GB latest ,get this.
 

Word is on the street GB Airways pilots have been given a 4.0% pay rise , and command courses are two a penny. I sit at A3 in a 1980's 737 , and the new shinny A321 next to me is painted in my employers colours. Can anyone explain what the hell is going on ?

Franchising
 

It is cheaper to expand franchises than the main operation.

Just wait to see what happens when the new guy gets into town.

Magic - I suspect you are about to be told. I also suspect the answer will not be to your liking. Among those who will post will be GB pilots, others with far less knowledge will join in. You would have been better questioning your union. Your 'Scope' clause was driven through by a large bus, the gates left open for them by your union reps. Have a look around. 'Smell the coffee' as they say. The arrival of WW will also trouble you.

You may not be sitting at A3 much longer. Perhaps you joined the wrong company?

Magic.

I don't understand your problem. What's the big deal between sitting in a 80s' 737 and a 90s' / naughties 321? Do you think that a nice big polished instrument is the status symbol you need?

From your post I think I am in the same position as you with the same employer (BA). I get the impression that the GB pilots are a happy bunch. Are you not also happy with your lot at BA? GB may have some things that we don't, but we have some thing they don't (multiple bases, LH / SH to name but two).

You're probably the type of guy who buys a new car every three years and then polishes it every week. There are bigger things in life!

quidnunc

I think the point is not 737 v 321 but that with Willie's track record at EI, Toulouse will be sending replacements for said 737, and not for Magic to fly but the guy in the BA livery beside him.

1. Who mentioned Willie? Not Magic, and not me.

2. Quote: "Toulouse will be sending replacements for said 737, and not for Magic to fly but the guy in the BA livery beside him".

Boo-hoo. So what? See previous post.

So you're jealous about GB expanding, being paid and flying newer aircraft in "your" colours??

Get a grip pal, GB pilots work pretty hard, LGW-PFO-LGW interest you at all? GB make BA a lot of money on routes that BA themselves couldn't make a profit from because of the rediculous overheads BA has.

Everyone is happy at GB - but none of us will get a final salary pension, we dont clear a grand a month in allowances (sweeping generalisation - sorry) and we have to work long hours.

Just because we have some new toys and are actively expanding doesnt give you the right to spit the dummy.

Magic - GB is the future for the national carrier and you are the past. GB are a fantastic company whose only failing is to be beholden to BA. Command courses are not 'two a penny' - you wait on the seniority list for like them just like you lot. The reason that command courses are appearing at GB and not BA is that GB is expanding and BA is not. All you had to do was take a job offer from GB (if you could get one!) instead of the one BA gave you and wait your turn. Instead of whining about GB, BA pilots should wake up to the harsh reality that it is only the likes of GB that have any possible chance against the Orange Order. GB are quietly and efficiently getting on with their fight for market share in a vicious marketplace while the BA dinosaurs worry about the range of choice on the cheeseboard!

The tragedy is that many BA pilots would sooner see a route go to easyJet than GB. Well you will get your wish because next time you sit at A3, have a look at the colour of the aircraft beside you. The chances are it will be orange and it will be going to one of your destinations! Wait another year or so and you will not have to worry because the same orange aircraft will still be going to your destination but you will have pulled off the route because you could no longer compete. Now there is a franchise that could have fought on equal terms with easyJet - ah yes it is called GB Airways!

NSF you aren't bitter and twisted are you - not!

Where would GB be without the BA franchise? Tinpot nothing with a few routes to spain etc - no brand neither fish (scheduled) nor fowl (charter) nor loco - you'd be stuffed mate, and with attitude like yours you darn well deserve to be you @@@@

D'ya think pilots at BA invent the ludicrous overheads abd latte-sipping bullc'@@p at WATERWORLD? No, nor do I.

Stop whinging. If you wanted as defined benefit final salary pension you knew who to join but were too busy in the RAF RN whatever. Anyodhow I doubt we'll have it when we retire anyway

I find this thread breathtaking.

BA and GB are together making BA viable, its a harsh world out there, without GB BA could not PROFIT on the routes GB flies, equally GB benifits from the BA branding, also BA profits from the interline traffic supplied to its longhaul routes keeping BA pilots in work.

