BA - lifestyle and work/life balance
Join Date: Oct 2005
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On face value we do indeed earn quite a lot as an SFO in Milan. It's more like 6000 euros net per month, which at the present exchange rate is about £5000.
That's due mainly to the exchange rate and the fact that we are taxed the square root of very little. Are 5 long 4 sector days in a row sustainable for your whole career? Maybe. Will the tax rates remain so low when Italy and Spain follow the likes of Greece and Ireland? Possibly. Will the Italian pension scheme remain unaltered for the next 30 years until I want draw on it? I wouldn't bet on it.
As a few people have started to point out, the business Market for just low cost short haul travel may have seen it's hay day. Aeroplanes bought at half Market rates, subsidies to operate into random European destinations. The next 5 years could see a very different situation developing.
For me the choice was simple, even with the option of an imminent command, did I want to work at easyJet for the rest of my career? I'm not deluding myself into believing everything at BA will smell of roses. However, they provide a depth and breadth to my future career that easyJet can't and it could be argued, don't want to offer.
That's due mainly to the exchange rate and the fact that we are taxed the square root of very little. Are 5 long 4 sector days in a row sustainable for your whole career? Maybe. Will the tax rates remain so low when Italy and Spain follow the likes of Greece and Ireland? Possibly. Will the Italian pension scheme remain unaltered for the next 30 years until I want draw on it? I wouldn't bet on it.
As a few people have started to point out, the business Market for just low cost short haul travel may have seen it's hay day. Aeroplanes bought at half Market rates, subsidies to operate into random European destinations. The next 5 years could see a very different situation developing.
For me the choice was simple, even with the option of an imminent command, did I want to work at easyJet for the rest of my career? I'm not deluding myself into believing everything at BA will smell of roses. However, they provide a depth and breadth to my future career that easyJet can't and it could be argued, don't want to offer.
Join Date: Feb 2010
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4468
Great reply thanks
. The same 2 weeks off guaranteed every month is a great option. I understand the application for the 50% is done annually but if (fingers crossed) I get into BA when would I be able to apply? Would I have to work full time for a year?
Great reply thanks
. The same 2 weeks off guaranteed every month is a great option. I understand the application for the 50% is done annually but if (fingers crossed) I get into BA when would I be able to apply? Would I have to work full time for a year?
Join Date: Jul 2006
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Having joined BA recently from easyJet, I can tell you that my quality of life has improved hugely, I no longer suffer from endless fatigue and have a level of control over my life outside of work. The fact that my roster has not changed once since I've been there sums it up, I am yet to speak to a crewing department. No longer am I positioning around a network to plug preventable gaps, staying in dreadful hotels, and getting home at 3am after endless 4 sector days, roster changes every day, having conversations with rude crewing bods, racing to the bottom with pilot Ts and Cs etc...
The pay is better too, I have a long varied career ahead of me (short or long haul), worldwide staff travel, and with seniority rising all the time, especially with 200+ guys joining next year, getting work/life I want will become easier and easier.
The pay is better too, I have a long varied career ahead of me (short or long haul), worldwide staff travel, and with seniority rising all the time, especially with 200+ guys joining next year, getting work/life I want will become easier and easier.
Join Date: Oct 2004
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G of G
Normally after any conversion in BA, by any pilot, there is a full time requirement for a modest period. (I think 3 months...) Not sure whether new joiners would need to fulfill a complete year or not. It absolutely wont be a problem to ask, either before, or during interview. BA is an enlightened employer, everyone understands the need for PTWK! you won't be marked down for LMF!
The only thing I didn't mention, is that it is a permanent change to your contract. ie No guarantee you can ever revert to full time! So 'buyer beware'!
Normally after any conversion in BA, by any pilot, there is a full time requirement for a modest period. (I think 3 months...) Not sure whether new joiners would need to fulfill a complete year or not. It absolutely wont be a problem to ask, either before, or during interview. BA is an enlightened employer, everyone understands the need for PTWK! you won't be marked down for LMF!
