BA - lifestyle and work/life balance
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I am a recent new joiner to BA having spent four years at easyJet on the 320. I probably would have had a command within the next 12 - 18 months had I stayed at easyJet. I made the decision to move and having worked two full roster now I feel pretty happy with my decision. Ignoring the godawful time easyJet have had over the last year I still think that the job at BA is a country mile better than being at easy. Money isn't everything and whilst a command would have been nice from that perspective, I don't think I could have done many more years of minimum-rest four sector earlies.
The biggest thing I wanted from moving to BA was not to be exhausted for 95% of the time. I found the easyJet roster pattern relentless and, frankly, bad for my health. Two months of Summer flying at BA and I feel pretty good! The days are shorter with more rest before the following report. The hotels are, for the most part, excellent and the food on-board is actually pretty good (a small point perhaps but when you are eating 50% of your food at work it can make a big difference). I feel like a human-being again and that is really priceless. Your health is the most important thing in this game and I honestly felt as if the lifestyle at easyJet was slowly killing me. Melodramatic perhaps but those that have done several years of high-intensity low cost flying know exactly what i'm talking about.
Having said that, it isn't all perfect. The airbus SOPs are "interesting" if you've come from manufacturer's SOPs background. I've also heard of, and experienced, some fairly anal trainers. That is based upon limited exposure to the training department though, i'm sure that the majority of trainers are excellent. All airlines would appear to have this problem to a greater or lesser extent so I probably wouldn't take this into account when making a decision to move to BA or not.
With regards to work / life balance then the Bidline system seems to be exactly as portrayed in previous posts. Amazing if you are at the top and a bit of a lottery if you are at or near to the bottom. The most senior guys will generally receive a Tripline (that they have specifically bid for) whilst the least senior will probably receive a Blindline (effectively a company-generated random roster). I joined in May and had a BL in June / July (July being my first non-training roster) and have been awarded a Tripline in August. My July roster had a period of 9 consecutive days off (including a full weekend) and a total of 14 days off. All other weekends were duty days. In August I bid for a TL because I desperately wanted two weekends off, one for a wedding and the other for a camping trip with the boys. This, I am aware, was an exceedingly long shot! I ended up with a TL containing 10 days off in total (I screwed myself over at stage 2 and bid for too much extra work, duh!). I managed to get the whole weekend that I wanted for the wedding and the saturday for the boys camping trip. I had an early start on that Sunday that I have subsequently traded for a late start duty. I can now make both weekends that I wanted. I joined the company two months ago and effectively now have exactly what I wanted in August. Make of that what you will.
I also had several friends who joined BA four years ago, from easyJet too. The have been at the bottom of the seniority list (bottom five!) for that whole time. That is undoubtedly not a great recipe for enjoying five years of work, I admit. However, there is now continuous expansion planned (average 100 per year, if all goes well) and within two months I find myself already forty places off the bottom of the list. I you were to join within the next two to three years then I don't imagine you will experience stagnating seniority at all.
At easyJet there was absolutely no human interface to the leave system. It was like it or lump it with absolutely no comeback whatsoever if you wanted to move leave or talk to a manager about needing days off for a special occasion. BA pre-allocated all my 2011 leave as we joined after the leave bidding window. I called rostering, expecting to be told to PFO. After about 30 seconds they had moved all my leave to my requested weeks with absolutely no questions asked. This experience alone should tell you all you need to know. At easyJet the only way to have achieved this would have been to buy 51% of the company's shares!
All in all I am exceedingly happy with the decision I made to move to BA from easyJet. The flying at easy was hard work made bearable by some outstanding crews. That aspect of things is the same at BA but it is complemented by a far better work / life balance. I no longer fear being worked into an early grave!
I'm not looking back...
