BA Direct Entry Pilot.
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 71
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From: Timba Hold
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
From: Timba Hold
I never had pay withheld at previous (cap overrun). I understand Christmas NCP has also been 'missed'. SH rostering is far better elsewhere. Its great to see BALPA standing up given the company response to the pay deal, though.
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 314
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From: Button Moon
Not sure if this has been discussed before but has a Fixed Pattern Roster ever been explored? Had it at a previous company many moons ago and it made a HUGE differerece when it was introduced. It has big benefits without really costing the company a penny save for the extra manpower hours required to administer it. I reckon it would decrease sickness and fatigue which would more than payfor those office hours.
Any thoughts from applicants at EZY, FR & DHK?
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 71
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From: Timba Hold
Agreed. Let’s see how far the courage for a fight goes over an insulting pay offer. That said, the initial pay claim was very weak given the current profitability of the airline.
Not sure if this has been discussed before but has a Fixed Pattern Roster ever been explored? Had it at a previous company many moons ago and it made a HUGE differerece when it was introduced. It has big benefits without really costing the company a penny save for the extra manpower hours required to administer it. I reckon it would decrease sickness and fatigue which would more than payfor those office hours.
Any thoughts from applicants at EZY, FR & DHK?
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 995
Likes: 103
From: Botswana
For what it’s worth I quite like a random roster in the sense that yeah you might only get a couple of days off after a long six (or even seven!) days but to balance that you get 5+ days off somewhere else which are far more useful for commuting than just three days for instance. Horses for courses I suppose but I wouldn’t welcome a 5354 pattern at all.
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,729
Likes: 104
From: The Winchester
Certainly not at BA during my aeons at the company.
Had it at a previous company many moons ago and it made a HUGE differerece when it was introduced. It has big benefits without really costing the company a penny save for the extra manpower hours required to administer it.
I think I can see how fixed pattern could work quite well somewhere that is pretty much limited to day trips but I think it would tough to do it on BA Shorthaul due to the mix of single day trips, night stops through to multi day tours,without getting rosters very limited in their variety. It would probably be a complete non starter on Longhaul where you have anything from the odd (very odd) day trip right through to the 9 day trip down to SYD on the 777.
Last edited by wiggy; 31st January 2019 at 12:02.
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 314
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From: Button Moon
Certainly not during my aeons at the company.
I think can see how it could work quite well somewhere that has limited nightstops but I think it would tough to do it on BA Shorthaul with the mix of day trips and tours, and probably a complete non starter on Longhaul where you have anything from the odd (very odd) day trip right through to the 9 day trip down to SYD on the 777.
FWIW it was decided at said company that it wasn't possible to implement Fixed Patterns on the LH aspect of the company but it worked REALLY well on the SH side where we were doing almost exclusively day stops all over Europe. The flying was a mix of 1-4 sector duty periods. Not everyone was on it or indeed wanted it but the ones that did want it and got it were generally very happy with the rostering part of the job.
I'm just thinking maybe BALPA could have made real inroads into improving conditions for our SH colleagues rather than just chasing money money money (and not much of it at that in this particular claim!) The numbers clambering to achieve part time would suggest money isn't the be all and end all. Possibly a conversation for another thread but just my thoughts.
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 24
Likes: 2
From: Between HRG & LGW
Quick question - I applied for DEP in October and am still going through the recruitment process. The application is now split between 777/787 or A320/A350/A380. I've been placed into the latter bracket, despite only having a few hundred airbus hours. Will this have any bearing on fleet offer if successful? Or is it still a 'placed where needed' system?
Thanks
Thanks
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 314
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From: Button Moon
Quick question - I applied for DEP in October and am still going through the recruitment process. The application is now split between 777/787 or A320/A350/A380. I've been placed into the latter bracket, despite only having a few hundred airbus hours. Will this have any bearing on fleet offer if successful? Or is it still a 'placed where needed' system?
Thanks
Thanks
That said, a guy I know who is airbus rated applied to the general DEP LH recruitment (and was then labelled A320/A350/A380 when they recently split it) has just been offered 777.
It remains a variable feast. Best of luck with it.
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: UK
2 Whites..2 Reds...
No the stratergy is correct.
SH work / life balance is top of a list of items to be addressed, most likely departmentally at the back end of the ongoing corporate pay deal.
A return of the duty rig from 1.8 to 2.0 to be specific but the financial figure to achieve this is relatively small.
Cold hard cash pays for mortgages, buys part time ( when available) pays for schools etc etc.
The current plan for this summer is so ambitious that it will most likely fall apart due LTS, fatigue, etc so Flt Ops will have to do something about it anyway.
Why solve their issues at the front end of a pay negotionation? We are about to post huge profits....go for the cash while it is there would be my advice.
No the stratergy is correct.
SH work / life balance is top of a list of items to be addressed, most likely departmentally at the back end of the ongoing corporate pay deal.
A return of the duty rig from 1.8 to 2.0 to be specific but the financial figure to achieve this is relatively small.
Cold hard cash pays for mortgages, buys part time ( when available) pays for schools etc etc.
The current plan for this summer is so ambitious that it will most likely fall apart due LTS, fatigue, etc so Flt Ops will have to do something about it anyway.
Why solve their issues at the front end of a pay negotionation? We are about to post huge profits....go for the cash while it is there would be my advice.
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 31
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From: Lo cat ion
What happens when there are insufficient pilots who are able and/or willing to try to pass the BA selection process? Will they up pay, or change the process, as they did in the mid 90s?
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 24
Likes: 2
From: Between HRG & LGW
From what I garnered on a recent internal conversion course, the training system is at max chat and will remain so for some time to come. So while the systems needs will always feature heavily, the current rating on your licence will also be taken into account as minimal footprint on the training system is now more important than ever.
That said, a guy I know who is airbus rated applied to the general DEP LH recruitment (and was then labelled A320/A350/A380 when they recently split it) has just been offered 777.
It remains a variable feast. Best of luck with it.
That said, a guy I know who is airbus rated applied to the general DEP LH recruitment (and was then labelled A320/A350/A380 when they recently split it) has just been offered 777.
It remains a variable feast. Best of luck with it.
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 204
Likes: 13
From: UK
2 Whites..2 Reds...
A return of the duty rig from 1.8 to 2.0 to be specific but the financial figure to achieve this is relatively small.
The current plan for this summer is so ambitious that it will most likely fall apart due LTS, fatigue, etc so Flt Ops will have to do something about it anyway.
A return of the duty rig from 1.8 to 2.0 to be specific but the financial figure to achieve this is relatively small.
The current plan for this summer is so ambitious that it will most likely fall apart due LTS, fatigue, etc so Flt Ops will have to do something about it anyway.
Getting agreement from Finance for that would be tough.
Joined: Apr 1999
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 2,647
Likes: 307
From: In front of a computer
was barely any recruitment at BA
The combination of expansion against retirements, resignations and medical failures has driven a steady flow - gross employment increasing from 3500 heads 5 years ago to around 4100 today.
