British Airways to recruit 800 pilots
Thread Starter
British Airways to recruit 800 pilots
BA to recruit 800 more pilots by 2016. Half will come from Future Pilot programme, other half from other airlines and the military. The latter group will get a tailored programme to enable them to embark on their career with BA at an appropriate level. BA will underwrite the training costs of the first group (approx £100,000) and the money will be repaid over 7 years by the recruits accepting a lower salary than the £40,000 PA norm.
Seems like a forward looking view with appropriate and respectful solutions.
Wonder if any of our UK based crews will apply?
Seems like a forward looking view with appropriate and respectful solutions.
Wonder if any of our UK based crews will apply?
Join Date: Aug 2007
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40,000 quid normal pay? Is that correct? Jesus you would be living the dream on that!
Might be able to afford a council flat and an oyster card on that sort of dough.
I would have thought CX based FOs would be on at least 60 grand after a few years of service. What would be the incentive to join the bottom of a very long seniority list and take a pay cut?
Do they throw in the crappy weather and rioting as part of the package?
Might be able to afford a council flat and an oyster card on that sort of dough.
I would have thought CX based FOs would be on at least 60 grand after a few years of service. What would be the incentive to join the bottom of a very long seniority list and take a pay cut?
Do they throw in the crappy weather and rioting as part of the package?
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- 14 off days min long haul
- great destinations
- classy hotels, not the sh!t holes we have to put up with
- great staff travel, upgrades etc
- less anal training, normal failure rates
- garanteed base in your home country, closer to family and friends, priceless.
- more social crew life
- part time options
- short haul/ long haul choice
- pension
- union with actual power
- no pollution, real food, organic means actually something over here, no more cr@ppy parknshop rubbish overpriced toxic tasteless sh$t
- your neighbour is actually somebody you can talk to
- grammar schools for free and your kids actually will know how a forrest or a meadow looks like. they even can play outdoors
tbc
- great destinations
- classy hotels, not the sh!t holes we have to put up with
- great staff travel, upgrades etc
- less anal training, normal failure rates
- garanteed base in your home country, closer to family and friends, priceless.
- more social crew life
- part time options
- short haul/ long haul choice
- pension
- union with actual power
- no pollution, real food, organic means actually something over here, no more cr@ppy parknshop rubbish overpriced toxic tasteless sh$t
- your neighbour is actually somebody you can talk to
- grammar schools for free and your kids actually will know how a forrest or a meadow looks like. they even can play outdoors
tbc
Join Date: Aug 2007
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All very nice but on 40 grand less tax are you going to have enough to afford to live in a half decent area, have a wife and a few kids and enjoy all of these wonderful amenities.
I'm not denying the attraction of the lifestyle, the rolling hills, the public schools etc.etc. but 40 grand starting salary sounds a little light unless you get a serious bump up in pay after your first year or so.
Maybe I'm wrong but in my travels around england it doesn't come off as the cheapest place on the planet.
Mind you, you get to say "THE Speedbird" and " Fully ready". (Sorry, couldn't resist).
I'm not denying the attraction of the lifestyle, the rolling hills, the public schools etc.etc. but 40 grand starting salary sounds a little light unless you get a serious bump up in pay after your first year or so.
Maybe I'm wrong but in my travels around england it doesn't come off as the cheapest place on the planet.
Mind you, you get to say "THE Speedbird" and " Fully ready". (Sorry, couldn't resist).
Thread Starter
I suppose one of the biggest attractions if you make the decision early is that you don't have to move 6000 miles in order to change seats! That's if your fortunate enough to pass one of the most extended Command courses in the world.
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The way I read it was that 40K was the NORMAL F/O pay and the cadets were accepting less.
Is this correct? and if so is it a decent wage in the UK these days?
Legitimate questions?
Is this correct? and if so is it a decent wage in the UK these days?
Legitimate questions?
Thread Starter
Pretty sure that if the £40K IS a start salary, it will only be for a short time and then there will be a big jump to appropriate levels. Perhaps someone can let us know.
BA details here.
Flown for both.
In a nutshell (remembering that my experiences may be a bit out of date:
BA: Union. Normal company but watch your pension fund
CX: No union. Unpleasant ethos.
Flown for both.
In a nutshell (remembering that my experiences may be a bit out of date:
BA: Union. Normal company but watch your pension fund
CX: No union. Unpleasant ethos.
