available

[Stocious]

Isn't short haul overcrewed and training facilities at max capacity? Can there be a requirement for DEPs at present when there isn't capacity for FPP cadets?

I don't know exactly how the bidding system works though. If there's an unexpected requirement for LH pilots in the time between bids, do they then go back down the bid list to those who were just below the cut off at bidding time and offer them the slots? Or do they seek suitable external candidates?

[WhyByFlier]

Hopefully it will be seen as the fair thing to do

Fair means 'the same for everybody' so to single out people previously in the hold pool, which was never pre agreed as a condition of not being offered a place, would not be fair. Do not confuse being kind, logical, generous or respectful with being fair! That said, I understand your frustration.

[Callsign Kilo]

I'm long past frustration. The writing was on the wall when the plans for bmi were announced. Most accepted the fact and got on with it. The pilot recruitment manager concerned was very open and straightforward and I, for one, was grateful for that. Leaving the definition of fair aside, I am hoping that the right thing to do will be to contact former poolers. It was done before with those failing to achieve positions in 2008. Hopefully it might be done again, providing eligibility criteria is met. However these are just my own thoughts, I realise some within BA and those aspiring to join BA as fresh applicants may not see it that way.