BA Direct Entry Pilot.
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
From: somewhere between Miami and Havana
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Bradford
Any updates?
Have there been anymore calls made to the hold pool for 320 TR'd?
The last word I heard was from 'thetimesreader84' that they had an early Dec sim date and had been given a start in May.
Any other 320 TR'd people still treading the water?
Thanks
The last word I heard was from 'thetimesreader84' that they had an early Dec sim date and had been given a start in May.
Any other 320 TR'd people still treading the water?
Thanks
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 898
Likes: 73
From: UK
Where do questions of removal of engagement freeze come from? The engagement freeze has been five years for at least two decades. I cannot see that reducing. If anything, I expect they would like to see it increase.
As for 747 retirements; yes hull numbers have been reducing, but we are years away from people being directed off or released from freezes. In fact at the moment, they cannot get people trained onto it quickly enough!
Are you saying you have been offered a 747 course but you do not really want it?
As for 747 retirements; yes hull numbers have been reducing, but we are years away from people being directed off or released from freezes. In fact at the moment, they cannot get people trained onto it quickly enough!
Are you saying you have been offered a 747 course but you do not really want it?
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,729
Likes: 104
From: The Winchester
The engagement freeze has been five years for at least two decades. I cannot see that reducing. If anything, I expect they would like to see it increase
Joined: Apr 1999
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 2,647
Likes: 307
From: In front of a computer
Looks like BA are going to be short of flight crew this summer. This was hinted at a while ago but looks like it’s going to result in extraordinary measures😗
Getting new recruits in is harder when your existing crews are being run ragged just keeping the show on the road....
Getting new recruits in is harder when your existing crews are being run ragged just keeping the show on the road....
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,235
Likes: 88
From: N/A
Although we clearly have a stressful summer ahead, I think this is great news for potential DEPs and existing BA pilots generally. Glass half full and all that 
It's also very reassuring to have L.C back in control of Manpower Planning.
It's also very reassuring to have L.C back in control of Manpower Planning.
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
From: UK
It is great news of potential DEP recruitment, but I really hope LC doesn’t let a whole lot of good potential pilots go for not holding a moving cross or not playing silly cruise ship games, still like in previous recruitment drive, I know its is their train set, but surely the large drive for DEP long haul recruitment and roadshows a few years back in a few Gulf States and Hong Kong for experienced long haul pilot but turning them down must have the cost the company so much money.
I really hope LC can respectfully modernise BA’s recruitment.
I really hope LC can respectfully modernise BA’s recruitment.
Joined: Jul 2009
Aviation Qualifications: Spotter
Posts: 241
Likes: 50
From: Coast to Coast...
Modernize indeed. The first step towards fixing any recruitment issue within a company is to get board approval to totally bypass HR and their involvement. HR are a burden and curse on a department's operational needs. I've seen it in multiple industries prior to aviation. Why does a granny from HR who is about to retire think she knows what makes a good BA employee in 2018? Cut out the bull!!!! and archaic paper based exercises that reveal nothing about experienced pilots that a proper 1 hr chat on a pilot to pilot basis covering background and future desires can't.
Limit the intolerable and most off-putting "describe a situation when..." questions to 2 or 3, not 10! That just pisses adults right off. Some of us are left thinking, what is this nonsense?
Most of us walk away from the BA process feeling deeply annoyed and as if we just interviewed for a high profile city banker's job. In my case bailed out at 2nd stage after an hours worth of pointless questions and during the interview not one operational or tech question was asked. I'm a pilot ffs, treat and test me like one!
Sour grapes? Well yes. When you keep seeing pilots well known to have inferior skills getting hired by BA, it does turn your world a bit sour. I'm sure a lot of people in this room will back me up on this last part.
Limit the intolerable and most off-putting "describe a situation when..." questions to 2 or 3, not 10! That just pisses adults right off. Some of us are left thinking, what is this nonsense?
Most of us walk away from the BA process feeling deeply annoyed and as if we just interviewed for a high profile city banker's job. In my case bailed out at 2nd stage after an hours worth of pointless questions and during the interview not one operational or tech question was asked. I'm a pilot ffs, treat and test me like one!
Sour grapes? Well yes. When you keep seeing pilots well known to have inferior skills getting hired by BA, it does turn your world a bit sour. I'm sure a lot of people in this room will back me up on this last part.
Last edited by Smooth Airperator; 8th April 2018 at 07:18.
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,729
Likes: 104
From: The Winchester
I’n sure the likes of LC would happily cut to the chase....
I’m with you on this, however above LC s pay grade I suspect we have people who think being able to keep the dot centred and use the three times table isn’t enough...BA also want a “package” that is capable and willing to drop everything in the middle of a foreign vacation to go to an local airport airport to operate back to U.K. in the stead of a sick colleague, and during the flight take an image of their crew meal which they will portray in an attractive manner on Social media...now convince at interview that you can tick those boxes and you will be BAs ideal modern pilot recruit....
...during the interview not one operational or tech question was asked. I'm a pilot ffs, treat and test me like one!
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 251
Likes: 0
From: Here, there, everywhere
I'm all for modern thinking Wiggy, but having seen some social media attempts blow up recently that's a path that needs to be walked very very carefully.
Also a sorry state of affairs if skill of the selfie is considered ahead of other ability.
Also a sorry state of affairs if skill of the selfie is considered ahead of other ability.
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 175
Likes: 0
From: Hotel time zone
Amen to that smooth. Is a long while since I visited BA, but they always were a nauseating extreme of the HR psychobabble driven selection process, which some might argue, selectively recruits candidates with a rather inflated opinion of themselves!