The biggest thing I wanted from moving to BA was not to be exhausted for 95% of the time. I found the easyJet roster pattern relentless and, frankly, bad for my health. Two months of Summer flying at BA and I feel pretty good! The days are shorter with more rest before the following report. The hotels are, for the most part, excellent and the food on-board is actually pretty good (a small point perhaps but when you are eating 50% of your food at work it can make a big difference). I feel like a human-being again and that is really priceless. Your health is the most important thing in this game and I honestly felt as if the lifestyle at easyJet was slowly killing me. Melodramatic perhaps but those that have done several years of high-intensity low cost flying know exactly what i'm talking about.
Having said that, it isn't all perfect. The airbus SOPs are "interesting" if you've come from manufacturer's SOPs background. I've also heard of, and experienced, some fairly anal trainers. That is based upon limited exposure to the training department though, i'm sure that the majority of trainers are excellent. All airlines would appear to have this problem to a greater or lesser extent so I probably wouldn't take this into account when making a decision to move to BA or not.
With regards to work / life balance then the Bidline system seems to be exactly as portrayed in previous posts. Amazing if you are at the top and a bit of a lottery if you are at or near to the bottom. The most senior guys will generally receive a Tripline (that they have specifically bid for) whilst the least senior will probably receive a Blindline (effectively a company-generated random roster). I joined in May and had a BL in June / July (July being my first non-training roster) and have been awarded a Tripline in August. My July roster had a period of 9 consecutive days off (including a full weekend) and a total of 14 days off. All other weekends were duty days. In August I bid for a TL because I desperately wanted two weekends off, one for a wedding and the other for a camping trip with the boys. This, I am aware, was an exceedingly long shot! I ended up with a TL containing 10 days off in total (I screwed myself over at stage 2 and bid for too much extra work, duh!). I managed to get the whole weekend that I wanted for the wedding and the saturday for the boys camping trip. I had an early start on that Sunday that I have subsequently traded for a late start duty. I can now make both weekends that I wanted. I joined the company two months ago and effectively now have exactly what I wanted in August. Make of that what you will.
I also had several friends who joined BA four years ago, from easyJet too. The have been at the bottom of the seniority list (bottom five!) for that whole time. That is undoubtedly not a great recipe for enjoying five years of work, I admit. However, there is now continuous expansion planned (average 100 per year, if all goes well) and within two months I find myself already forty places off the bottom of the list. I you were to join within the next two to three years then I don't imagine you will experience stagnating seniority at all.
At easyJet there was absolutely no human interface to the leave system. It was like it or lump it with absolutely no comeback whatsoever if you wanted to move leave or talk to a manager about needing days off for a special occasion. BA pre-allocated all my 2011 leave as we joined after the leave bidding window. I called rostering, expecting to be told to PFO. After about 30 seconds they had moved all my leave to my requested weeks with absolutely no questions asked. This experience alone should tell you all you need to know. At easyJet the only way to have achieved this would have been to buy 51% of the company's shares!
All in all I am exceedingly happy with the decision I made to move to BA from easyJet. The flying at easy was hard work made bearable by some outstanding crews. That aspect of things is the same at BA but it is complemented by a far better work / life balance. I no longer fear being worked into an early grave!
I'm not looking back...
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I have noticed a tendency among BA employees for BA to become their lives.
Granted the much vaunted seniority adds that advantage but it is available to all and, once you take out of the equation part timers, managers, trainers etc. most pilots have a good shot at rosters they want.
BA is my employer, the income generated funds what I want to do and that of my family.
Add to that that staff travel on one of the biggest networks in the world and family life becomes global! My kids, obviously spoilt
, haven't figured out whats beyond the club divider!!!!!! When they have to fend for themselves then they are in for a shock! 
Put the effort in and you'll reap the rewards.
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Great post
Great post tallboy and congratulations on getting there. I have to say your comments about Low cost carriers being a ticket to an early grave and feeling almost permanently exhausted and unwell struck a real chord with me at what is generally regarded as an even worse outfit than Easy - we fly those spinning prop things around...
