BA Direct Entry Pilot.
Join Date: Jun 2015
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Hi,
I'd be very grateful if somebody could answer the following:
1. How many leave days do you get at BA?
2. At my current airline we have an agreement that crewing cannot swap you to a duty that is more than 2 hours either side of a rostered duty. Do BA have anything like this?
3. I've heard differing figures for experience requirements to go straight onto long haul. Can anyone confirm this?
4. I have an event in early May I would like to attend. I understand that you don't get a say on leave for the first year. How likely is it that I'll be able to swap to have this time off?
5. Is there a limit to how many hours you can be rostered in a month or does it just need to be legal? Also, is there a minimum number of days off at roster publication over and above legal minimum?
6. After how long can you use staff travel?
Thanks
I'd be very grateful if somebody could answer the following:
1. How many leave days do you get at BA?
2. At my current airline we have an agreement that crewing cannot swap you to a duty that is more than 2 hours either side of a rostered duty. Do BA have anything like this?
3. I've heard differing figures for experience requirements to go straight onto long haul. Can anyone confirm this?
4. I have an event in early May I would like to attend. I understand that you don't get a say on leave for the first year. How likely is it that I'll be able to swap to have this time off?
5. Is there a limit to how many hours you can be rostered in a month or does it just need to be legal? Also, is there a minimum number of days off at roster publication over and above legal minimum?
6. After how long can you use staff travel?
Thanks
1. Full timers get 4 weeks leave plus 2 " duty free weeks", so without going into the arcane details call it 6 weeks.
2. BA can't "swop" you onto anything....in theory at least your final roster ( published just before the start of the month) is exactly that...that said in the event of disruption once down route all bets are off (which I guess is the same everywhere).
3. Can't answer that without knowing what you've heard.
4. You may get the leave you want, you may not, you bid for it but what you get depends on the demand for those particular days and also how much high value leave you've hoovered up in previous years. Outside of leave you fundamentally have zero control over your days off regardless of how long you've been in the company. That said you may be able to swop to get the days off, than again maybe not.
5. Assume EASA limits with not too many blocks of days off at base.
6. 6 months.
2. BA can't "swop" you onto anything....in theory at least your final roster ( published just before the start of the month) is exactly that...that said in the event of disruption once down route all bets are off (which I guess is the same everywhere).
3. Can't answer that without knowing what you've heard.
4. You may get the leave you want, you may not, you bid for it but what you get depends on the demand for those particular days and also how much high value leave you've hoovered up in previous years. Outside of leave you fundamentally have zero control over your days off regardless of how long you've been in the company. That said you may be able to swop to get the days off, than again maybe not.
5. Assume EASA limits with not too many blocks of days off at base.
6. 6 months.
Last edited by wiggy; 12th Aug 2015 at 11:54.
Join Date: Jun 2015
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Thanks wiggy.
I've heard it's 1000 hours multi-crew but there was no mention of total time.
With regards to days off, is there no minimum number of days off per month when the rosters are published in addition to EASA? (I'm currently guaranteed 10). You mentioned blocks of days off but I'm more concerned about actual number of days.
I've recently been given the good news so I'm in the pool at the moment. The trainer at the sim suggested courses in March/April. Has anyone heard anything different?
I've heard it's 1000 hours multi-crew but there was no mention of total time.
With regards to days off, is there no minimum number of days off per month when the rosters are published in addition to EASA? (I'm currently guaranteed 10). You mentioned blocks of days off but I'm more concerned about actual number of days.
I've recently been given the good news so I'm in the pool at the moment. The trainer at the sim suggested courses in March/April. Has anyone heard anything different?
The current rule set has quite a bit of wriggle room in it - we are meant to have an average of at least 10 days off in each consecutive 4-week period, averaged over three such periods...In other words you are not guaranteed 10 days off every 4 weeks. It's also worthy of note that the rules go on to say that
"whenever practicable days off should be taken in the home environment."
I have seen comments elsewhere that some in short haul are not getting 10 days off at home per month, maybe someone more familiar with the short haul side of the operation will have more info.
"whenever practicable days off should be taken in the home environment."
I have seen comments elsewhere that some in short haul are not getting 10 days off at home per month, maybe someone more familiar with the short haul side of the operation will have more info.
Join Date: Oct 2012
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Of course, that's for LHR crews.
LGW is different, where you are guaranteed 11 days off a month, excepting that for two summer months it's 10 and two winter months it's 12.
LGW is different, where you are guaranteed 11 days off a month, excepting that for two summer months it's 10 and two winter months it's 12.
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The 4 weeks of leave that full timers get is 2 weeks twice. The downside is the leave includes what would have been days off. You're allocated leave using credit hours. The credit hours do not equate to an average days work - they are significantly less.
So, 4 weeks of leave are not 4 weeks worth of worked hours. It's about 3 weeks worth of worked hours and the shortfall for the 4th week you have to make up by working harder during the other days of the month - of take a pay cut.
So, 4 weeks of leave are not 4 weeks worth of worked hours. It's about 3 weeks worth of worked hours and the shortfall for the 4th week you have to make up by working harder during the other days of the month - of take a pay cut.
Or just bid for a blind line and the credit become's BA's problem and you keep the money. You probably work a lot less in the process. Granted I can't chose my days off but I work a hell of a lot less on a blind line than I do on a trip line. And I get to keep my wrap days as well.
I've yet to work to cap when on a blind line.
But that's a personal thing. I'm not fussed when my time off is, but I am fussed about having it.
I've yet to work to cap when on a blind line.
But that's a personal thing. I'm not fussed when my time off is, but I am fussed about having it.
Join Date: Apr 2004
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Carmen is a preferencing system not a true bidding system. You tell the system what you would like to do and what you want to avoid. It then produces rosters based on these preferences. Carmen will cover the work, if that means blowing off preferences that is just tough. As a junior bod you will get some "satisfaction" I think it is nominally 40% and this grows with seniority. You can bid for specific trips but the more you ask for, the more specific you are the greater the chance this will fall into the unsatisfied portion of your bid. Carmen is a b***h but it is better than nothing. If nothing else it can help you get earlies or later. Everyone has their own theory about Carmen. In my experience it is better to be very junior on Carmen than very junior on Bidline, though quite what Bidline is these days nobody really knows.
Last edited by Juan Tugoh; 15th Aug 2015 at 11:20.
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BA Direct Entry Pilot.
I've tried over 20 times per day for the past week to book a simulator assessment slot but it keeps saying "no slots available". I even received a reminder e-mail asking me to book one! I'm going to e-mail them tomorrow's to ask what's going on.
Join Date: Jun 2001
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Roughly how many guys are now swimming in the pool? Is there any indication when they will start 2016 courses for theses guys?
Join Date: Apr 2004
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The plan for 2016 is being looked at and it is likely that course information (for both internal conversions and external candidates) will be available in mid Oct. So expect wild conjecture and speculation till then - oh and after then too.