BA Direct Entry Pilot.
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 864
Likes: 0
From: UK
Personally I'm happy to see the FHR return because I've been short changed by several thousand pounds per year ever since FPA arrived. I never did understand the argument that it is good for when you are sick or on a conversion course. I'd rather stick my couple of grand of extra earnings in the bank each year and have an emergency fund for if I am unfortunate enough to become sick. Mortgages; yes I suppose that will take a bit more discussion with the banks, but I always found BA's mortgage certificate perfectly satisfactory before. I did not see an increase in what I was allowed when FHR first disappeared, so why do we expect a reduction now?
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
From: Close to minimums
Any truth to what I've heard about pilots on the 787 fleet not working as much due to the relatively small (but expanding) fleet and all the new joiners (internal plus DEP) taking a lot of the sectors for training? If this continued will the new pay structure impact this fleet disproportionately?
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,729
Likes: 104
From: The Winchester
May have been a probelm historically but looking at April's numbers for the 787 it doesn't look to me as if they are short of work at the moment.
That said the problem you describe can crop up on a growing or a shrinking fleet.
That said the problem you describe can crop up on a growing or a shrinking fleet.
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
From: uk
Not even close. Long haul Flying Pay Allowqnce was/is just over £600 per month so after tax under the new regime you'll lose approx £360 per month. BA isn't keen on having pilots sitting around so you'll almost certainly start your line training within two months of your start date. So rather than lose £3000 you'll actually lose closer to £720 net of tax which you recoup quickly at the new Flying Hour Rate.
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 898
Likes: 73
From: UK
Juan
For the avoidance of doubt, I would prefer no variable pay - just not at the expense of several thousands of pounds per year. Anyway I think the company is wrong about its suspicion that sickness rates have gone up because we are no longer on a variable flying hour rate. They have chosen to ignore the fact that they are now roster assigning people over the days off that they needed and therefore bidded for. You can have a low sickness rate and allow people to get off a roster assigned trip if they really need to, or you can accept that people will start actively bidding for trips over days they need off, planning to go sick because it is less likely to raise suspicion than going sick on a roster assigned trip. I'm not saying it is right, but it is what is happening and no amount of variable pay will change that.
For the avoidance of doubt, I would prefer no variable pay - just not at the expense of several thousands of pounds per year. Anyway I think the company is wrong about its suspicion that sickness rates have gone up because we are no longer on a variable flying hour rate. They have chosen to ignore the fact that they are now roster assigning people over the days off that they needed and therefore bidded for. You can have a low sickness rate and allow people to get off a roster assigned trip if they really need to, or you can accept that people will start actively bidding for trips over days they need off, planning to go sick because it is less likely to raise suspicion than going sick on a roster assigned trip. I'm not saying it is right, but it is what is happening and no amount of variable pay will change that.
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,729
Likes: 104
From: The Winchester
No, just a P77L for me
Almost as good as P38L
...it's started already.Both are BA Longhaul Fleets
One fleet has an extensive list of destinations from Australia in the east, through India, down to South Africa, south America and then up to the American west Coast. For those that like polling the aircraft it has a high proportion of "non-augmented" sectors, and shuttle sectors (the Caribbean is rather nice at this time of year)
A very definite advantage of the 380 is you will never ever have to fly with me...........
Last edited by wiggy; 7th March 2016 at 05:21.
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,729
Likes: 104
From: The Winchester
The basics:
C = Captain, P = P2
78 = 787, 77 = 777, 38 = 380, I'll let you work the rest out....
L = LHR , X = LGW
So P38L is a 380 P2 Heathrow based, P77L is a 777 P2 Heathrow based.
C77L would be a 777 captain based at Heathrow, C32X is an A320 captain, Gatwick based, etc, etc.
C = Captain, P = P2
78 = 787, 77 = 777, 38 = 380, I'll let you work the rest out....
L = LHR , X = LGW
So P38L is a 380 P2 Heathrow based, P77L is a 777 P2 Heathrow based.
C77L would be a 777 captain based at Heathrow, C32X is an A320 captain, Gatwick based, etc, etc.