Hope I'm able to join you at BA and say the same about it in a few months. I can hardly begin to express the joy I would feel at being there and to be treated like a human being rather than as an automaton to be worked and worked and worked until you drop... We've got several young 30 something guys in my base alone off for months with suspended medicals for stress, migraines, vision problems and dizzyness and I bet in every case the outrageous workload and lack of time off (we are currently rostered to 54 hour weekends from a late to an early) is a major factor. It's about time the CAA started looking much more closely at the physical factors around low cost carrier rostering practices.
Hope I'm able to join you at BA and say the same about it in a few months. I can hardly begin to express the joy I would feel at being there and to be treated like a human being rather than as an automaton to be worked and worked and worked until you drop... We've got several young 30 something guys in my base alone off for months with suspended medicals for stress, migraines, vision problems and dizzyness and I bet in every case the outrageous workload and lack of time off (we are currently rostered to 54 hour weekends from a late to an early) is a major factor. It's about time the CAA started looking much more closely at the physical factors around low cost carrier rostering practices.
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Blackandbrown wrote "I don't need to trust you, I fly for easyjet - it must have changed since you left. I have flown 8 earlies and a few lates this month and not one has been near discretion. Flying is tiring. Your point is hyperbole of the highest order. You seem blinkered. Ba is a good job. So is easyjet."
I did not mean for you to "literally" trust me, it was a figure of speech.
A few facts: I have been in easyJet for almost 5 years now and until recently was going through the command process. This got stopped once my resignation was handed in as I have been offered a job with BA and will start in Autumn. I believe you must be on a Flexi roster if you are working such a pattern. I am on the old TRSS contract and so I have to work 5/3/5/4 and yes, there are days in the pattern that work you that close to the bone. I dare say that my point is hyperbole and I am far from blinkered.... and before you ask, easyJet is not my first job, I flew turbo props before that.
Is BA a good job? YES. Is easyJet a good job? YES. I come back to my original point that this thread is trying to establish whether a good balance can be found. We are able to present our own opinions and views in here but please, spare me the ridicule. BA is certainly not the benchmark but it is an airline at which one can actually have a sustained career. I am very grateful to easyJet as they have provided me with some wonderful experience over the past years but I have to be honest and say that I don't wish to continue in the same manner for the rest of my career.
Tallboy, an excellent post and I feel the same as you. I could not have shared my thoughts any better than yourself and wish you all the luck at BA.
I did not mean for you to "literally" trust me, it was a figure of speech.
A few facts: I have been in easyJet for almost 5 years now and until recently was going through the command process. This got stopped once my resignation was handed in as I have been offered a job with BA and will start in Autumn. I believe you must be on a Flexi roster if you are working such a pattern. I am on the old TRSS contract and so I have to work 5/3/5/4 and yes, there are days in the pattern that work you that close to the bone. I dare say that my point is hyperbole and I am far from blinkered.... and before you ask, easyJet is not my first job, I flew turbo props before that.
Is BA a good job? YES. Is easyJet a good job? YES. I come back to my original point that this thread is trying to establish whether a good balance can be found. We are able to present our own opinions and views in here but please, spare me the ridicule. BA is certainly not the benchmark but it is an airline at which one can actually have a sustained career. I am very grateful to easyJet as they have provided me with some wonderful experience over the past years but I have to be honest and say that I don't wish to continue in the same manner for the rest of my career.
Tallboy, an excellent post and I feel the same as you. I could not have shared my thoughts any better than yourself and wish you all the luck at BA.
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Firstly @ B&B I wasn't belittling ezy, I said it wasn't for me, also AFAIK ezy are not recruiting experienced pilots anyway, only cadets onto the godawful flexi scheme or whatever its called, so although all this discussion and comparison is great, its also completely irrelevent if ezy aren't recruiting anyway as nobody actually has the choice between BA and ezy!
The rest of my origonal post is personal opinion, but I stand by MY belief that BA and the legacy carriers, having been knocked for six by the low costs, have reset their game and are now on the up and up whereas the day of the low-costs is coming to an end. Even Ezy's own management are on record as saying they think it is all at an end which is why ezy are sliding towards competing with the legacy carriers on things other than cost - i.e business passengers, flexible fares, flying to 'real' airports etc. In my mind that means people working in that sector will experience more change over the next decade than those flying for legacy carriers.