The only thing I didn't mention, is that it is a permanent change to your contract. ie No guarantee you can ever revert to full time! So 'buyer beware'!
When I do progress to trip lines I will be working closer to the 800-850hr mark
I too am on the 777 and am about a year ahead. I have been on triplines from starting and average 650 hrs.
When you join BA it helps to have a lot of people joining the same fleet behind you.
How many hours you do depends on how you bid and of course how many of the senior guys and gals want what you bid for.
Thus timing and seniority are key.
777 Flies to
From Gatwick
Antigua shuttles to Punta Cana, St Kitts, Tobago
Barbados shuttles to Grenada
Bermuda
Cancun
Kingston
Male
Montego Bay
Orlando
St Lucia shuttles to Trinidad
Tampa
From Heathrow
Denver
Atlanta
Chicago
Houston
Philly
Washington
New York
Newark
Boston
San Diego
Montreal
Accra
Abuja
Luanda
Nairobi
Mauritius
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Abu Dhabi shuttle to Muscat
Doha via Bahrain
Riyadh
Dubai
Mumbai
Delhi
Bangalore
Chennai
Shanghai
Tokyo Haneda
Tokyo Narita
Singapore
Sydney via Singapore
I think. But it does vary.
Antigua shuttles to Punta Cana, St Kitts, Tobago
Barbados shuttles to Grenada
Bermuda
Cancun
Kingston
Male
Montego Bay
Orlando
St Lucia shuttles to Trinidad
Tampa
From Heathrow
Denver
Atlanta
Chicago
Houston
Philly
Washington
New York
Newark
Boston
San Diego
Montreal
Accra
Abuja
Luanda
Nairobi
Mauritius
Cairo
Tel Aviv
Kuwait
Abu Dhabi shuttle to Muscat
Doha via Bahrain
Riyadh
Dubai
Mumbai
Delhi
Bangalore
Chennai
Shanghai
Tokyo Haneda
Tokyo Narita
Singapore
Sydney via Singapore
I think. But it does vary.
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: UK
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Don't get tied up on which type goes where as it can change on a season by season basis and indeed sometimes within season too. BA will send the type that most "fits" the route, based on many factors. To give an example the LAS service started with a 777 but has since moved to the 747. The only fairly fixed LH routes are those that operate from LGW but this can also change, the MRU used to be a LHR 747 service and is now a LGW 777 service.
Join Date: Jul 2004
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PLease allow me to throw my 2p in...
I recently joined BA from easyJet and believe it or not, I'm starting to regret the move....I got totally wrapped up in the boyhood dream when they opened their recruitment and I jumped straight in without pausing for thought.
Life has a funny way of altering your mindset, and more importantly, your priorities as time goes on. I now have 2 beautiful children and they are everything. My wife and family will always come first.
It is only now that I have joined BA I have to come to realise that it is not the number of flying hours you do per annum, but how many duty hours.
The maximum duty hours I operated in one year at easyJet was 1448. Last year was 1220ish (650ish flying hours). The rest was spent with my family.
I'm starting to think that, at BA I will be away an awful lot more, doing an awful lot more duty hours.
Of course, BA offers the better career from a purely selfish point of view - but allow to me play devil's advocate with the family man inside you.
Just food for thought...
I recently joined BA from easyJet and believe it or not, I'm starting to regret the move....I got totally wrapped up in the boyhood dream when they opened their recruitment and I jumped straight in without pausing for thought.
Life has a funny way of altering your mindset, and more importantly, your priorities as time goes on. I now have 2 beautiful children and they are everything. My wife and family will always come first.
It is only now that I have joined BA I have to come to realise that it is not the number of flying hours you do per annum, but how many duty hours.
The maximum duty hours I operated in one year at easyJet was 1448. Last year was 1220ish (650ish flying hours). The rest was spent with my family.
I'm starting to think that, at BA I will be away an awful lot more, doing an awful lot more duty hours.
Of course, BA offers the better career from a purely selfish point of view - but allow to me play devil's advocate with the family man inside you.
Just food for thought...