Last edited by wiggy; 7th March 2016 at 06:04. Reason: Format
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 156
Likes: 0
From: Outta town
I previously attended a BA roadshow . I recorded the whole thing, inc the questions and answer session with Lindsey Craig and his colleagues. 90 mins of Lots of interesting stuff inc heads up of useful information on the interviews and where BA is going and what fleet does what and the bid lines.
If anyone wants it, please PM me and i will put it on You Tube if enough folks have intrest .
If anyone wants it, please PM me and i will put it on You Tube if enough folks have intrest .
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 283
Likes: 1
From: somewhere hot and sticky
Thanks Wiggy, very clear now! Confirm LGW base is only for A320?
The basics:
C = Captain, P = P2
78 = 787, 77 = 777, 38 = 380, I'll let you work the rest out....
L = LHR , X = LGW
So P38L is a 380 P2 Heathrow based, P77L is a 777 P2 Heathrow based.
C77L would be a 777 captain based at Heathrow, C32X is an A320 captain, Gatwick based, etc, etc.
C = Captain, P = P2
78 = 787, 77 = 777, 38 = 380, I'll let you work the rest out....
L = LHR , X = LGW
So P38L is a 380 P2 Heathrow based, P77L is a 777 P2 Heathrow based.
C77L would be a 777 captain based at Heathrow, C32X is an A320 captain, Gatwick based, etc, etc.
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,729
Likes: 104
From: The Winchester
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,729
Likes: 104
From: The Winchester
highfive
Sorry to be an old f*** but just a bit of a health warning - be wary of some of the old info pertaining to Long Haul (even if it's from the recruitment team and even if it's recent)...and remember (?) Bid Line is going.
Firstly fleet destinations change seasonally, if not more frequently. Secondly any Long Haul final rosters produced before Feb '16 won't reflect the significant EASA driven changes that came in that month. Also be aware that by the end of next year under JSS heaven knows what the monthly roster will look like.....(e.g. one big change will be the introduction of pre-constructed Long Haul back to backs)
what fleet does what and the bid lines.
Firstly fleet destinations change seasonally, if not more frequently. Secondly any Long Haul final rosters produced before Feb '16 won't reflect the significant EASA driven changes that came in that month. Also be aware that by the end of next year under JSS heaven knows what the monthly roster will look like.....(e.g. one big change will be the introduction of pre-constructed Long Haul back to backs)
Last edited by wiggy; 7th March 2016 at 07:26.
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 283
Likes: 1
From: somewhere hot and sticky
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,729
Likes: 104
From: The Winchester
The BA 320s based at Gatwick have dedicated LGW based crews (C32X and P32X).
The BA 777s operated out of Gatwick are crewed by Heathrow based pilots ( they do a mix of LHR and LGW trips, but on paper they are LHR based).
Everything else is LHR, except I guess the LCY subfleet...which I'll leave to somebody else.
Last edited by wiggy; 7th March 2016 at 07:18.
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,729
Likes: 104
From: The Winchester
...
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 130
Likes: 11
From: UK
As someone going through the recruitment process at the moment a couple of questions please
Glad to hear the back to back scheduling is still an option. Do the company provide accommodation between trips? Are back to back trips easy to come by or are they much coveted?
Also, the 777 out of LGW; Are the trips out of there generally quite senior or as a new start are you likely to get a sniff?
Some great information on this thread so many thanks to all
Glad to hear the back to back scheduling is still an option. Do the company provide accommodation between trips? Are back to back trips easy to come by or are they much coveted?
Also, the 777 out of LGW; Are the trips out of there generally quite senior or as a new start are you likely to get a sniff?
Some great information on this thread so many thanks to all
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,729
Likes: 104
From: The Winchester
Are back to back trips easy to come by or are they much coveted?
Do the company provide accommodation between trips?
When/if people start working pre-constructed back to backs (as previously debated) then for some trip combinations the company will have to provide accomodation - at the moment we're being told that's probably not going to happen until the introduction of JSS late next year.
As far as LGW is concerned, you may get a sniff but there's a certainly hard core who like the beach...
Joined: Sep 2008
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 940
Likes: 57
From: Scotland
It was suggested to me that a lot of the Middle East flights will suddenly become quite senior rather than populating junior blind lines due to the time difference being very favourable for back to backs.
Fingers crossed...
Fingers crossed...