Again, not having a go at ezy, but my opinion. IF i was making a choice between the 2 ( whcih of course nobody can) I would be fairly certain on what BA will look like in 5 years whereas I doubt ezy will look anything like it does at the moment in 5 years. If you are after lifestyle the biggest problems are caused by uncertainty of outlook in my view.
Assuming "lifestyle" includes mental health amongst other things -then I put BA at the top of the pile of all companies ive worked for (I've come from another airline and that was a midlife career change after an engineering career in a very good blue chip company). Why? - just as tall boy said. I'm treated like a human being not a "900 hour flying unit resource", i'm respected, there are good human interfaces throughout the company if you need help with anything.
I've not had cause to test it yet, and hopefully never will, but the company have said that there is support for any personal / emotional / life issues you have, and I have not reason to doubt them. etc etc. That sort of thing (which most decent companies will do of course) is invaluable when the **** hits your personal life fan.
For me "lifestyle" is more than rostering and hours etc, its about the whole picture. Its no accident the employee surveys in all industrys (possibly with the exeption of bankers and MP's) put 'respect', 'being valued' and such things much higher than salary or working hours. I certainly feel respected and valued at BA, but I can't complain about the money or hours either. (but I didn;t come from a command, so I can see that being a different decision, however a few of my mates have given up commands to come to BA)
And yes I did work last weekend, but as I spent it strolling round manhattan on a glorious summer day, I can't really complain.
Anyway thats my tuppenceworth.
The rest of my origonal post is personal opinion, but I stand by MY belief that BA and the legacy carriers, having been knocked for six by the low costs, have reset their game and are now on the up and up whereas the day of the low-costs is coming to an end. Even Ezy's own management are on record as saying they think it is all at an end which is why ezy are sliding towards competing with the legacy carriers on things other than cost - i.e business passengers, flexible fares, flying to 'real' airports etc. In my mind that means people working in that sector will experience more change over the next decade than those flying for legacy carriers.
Again, not having a go at ezy, but my opinion. IF i was making a choice between the 2 ( whcih of course nobody can) I would be fairly certain on what BA will look like in 5 years whereas I doubt ezy will look anything like it does at the moment in 5 years. If you are after lifestyle the biggest problems are caused by uncertainty of outlook in my view.
Assuming "lifestyle" includes mental health amongst other things -then I put BA at the top of the pile of all companies ive worked for (I've come from another airline and that was a midlife career change after an engineering career in a very good blue chip company). Why? - just as tall boy said. I'm treated like a human being not a "900 hour flying unit resource", i'm respected, there are good human interfaces throughout the company if you need help with anything.
I've not had cause to test it yet, and hopefully never will, but the company have said that there is support for any personal / emotional / life issues you have, and I have not reason to doubt them. etc etc. That sort of thing (which most decent companies will do of course) is invaluable when the **** hits your personal life fan.
For me "lifestyle" is more than rostering and hours etc, its about the whole picture. Its no accident the employee surveys in all industrys (possibly with the exeption of bankers and MP's
) put 'respect', 'being valued' and such things much higher than salary or working hours. I certainly feel respected and valued at BA, but I can't complain about the money or hours either. (but I didn;t come from a command, so I can see that being a different decision, however a few of my mates have given up commands to come to BA)And yes I did work last weekend, but as I spent it strolling round manhattan on a glorious summer day, I can't really complain.
Anyway thats my tuppenceworth.
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Great thread, pity it's deteriorated into a bit of a slanging match.
I'm in the middle of my DEP Scheme application right now and thankfully have a few ex colleagues on BA's payroll to pass on a few pointers.
Of all my ex military colleagues, who are employed by various UK outfits, the happiest are at BA and a couple of Virgin buddies are trying to join them at the moment.
