BA Direct Entry Pilot.
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Timba Hold
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Join Date: Jul 2016
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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.
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Button Moon
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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?
Join Date: Jul 2016
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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?
Join Date: Feb 2005
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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.
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 Jan 2019 at 12:02.
Join Date: Mar 2009
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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.
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Between HRG & LGW
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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
Join Date: Mar 2009
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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.
Join Date: Nov 2007
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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.
Join Date: Feb 2018
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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?
Join Date: Jul 2007
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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.
Join Date: Oct 2007
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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.
Not to long ago their was barely any recruitment at BA, now it seems that every few months their are opportunities and even road shows. Is BA getting desperate or just very picky?
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.
Just to add to ETOPS’s comments....there was pretty much zero for 15 years from mid 70’s through late 80’s but ever since the first batch of “modern” 
DEPs and Prestwick cadets joined (in I think ‘88) there has been a pretty steady trickle of recruitment over the years, even during the 10 years when retirements almost stopped due to the change in the retirement age (there was however still an incoming trickle simply due to ill Heath attrition and/or people simply leaving anyway before 65).
I agreew ith ETOPS that the upturn we are seeing at the moment is I suspect based on nothing more sinister than the need to replace those now retiring at or close to 65, plus some expansion.
DEPs and Prestwick cadets joined (in I think ‘88) there has been a pretty steady trickle of recruitment over the years, even during the 10 years when retirements almost stopped due to the change in the retirement age (there was however still an incoming trickle simply due to ill Heath attrition and/or people simply leaving anyway before 65).I agreew ith ETOPS that the upturn we are seeing at the moment is I suspect based on nothing more sinister than the need to replace those now retiring at or close to 65, plus some expansion.