Join Date: Jan 2006
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I am also finding that i'm away a bit more than before. Granted I don't have a family but I have noticed that i'm having fewer opportunities to see my girlfriend (we don't live together). Any new joiner will have low seniority and as such will probably be away from home more than they are used to at easyJet or other non-nightstopping carriers. The more senior guys tend to hoover up the there and back trips which leaves the junior guys with more tours on their roster. However, with seniority comes choice and most people will tell you that once you are about 30% of the way up the seniority list then you'll generally get most of what you want. 50% up and you'll probably get exactly what you want. Pay your dues now and enjoy your luxurious life-style (yeah right!) later...
Join Date: Jan 2005
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Gillespie
I pretty much agree with Tall Boy. I've recently joined from easy LGW (I believe its worth making the distinction since if you are regionally based easy could well be a sustainable lifestyle option - however for how long will those bases exist?!).
I always knew I'd take a lifestyle hit to start with - no weekends off, trips away etc and so it has come to pass. This was clear enough from just reading these forums and talking to people already on 'the other side'. The move to BA is a long term play, you have to put in the effort at the bottom of the seniority list so that one day (hopefully not too long from now given the rate of planned recruitment) you can reap the benefits of a seniority based system.
While I can appreciate how being away from a young family must be inconvenient at best - particularly for your other half- I think (and hope) you will come to realise in a few years time that you did make the right decision. Most of the FO's I know who were already at BA before I joined have reached this point and are very happy with life.
If I had a pound for every easy captain I'd spoken to in my last 3 months who regretted taking the early command.
Keep the faith and get bidding!
V2
I pretty much agree with Tall Boy. I've recently joined from easy LGW (I believe its worth making the distinction since if you are regionally based easy could well be a sustainable lifestyle option - however for how long will those bases exist?!).
I always knew I'd take a lifestyle hit to start with - no weekends off, trips away etc and so it has come to pass. This was clear enough from just reading these forums and talking to people already on 'the other side'. The move to BA is a long term play, you have to put in the effort at the bottom of the seniority list so that one day (hopefully not too long from now given the rate of planned recruitment) you can reap the benefits of a seniority based system.
While I can appreciate how being away from a young family must be inconvenient at best - particularly for your other half- I think (and hope) you will come to realise in a few years time that you did make the right decision. Most of the FO's I know who were already at BA before I joined have reached this point and are very happy with life.
If I had a pound for every easy captain I'd spoken to in my last 3 months who regretted taking the early command.
Keep the faith and get bidding!
V2
Join Date: Jul 2004
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Veetwo,
I totally understand what you say RE EZY LGW. I was at a regional base which is, I'm led to believe, like a different airline. But as you mention, how long will the regional bases last? Hard to say.
The only bit I regret is that I'm going to miss a considerable amount of the early years of my children's lives. Sure, once you've gained some seniority life at BA will become fantastic, but it's a huge sacrifice in the medium term.
I know I've made the right decision professionally, AND for the long term. I'm purely playing devil's advocate and providing some food for thought for those in a similar (family) position to myself.
FLR, I do indeed commute to heathrow, which adds to my gripe. I don't wish to move my family for my job...so I'm going to stick it out and look forward to the days when I can have a big influence on my roster!
Cheers.
I totally understand what you say RE EZY LGW. I was at a regional base which is, I'm led to believe, like a different airline. But as you mention, how long will the regional bases last? Hard to say.
The only bit I regret is that I'm going to miss a considerable amount of the early years of my children's lives. Sure, once you've gained some seniority life at BA will become fantastic, but it's a huge sacrifice in the medium term.
I know I've made the right decision professionally, AND for the long term. I'm purely playing devil's advocate and providing some food for thought for those in a similar (family) position to myself.
FLR, I do indeed commute to heathrow, which adds to my gripe. I don't wish to move my family for my job...so I'm going to stick it out and look forward to the days when I can have a big influence on my roster!
Cheers.
Join Date: Oct 2004
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Gillespie
I know you have made absolutely the right choice.