What I'd like to know is how does one become part time with BA. I believe as a 'carer' you have the right to work 50% but, can you do this from day one? Obviously I won't mention this during any recruitment process but it's something I'm greatly interested in. Any info gratefully received.
I'm in the middle of my DEP Scheme application right now and thankfully have a few ex colleagues on BA's payroll to pass on a few pointers.
Of all my ex military colleagues, who are employed by various UK outfits, the happiest are at BA and a couple of Virgin buddies are trying to join them at the moment.
What I'd like to know is how does one become part time with BA. I believe as a 'carer' you have the right to work 50% but, can you do this from day one? Obviously I won't mention this during any recruitment process but it's something I'm greatly interested in. Any info gratefully received.
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Generally you don't have a right to work 50% or any part time in fact. As a carer you have a right to 'request' part time working. Having said that if a company already has people working part time they are on a very sticky wicket if they turn down your request and not somebody elses.
Specifically for BA I believe they have 2 part time rosters essentialy month on, month off and 2 months on 1 month off (don't quote me on this - this is just what I've picked up on 'galley FM'). I the month off I blieve you have to do one duty to maintain recency. They also have 2 part time 'schemes'. One for people who have a legal right to request part time working (i.e parents, carers etc) and one for 'aspirational' part time, for people who want to but don't have a legal right to request it.
I very much doubt you can do it from day 1. The training is pretty intense - my feet didn't touch the ground for the first month, and then the line training is rostered for you after that.
I've got no idea how you bid for part time, but i suspect its on an annual basis along with the fleet move bids, command bids and the like.
I worked 75% part time in my previous airline as its the only way I was ever going to get a life and see my kids. I'm more than happy full time at BA for the moment (a full time BA roster has more days off than my 75% 'cap371' roster did at my previous airline!).
I don't know where you work now and under what conditions, but full time, but with some control over your roster, and 100% roster stability is a huge change in lifestyle and home life if you are used to alot of disruption, and you may find that this gives you the home life you are looking for without looking for part time too.
Specifically for BA I believe they have 2 part time rosters essentialy month on, month off and 2 months on 1 month off (don't quote me on this - this is just what I've picked up on 'galley FM'). I the month off I blieve you have to do one duty to maintain recency. They also have 2 part time 'schemes'. One for people who have a legal right to request part time working (i.e parents, carers etc) and one for 'aspirational' part time, for people who want to but don't have a legal right to request it.
I very much doubt you can do it from day 1. The training is pretty intense - my feet didn't touch the ground for the first month, and then the line training is rostered for you after that.
I've got no idea how you bid for part time, but i suspect its on an annual basis along with the fleet move bids, command bids and the like.
I worked 75% part time in my previous airline as its the only way I was ever going to get a life and see my kids. I'm more than happy full time at BA for the moment (a full time BA roster has more days off than my 75% 'cap371' roster did at my previous airline!).
I don't know where you work now and under what conditions, but full time, but with some control over your roster, and 100% roster stability is a huge change in lifestyle and home life if you are used to alot of disruption, and you may find that this gives you the home life you are looking for without looking for part time too.
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Choices....
Hi chaps,
Just wondered if when you look to join BA, whether you get a choice of long haul or short haul or is it get what you're given?
I would love to join, but am really only looking for short haul (commitments at home in UK). Currently 737 rated and I believe they are phasing out the 73's by 2013. If I wanted to remain short haul then, would they give me an airbus rating to enable me to stay short haul??
What's the general feeling?
Cheers,
Just wondered if when you look to join BA, whether you get a choice of long haul or short haul or is it get what you're given?
I would love to join, but am really only looking for short haul (commitments at home in UK). Currently 737 rated and I believe they are phasing out the 73's by 2013. If I wanted to remain short haul then, would they give me an airbus rating to enable me to stay short haul??
What's the general feeling?
