BA Direct Entry Pilot.
Joined: Nov 2014
Aviation Qualifications: SLF
Posts: 416
Likes: 0
From: six micro tesla zone
This is one of my favourite threads on pprune, but I've never posted until now.
May I be so bold as to ask what a full-time, LH, TRE, with say 25 years senerority could expect to earn at BA?
IMHO. Maybe it's a flaw with my generation or maybe I wear rose tinted glasses, but most people my age do not seem to play the long game and are not prepared to invest longterm into their career and await the fruits of their labour.
This is not a shot at guys on this thread in their mid 30s+ with kids and mortgages. I understand you can not hang around waiting for T&Cs to improve when you are in that stage of your life.
So, in light of my intial question, surely BA is still a company to aim for if you are my age?
May I be so bold as to ask what a full-time, LH, TRE, with say 25 years senerority could expect to earn at BA?
IMHO. Maybe it's a flaw with my generation or maybe I wear rose tinted glasses, but most people my age do not seem to play the long game and are not prepared to invest longterm into their career and await the fruits of their labour.
This is not a shot at guys on this thread in their mid 30s+ with kids and mortgages. I understand you can not hang around waiting for T&Cs to improve when you are in that stage of your life.
So, in light of my intial question, surely BA is still a company to aim for if you are my age?
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 238
Likes: 0
From: London
This is one of my favourite threads on pprune, but I've never posted until now.
May I be so bold as to ask what a full-time, LH, TRE, with say 25 years senerority could expect to earn at BA?
IMHO. Maybe it's a flaw with my generation or maybe I wear rose tinted glasses, but most people my age do not seem to play the long game and are not prepared to invest longterm into their career and await the fruits of their labour.
This is not a shot at guys on this thread in their mid 30s+ with kids and mortgages. I understand you can not hang around waiting for T&Cs to improve when you are in that stage of your life.
So, in light of my intial question, surely BA is still a company to aim for if you are my age?
May I be so bold as to ask what a full-time, LH, TRE, with say 25 years senerority could expect to earn at BA?
IMHO. Maybe it's a flaw with my generation or maybe I wear rose tinted glasses, but most people my age do not seem to play the long game and are not prepared to invest longterm into their career and await the fruits of their labour.
This is not a shot at guys on this thread in their mid 30s+ with kids and mortgages. I understand you can not hang around waiting for T&Cs to improve when you are in that stage of your life.
So, in light of my intial question, surely BA is still a company to aim for if you are my age?
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 995
Likes: 103
From: Botswana
Long Haul low cost isn't viable in the long run. If it were then O'Leary would have already done it. And don't tell me he hasn't costed it.
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 470
Likes: 53
From: The Dirty South
we don't want FAA 1500hr madness in Europe either so things are fine as they are.
Given the news that well qualified DEP at BA have just received, and the lack of rest/fatigue management rules, I'm surprised to hear a pilot say that "things are fine as they are" in Europe.
* I haven't included CA positions in China, since it's not relevant.
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 179
Likes: 0
From: England
IMHO. Maybe it's a flaw with my generation or maybe I wear rose tinted glasses, but most people my age do not seem to play the long game and are not prepared to invest longterm into their career and await the fruits of their labour.
I'm sure there are BA captains who earn more than me, but they'll have been in the company a long time, and almost certainly have training and/or management responsibilities (or do a hell of a lot of overtime!). The power of a (relatively) high salary when you're (relatively) young is in compounding (the same reason why sticking money in a pension is a good idea at the earliest opportunity). Financially it simply wouldn't make sense for someone like me to make the move; yes, I'd probably earn more for the last few years of my career, but I've got around two decades a of earning more. All assuming Ts & Cs remain static of course!
As others have eluded to, going to BA certainly wouldn't be a decision based on finances for many. This is all to say nothing of the other reasons to make the switch.
Joined: Nov 2014
Aviation Qualifications: SLF
Posts: 416
Likes: 0
From: six micro tesla zone
I think I'm wrong in my assumptions that BA is still a career airline, at least in some regards. The figures ENZO provided in his last post were a bit surprising to be honest.
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 54
Likes: 1
From: UK
Maverick,
I'll start by saying as many others have, money shouldn't be the driving factor for choosing this career.
However I think enzo was slightly conservative. If I'm looking at it correctly I'd say a 25 year LH trainer is on circa 164k basic plus 20k training plus flight/duty pay (pp24) & 140k basic, 20k training, again plus flight/duty pay (pp34).
Obviously it'll take a long time to get there but you asked!
I'll start by saying as many others have, money shouldn't be the driving factor for choosing this career.
However I think enzo was slightly conservative. If I'm looking at it correctly I'd say a 25 year LH trainer is on circa 164k basic plus 20k training plus flight/duty pay (pp24) & 140k basic, 20k training, again plus flight/duty pay (pp34).
Obviously it'll take a long time to get there but you asked!
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 954
Likes: 64
From: england
I can appreciate that JS...just trying to add to the debate. BA has fallen behind in the pilot pay over the last 20 years or so. We work pretty hard for not much money in the great scheme of things. Sadly, mostly given away by ourselves and our reps. But that is a whole new thread. 
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 336
Likes: 3
From: somewhere in the middle
Has anyone contacted BA to ask about the "white tail" rumour? They were pretty quick to stamp on the FlyBe -> BA 777 rumour a few months ago, their silence on this says a lot I think...
And on the subject of contacting BA HR, has anyone filled out the survey regarding their "Candidate Experience"?
And on the subject of contacting BA HR, has anyone filled out the survey regarding their "Candidate Experience"?
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 120
Likes: 0
From: SE England
I speak to people from outside aviation and the effort/reward ratio is staggering. Seriously, go out and see what jobs attract a STARTING salary right at the bottom of the stack of £56,500 plus over £10,000 in extras. Also see whether those jobs have a guaranteed increase every year for the rest of your career, and then more often than not an annual pay rise on top of that. Middle or Far East pay it may not be (nor even necessarily LCC I concede) but it's a damn comfortable existence that I don't see people walking away from in their droves.
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 954
Likes: 64
From: england
airbus38 Thanks for your comments. It's great to get a different perspective on things .
My profile probably shows I live abroad now and I guess my experiences and expectations have changed my opinions. It does seem that other EU flag carriers and our US competitors are still doing pretty well, for a lot less work. A problem I see with the UK is a serf mentality and a system that has been pretty well designed to milk the last drop of tax out you.
Much of this isn't the employers fault, of course, however, if I was a younger, more thrusting pilot, I'd be exploring options outside of the UK like a flash. It's a big world out there, full of opportunities for the talented and enthusiastic.
I'd certainly view being an airline pilot nowadays as a stepping stone to something better. It isn't a sustainable career for a 20 something starting out in the job.
I foresee many changes for BA flight crew. I'd suggest reading the Emirates threads as it will all be coming to an airline near you in the near future I suspect.
My profile probably shows I live abroad now and I guess my experiences and expectations have changed my opinions. It does seem that other EU flag carriers and our US competitors are still doing pretty well, for a lot less work. A problem I see with the UK is a serf mentality and a system that has been pretty well designed to milk the last drop of tax out you.
Much of this isn't the employers fault, of course, however, if I was a younger, more thrusting pilot, I'd be exploring options outside of the UK like a flash. It's a big world out there, full of opportunities for the talented and enthusiastic.
I'd certainly view being an airline pilot nowadays as a stepping stone to something better. It isn't a sustainable career for a 20 something starting out in the job.
I foresee many changes for BA flight crew. I'd suggest reading the Emirates threads as it will all be coming to an airline near you in the near future I suspect.