At BA you are in a game of 'Snakes and Ladders'. From now on, whether you are on a snake or a ladder depends entirely on the choices you make!
There are great opportunities here. At other places, 'what you see', tends to be 'what you get' for the rest of your working life! (If you're very lucky!)
Might be good there in immediate comparison, but how will it compare in 5, 10 or even 30 years time, when you are a senior A380 skipper, on fantastic pay, taking your wife and kids to the most exotic destinations in the World...
For the moment, just suck it up, your are ON the conveyor belt, and it is moving very fast right now!
I know you have made absolutely the right choice.
At BA you are in a game of 'Snakes and Ladders'. From now on, whether you are on a snake or a ladder depends entirely on the choices you make!
There are great opportunities here. At other places, 'what you see', tends to be 'what you get' for the rest of your working life! (If you're very lucky!)
Might be good there in immediate comparison, but how will it compare in 5, 10 or even 30 years time, when you are a senior A380 skipper, on fantastic pay, taking your wife and kids to the most exotic destinations in the World...
For the moment, just suck it up, your are ON the conveyor belt, and it is moving very fast right now!
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just to play the devil's advocate a bit more..I don't think anyone should base the decision to join BA based on a 10-20-30 years time plan! And the reason is that the world is changing drastically, or in fact has already changed. So to be completely honest with you as much as no one knows if any company will be around that long at this point, the same and more is valid for the very traditional airlines of the world (bear in mind there are people actually joining Virgin now from pretty ok and stable jobs, and that really goes beyond my comprehension..there obviously must be something I am missing).
Don't get me wrong I think BA is one of the best companies in the world with the potential of offering a fantastic career development. I am just saying that you can't live your life waiting for the future all the time because you are young NOW, and you have to live your life NOW,if it gets better in the future well that's a plus. Joining BA is a good decision for most i think, as long as they enjoy the lifestyle it offers at every stage junior/not so junior/senior/capt etc..Being on nightstops constantly waiting to go back home, or planning your career on a long term commute I don't think can make anyone happy..even if in 30 years you are a space shuttle captain.
this is just my idea/experience.
Don't get me wrong I think BA is one of the best companies in the world with the potential of offering a fantastic career development. I am just saying that you can't live your life waiting for the future all the time because you are young NOW, and you have to live your life NOW,if it gets better in the future well that's a plus. Joining BA is a good decision for most i think, as long as they enjoy the lifestyle it offers at every stage junior/not so junior/senior/capt etc..Being on nightstops constantly waiting to go back home, or planning your career on a long term commute I don't think can make anyone happy..even if in 30 years you are a space shuttle captain.
this is just my idea/experience.
Last edited by bringbackthe80s; 3rd Aug 2011 at 08:11.
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BA is, I believe, at the start of an expansive phase in terms of pilot recruitment. It's always important ,if at all possible, to enter close to the beginning of one of these phases.Seniority progression is vital here to ensure that bidline can achieve your aspired lifestyle.
If you've recently joined BA or soon will, you will find that your quality of life will improve quite quickly.2-3 years of pain now will pay dividends in the medium term.
Apart from quality of life what you will also get here is choice-long or short haul,command or not(assuming you have seniority to attain it),aircraft type on an annual bidding basis,leave bidding based on points not seniority and ultimately choice through bidline as seniority improves.
If having joined BA you don't like it you will have gained high currency experience which will stand you in good stead should you decide that it's not for you.
If you are thinking about applying I wouldn't hesitate-but then i would say that wouldn't I..!
If you've recently joined BA or soon will, you will find that your quality of life will improve quite quickly.2-3 years of pain now will pay dividends in the medium term.
Apart from quality of life what you will also get here is choice-long or short haul,command or not(assuming you have seniority to attain it),aircraft type on an annual bidding basis,leave bidding based on points not seniority and ultimately choice through bidline as seniority improves.
If having joined BA you don't like it you will have gained high currency experience which will stand you in good stead should you decide that it's not for you.
If you are thinking about applying I wouldn't hesitate-but then i would say that wouldn't I..!