Cheers,
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I'm in my 6th year of flying BA long haul. Wrt the question above, at the time I joined I was given the choice of short haul or long haul as I had more than 2000hrs. I'm not sure what the current state of play is on that one, but in any case the plans are always fluid. It has been known for new pilots be given a compulsory last minute change of type during their induction, although extremely rare.
Personally I think BA are a very good employer but I in no way share the view that it is the necessarily the gold standard that everyone should be aiming for. What works for you is a very personal thing.
For my part I do largely enjoy my time at BA, although some of the last 5 years have been tough (strikes, indifference from certain staff members, big company where you many not fly with the same person again for a few years etc) all being very different from what I knew. Regarding days off, I don't yet have the seniority to achieve trip lines and by a quirk of bidline this means I am just about the most unproductive pilot in BA. I've done 630ish hours in the past year albeit I work every single weekend outside of Leave/Duty Free Weeks. When I do progress to trip lines I will be working closer to the 800-850hr mark. There are no trump days/RDO/get out of jail cards etc for the most junior. My experience here has been pretty exceptional, it seems as most people progress quicker on their initial fleet than this, all about timing and luck, so good luck all you lot! If I was on the airbus, 2 weekends off a month would probably be just about achievable.
If you are joining now onto shorthaul I would think you would move up the list reasonably quickly so long as the recruitment plans are realised. If you are going onto the 744 progression may be slower but you will at least have the protection of seeded blind lines which can be useful in protecting a couple of days off each month. Unfortunately on the 777 we don't have this facility (not that that will be hugely relevant for anyone reading this as no DEP's are going 777 as I understand). And yes... now my 5 years is up I am eligible to change to a fleet where I will have the seniority to gain a degree of control over my roster.
In terms of numbers of days off, with no leave I'll typically get 13-15 days off a month in addition to 3 time assingnable days. These are basically days they could use you but they would have to let you know in advance (so not same day standby). I may work these blocks one time out of six say, roughly speaking.
I've not much to add to what has been said before but I would like to comment on a couple of points I disagreed with earlier. The pension is money purchase with the company paying in 12% of 95% of your basic, so 11.4% of basic to anyone outside of BA. Not market leading in the UK but by no means the worst.
I wouldn't say I feel particularly valued as an individual at BA in contradiction to an earlier post. It's a mammoth organisation and within that context they look after us very well but I'm well aware that I'm a small cog inside a giant machine. Go the extra mile, which we all do from time to time and you're unlikely to get any individual thanks.
To touch on an earlier comment, command time is anyone's guess. When I joined, in my interview they hinted at 12 years for shorthaul, 16-17years for longhaul (all with a pinch of salt of course). Now with the retirement age being pushed back to 65 all bets are off as over 90% have stayed on past 55 (the previous compulsory retirement age in BA). The consensus seems to be that we may start seeing retirements again as people approach 60 but beware any wild predictions. When the retirement age first changed the mean estimate was that the majority might stay on for 2-3 extra years and that has been fundamentally disproven. I'm in no way berating these guys/girls for staying on, but if a command is a key driver for you it's something to take into account. Minor expansion is planned which will hopefully mitigate some of the stagnation issues over the coming years.
Personally I think BA are a very good employer but I in no way share the view that it is the necessarily the gold standard that everyone should be aiming for. What works for you is a very personal thing.
For my part I do largely enjoy my time at BA, although some of the last 5 years have been tough (strikes, indifference from certain staff members, big company where you many not fly with the same person again for a few years etc) all being very different from what I knew. Regarding days off, I don't yet have the seniority to achieve trip lines and by a quirk of bidline this means I am just about the most unproductive pilot in BA. I've done 630ish hours in the past year albeit I work every single weekend outside of Leave/Duty Free Weeks. When I do progress to trip lines I will be working closer to the 800-850hr mark. There are no trump days/RDO/get out of jail cards etc for the most junior. My experience here has been pretty exceptional, it seems as most people progress quicker on their initial fleet than this, all about timing and luck, so good luck all you lot! If I was on the airbus, 2 weekends off a month would probably be just about achievable.