The bitterness of this thread is dreadful, GB and BA working together is a good thing for the business, encourage each other and you will both benefit.

I'd like to add another to that list. I recently did two 4-hour sectors with GB - nice aircraft, good flights, zero IFE, awful food and rubbish cabin service. I shan't bother again if there's an option.

Since GB are a franchise operator, they will pay BA for the privilege.

Would it be correct in assuming that both parties benefit from this arrangement?

Lower operating costs must be a key ingredient to be able to compete in today's market place.
Working smarter, not harder.

The SLF have never had it as good, and market forces will determine to outcome of the ongoing struggle between operators.

Evolution will bring success: stagnate at your peril...


:cool:

Hi Shortfinal Fred, just in case you have picked up the wrong end of the stick I do not in fact work for either BA or GB - I fly for easyJet (and no, I have never applied for BA). I am however extremely familiar with GB and laugh at the foolishness of BA pilots who see GB as the 'enemy within'. Nothing could be further from the truth - you guys are in a serious fight with the likes of easyJet.

The latest pax figures out this week show that easyJet carried 26.4 million pax (Feb-Feb rolling tally) this last year which is almost certainly more that BA did on their European flights. Instead of worrying about GB you should be working hand in glove with them to fight off easyJet et al. It obviously suits us handsomely to see such bickering - nevertheless I cannot help but see the irony of this misguided attitude towards a great company working hard on your behalf.

Well said NSF some of our crews are paronoid about GB and any others that thay see as a threat. If we at BA spent as much time concerning ourselves with getting on with our work as concerning ourselves with the likes of GB,we would have no problems with any competition.

Having had many duty flights with GB I have always found service satisfactory. it may be that the service was a reflection of the many changes that BA and its partners are going thru. Reduced catering levels is one of them .

Biggles - the food may have been "awful" (as is most airborne food) but at least you didn't pay extra for it - or for your booze. Plus you got an allocated seat, may have picked up AirMiles and, probably got a fare on the sector that was less than anyone else's. All in all I'd say that GB do their punters - and BA - proud (and no, I don't work for them).
:D

I don’t want to get this thread off topic, but I would like to respond, Torquelink.

Agreed most Y class food is average at best but this was very poor (unfortunately I’ve eaten a lot of Y class food in the last few years and I do know the difference).

Free booze? Yes, the trolley came around once on each sector. I’d rather pay for it and not feel guilty about asking for another beer if I fancied one.

The fare? I paid £223 for LGW-LPA-LGW which I don’t consider cheap.

There was no film, no music and only a moving map display to watch. The rest of my party were on a First Choice package and they got films, music, good service and ‘quite nice’ food.

I don’t mind getting lo-co service for lo-co prices, but I think I got the worst of both worlds with GB.

Before we were called BACX, we were a franchisee. We paid BA lots of money, operated lots of flights, and you guessed it, made lots of money.
Then BA changed their policy. They bought our LHR slots, and got an airline as well. Now we have replaced BAR, we are run by BA managers, (tugs forelock, salutes, faces Mecca and bows, makes sign of cross, and gets pot of vaseline ready whilst bending over.)
Guess what? Now we're wholly owned, we have made a loss since our first year of being part of the "World Class Company" that is Big Airways. We are patronised by their pilots, paid a lot less in real terms, and worst of all, have been ruled by the amazing Dental Floss man for several years. Let's hope WW likes the concept of franchising, (and profit!!) and lets us go to do our own thing.....er, are GB recruiting???:cool:

Must get used to reading "WW" as Willie Walsh and not BMI Baby ...

Too right Shed-on-a-Pole! Also veryone referring to Eddington as RE keeps getting me confused with Aer Arann, particularly with the new Irish connection!

boring!!
 

franchising?

been there, done that, got the T shirt!

been ignored on the ramp by BA crew and been ignored in hotel lobbies and watched them walk past me with their noses in the air in the dispatchers office for I dared to fly a 1 11 in their colours!! shock horror!

and all the time while their petty contempt has been directed at the franchise companies and while their energies have been directed at protecting their commands and their colour sceme from those who play by the rules, the whole shorthaul route network has been torn away from them by the low costs who don't really care where the hot towels and the warm chicken salad go.

yawn!!