Last edited by Basil; 13th Aug 2011 at 15:23. Reason: Pension warning
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40k is for experienced joiners. 'Cadet' joiners are on around 30k to start. Their payscale substantially lower for 5 years.
Yes, scenery is nice. Yes, it's the comfort zone of home. Yes, if you lack the social skills to make friends with those of other cultures, you may find it easier to socialise in the UK. On longhaul, don't expect much crew socialising with the octogenarian cabin crew. Longhaul/shorthaul choice is there, but SH is on reduced pay. Destinations are more varied than for a London based FO, obviously.
The pension is substantially lower. No 13th month/profit share of any sort. Tax is huge. The Southeast (where you will be based) is also incredibly expensive. Most free schools in the area are pretty sub-standard. Time to command (amazingly) exceeds that of CX. The company are in serious strife financially, and their capability to weather the inevitable economic worldwide bang is questionable.
The country has gone to the pits. Horses for courses and all that, but it certainly looks less green on the other side, chaps. Yes, there was a time when the CX package wiped the floor with the rest of the industry. That's no more, but it still leading most 'legacy' carriers.
Yes, scenery is nice. Yes, it's the comfort zone of home. Yes, if you lack the social skills to make friends with those of other cultures, you may find it easier to socialise in the UK. On longhaul, don't expect much crew socialising with the octogenarian cabin crew. Longhaul/shorthaul choice is there, but SH is on reduced pay. Destinations are more varied than for a London based FO, obviously.
The pension is substantially lower. No 13th month/profit share of any sort. Tax is huge. The Southeast (where you will be based) is also incredibly expensive. Most free schools in the area are pretty sub-standard. Time to command (amazingly) exceeds that of CX. The company are in serious strife financially, and their capability to weather the inevitable economic worldwide bang is questionable.
The country has gone to the pits. Horses for courses and all that, but it certainly looks less green on the other side, chaps. Yes, there was a time when the CX package wiped the floor with the rest of the industry. That's no more, but it still leading most 'legacy' carriers.
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One thing I have noticed if pprune is anything to go by (at all...) is that the CX drivers on here don't appear an overly happy bunch. The BA drivers on here, on the whole, appear to be a LOT happier and able to recommend their employer (ref. DEP thread in Terms & Endearment forum and Future Pilot Programme thread in Wannabes forum).
Each one to their own I suppose..
Each one to their own I suppose..
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Yes smell the coffee, a less happy, more inclined to whinge bunch you are unlikely to ever meet..that's what life in the sar does for you...inhabited by some of the most venal people on the planet..although our neighbours over the border would give them a run for their money..as 711 mentioned earlier, for a younger guy:-
- new kit
- great destinations, and bidline, choice
- pension
- union with a set of balls, which mean the company doesn't even try anything halfway unreasonable
- nights out with the crumpet. (unlike ours, who, apart from the odd budding porno star {very rare} are like the Olympic torch..they never go out) in half way decent hotels...not some novotel purporting to be 3 star
- above all, no charisma bypass
Quite frankly wish i could turn back the clock 15 years or so, i'd be off.
- new kit
- great destinations, and bidline, choice
- pension
- union with a set of balls, which mean the company doesn't even try anything halfway unreasonable
- nights out with the crumpet. (unlike ours, who, apart from the odd budding porno star {very rare} are like the Olympic torch..they never go out) in half way decent hotels...not some novotel purporting to be 3 star
- above all, no charisma bypass
Quite frankly wish i could turn back the clock 15 years or so, i'd be off.
Thread Starter
Generally, most Brits would rethink our plans and join BA I suspect. Trouble is Cathay is what you get when an airline is taken over by people who essentially have scant regard for pilots and would do just about anything for money.
Coupled with virtually zero restraints from legislation and the regulators - welcome to Cathay Pacific Airways.
Every year it gets worse but still they come. Amazing really.
Coupled with virtually zero restraints from legislation and the regulators - welcome to Cathay Pacific Airways.
Every year it gets worse but still they come. Amazing really.
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It's not £40k starting for an FO... Long haul basic is around £48k, plus flight and duty pay takes it well above FO year 1 salary at CX on LHR base. Basically, you could expect to earn £50k ish short haul and high 50's/60k longhaul. Cathay 744 LHR total pay only goes above BA's at year 5 (SFO year 1). In summary, if you are a CX 744 FO at LHR and join BA on the 744, you're pay will not go down...