If you are joining now onto shorthaul I would think you would move up the list reasonably quickly so long as the recruitment plans are realised. If you are going onto the 744 progression may be slower but you will at least have the protection of seeded blind lines which can be useful in protecting a couple of days off each month. Unfortunately on the 777 we don't have this facility (not that that will be hugely relevant for anyone reading this as no DEP's are going 777 as I understand). And yes... now my 5 years is up I am eligible to change to a fleet where I will have the seniority to gain a degree of control over my roster.
In terms of numbers of days off, with no leave I'll typically get 13-15 days off a month in addition to 3 time assingnable days. These are basically days they could use you but they would have to let you know in advance (so not same day standby). I may work these blocks one time out of six say, roughly speaking.
I've not much to add to what has been said before but I would like to comment on a couple of points I disagreed with earlier. The pension is money purchase with the company paying in 12% of 95% of your basic, so 11.4% of basic to anyone outside of BA. Not market leading in the UK but by no means the worst.
I wouldn't say I feel particularly valued as an individual at BA in contradiction to an earlier post. It's a mammoth organisation and within that context they look after us very well but I'm well aware that I'm a small cog inside a giant machine. Go the extra mile, which we all do from time to time and you're unlikely to get any individual thanks.
To touch on an earlier comment, command time is anyone's guess. When I joined, in my interview they hinted at 12 years for shorthaul, 16-17years for longhaul (all with a pinch of salt of course). Now with the retirement age being pushed back to 65 all bets are off as over 90% have stayed on past 55 (the previous compulsory retirement age in BA). The consensus seems to be that we may start seeing retirements again as people approach 60 but beware any wild predictions. When the retirement age first changed the mean estimate was that the majority might stay on for 2-3 extra years and that has been fundamentally disproven. I'm in no way berating these guys/girls for staying on, but if a command is a key driver for you it's something to take into account. Minor expansion is planned which will hopefully mitigate some of the stagnation issues over the coming years.
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Thanks 757 Driver, that was a great response. I believe that there are 50%, 70% and 75% contracts available. The part about it being month on month off is a bit of a surprise, I thought the trips per month would be reduced by half!
Does anyone else know how to initiate a 50% contract at BA? How long you need to work there before you request it?
Does anyone else know how to initiate a 50% contract at BA? How long you need to work there before you request it?
I believe that there are 50%, 70% and 75% contracts available. The part about it being month on month off is a bit of a surprise, I thought the trips per month would be reduced by half!
No idea as to the details of "Right to Request" but the Aspirational Part Time Work (APTW) contracts come as either 58% or 72%.
58%'ers do a full time month, alternating with a part time month containing a trip for recency, the 72%'ers do a sequence of two full time months followed by one part time month with a recency trip.
Does anyone else know how to initiate a 50% contract at BA? How long you need to work there before you request it?
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Thanks Wiggy. The information is coming together. I just need to hear about Right to Request 50% and is there anyone on here currently working that contract or knows about it in detail?
Guy
In hindsight I should perhaps qualify that statement - with the Asperational pattern you get to enjoy the full leverage and benefits of bidline 
during your fulltime month - I'm not sure it's the same for the "Right to request" part timers. it would be interesting to get their POV.
It would be very difficult to do that"( just reduce trips per month) " within the constraints of Bidline
during your fulltime month - I'm not sure it's the same for the "Right to request" part timers. it would be interesting to get their POV.
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I love all this talk of the A380..!!
With only 12 on order and 1000's ahead of you in the queue, you might well join in the next month and never get to have a go.
any why are so many leaving easyJet.? Lots of ex-BA captains love being at easyJet post BA retirement.
With only 12 on order and 1000's ahead of you in the queue, you might well join in the next month and never get to have a go.
any why are so many leaving easyJet.? Lots of ex-BA captains love being at easyJet post BA retirement.
Lots of ex-BA captains love being at easyJet post BA retirement.
Must say I do agree with your observations about the A380 crewing, though it at least generates some movement and therefore is still a "good thing", IMHO........
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WHYEYEMAN,
You're right about the EZY euro contracts. My former SFO colleagues in Madrid/Milan were close to 7,000 Euro net per month (£6,100).
Best ever month for one skipper in MAD was £30,000 (yes £30k) when his loyalty bonus and Spanish performance bonus all came at once.
Plus you get 36 days annual leave. Take your fixed pattern with 3 and 4 days off around 5 days leave and that gives you about 84 days off per year.
Beats anything in Europe. Plus the sun shines alot
Nice work
You're right about the EZY euro contracts. My former SFO colleagues in Madrid/Milan were close to 7,000 Euro net per month (£6,100).
Best ever month for one skipper in MAD was £30,000 (yes £30k) when his loyalty bonus and Spanish performance bonus all came at once.
Plus you get 36 days annual leave. Take your fixed pattern with 3 and 4 days off around 5 days leave and that gives you about 84 days off per year.
Beats anything in Europe. Plus the sun shines alot
Nice work
Last edited by Craggenmore; 22nd Jul 2011 at 17:49.
Right to request 50% and 75% available, work either 2 or 1 fixed week off each month and you bid at stage 2. For the senior guys it's write your own roster effectively, for the more junior you get whats left over.
For what it's worth i'm full time in the bottom 20 of my fleet and I get a tripline every month, usually with a compete weekend off and a partial with 12-14 days off in total at home.
For what it's worth i'm full time in the bottom 20 of my fleet and I get a tripline every month, usually with a compete weekend off and a partial with 12-14 days off in total at home.
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Craggenmore, the European contracts at EZY/EZS are indeed excellent. However, don't dress them up as more than they are. Many airlines offer wrap days, or build in a days off entitlement into any period of 'leave'. So your 86 days, whilst very good, will not dwarf other airlines by as much as is implied.
Also, am I not right in thinking that there is no pension if you are on the Madrid contract? So that huge payout the captain got in MAD equates to pretty much the same as how much a captain would put into his pension pot (including company contributions) each year at my base. He will also get tax breaks on those payments, whereas no doubt in MAD the captains bonus will be fully taxed??
These are the kind of reasons I started the thread. With regards to BA, I want the facts, not a dressed up version of events.
Also, am I not right in thinking that there is no pension if you are on the Madrid contract? So that huge payout the captain got in MAD equates to pretty much the same as how much a captain would put into his pension pot (including company contributions) each year at my base. He will also get tax breaks on those payments, whereas no doubt in MAD the captains bonus will be fully taxed??
These are the kind of reasons I started the thread. With regards to BA, I want the facts, not a dressed up version of events.
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Guy of Gisborne
If you are a carer (elderly parent, partner requiring assistance, child under 18 etc) you qualify for RtR (Right to Request) PTWK (Part Time Working). As explained this will give you the same week (75%) or the same two weeks (50%) off every month. The requests are made annually, and in recent years I have never heard of a valid one being denied.
Otherwise it's Aspirational Part Time Working (APTWK) which is available to everyone, even those simply wishing to reduce their tax burden! These are the 'two month on, one month off' variety.
Very glad to hear your ex-colleagues seem unanimous in describing BA as the UK's airline of choice. It genuinely is an excellent employer in many respects. Any moaning is normally about fairly trivial stuff in the grand scheme of things!
If you are a carer (elderly parent, partner requiring assistance, child under 18 etc) you qualify for RtR (Right to Request) PTWK (Part Time Working). As explained this will give you the same week (75%) or the same two weeks (50%) off every month. The requests are made annually, and in recent years I have never heard of a valid one being denied.
Otherwise it's Aspirational Part Time Working (APTWK) which is available to everyone, even those simply wishing to reduce their tax burden! These are the 'two month on, one month off' variety.
Very glad to hear your ex-colleagues seem unanimous in describing BA as the UK's airline of choice. It genuinely is an excellent employer in many respects. Any moaning is normally about fairly trivial stuff in the grand scheme of things!