BA Direct Entry Pilot.
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I read somewhere else in the depths of this site that long haul layovers are to eventually be reduced to 24hrs. Any truth to that or just plain rumour mill? Doesn’t sound like time for much more than dinner, very short sightseeing trip if you can be bothered, sleep, eat, fly home...
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I read somewhere else in the depths of this site that long haul layovers are to eventually be reduced to 24hrs. Any truth to that or just plain rumour mill? Doesn’t sound like time for much more than dinner, very short sightseeing trip if you can be bothered, sleep, eat, fly home...
I read somewhere else in the depths of this site that long haul layovers are to eventually be reduced to 24hrs. Any truth to that or just plain rumour mill? Doesn’t sound like time for much more than dinner, very short sightseeing trip if you can be bothered, sleep, eat, fly home...
I think it went something along the lines of “ you know, if you reduced rest down route it would mean more time at home”......I might be wrong but the follow up might have. been something to do with having a bridge to sell.
I guess the idea might get some traction with those who get bored with LAX, HKG or SFO etc but I don’t think most people are interested so IMHO it’s not an immediate threat but it is obviously on a wish list.
Riskybis - the slip timings you describe, a consequence of the ancient and cunningly named “West Coast agreement”, are still intact.
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Both vacancies show on the BA.com career website but as far as I'm aware an online assessment is not part of the BA mainline selection.
BA mainline selection:
-Online application
-Day 1; Verbal and Numerical Reasoning and a computer test
-Day 2; Interview and Group exercise
-Day 3; Simulator assesment
Last edited by Jumbo2; 26th Mar 2019 at 07:29.
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Is there any truth in plans to change how reserve is allocated to address the senior/junior imbalance of working weekends? I've heard that basically the more weekends you work, the less reserve periods you'll be allocated. Thus, some senior guys may start electing to do more weekend work to avoid reserve I suppose?
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Not really true. The points you accrue by doing weekend work under JSS only become used as a tiebreaker when assigning reserve periods to people with otherwise equal points. (According to recent posts on yammer). Weekend points therefore make absolutely naff all difference to the frequency you’ll do reserve as a junior pilot, especially as all the junior guys will have broadly equal weekend points as they’re the ones who’ll be working all of them!
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Not really true. The points you accrue by doing weekend work under JSS only become used as a tiebreaker when assigning reserve periods to people with otherwise equal points. (According to recent posts on yammer). Weekend points therefore make absolutely naff all difference to the frequency you’ll do reserve as a junior pilot, especially as all the junior guys will have broadly equal weekend points as they’re the ones who’ll be working all of them!
Is this disparity of lifestyle between junior and senior pilots something that is trying to be addressed? I'm in a seniority based airline and while rosters are meant to have some seniority weighting, it doesn't seem to be anywhere near as critical as at BA. Is this just going to be a fact of life at BA or is there a push for some change while maintaining some advantage of being senior?
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BALPA keep amending the inhibitors to try and broadly flatten the gradient slightly and allow a greater spread of work down the seniority list. However, someone’s gold is another person’s sh*t. Everyone has their own preferences. I’m about 75% on the Airbus FO list and broadly get what I want (providing I don’t get shafted with global constraints). The downside is that I have to work every weekend to have a chance of achieving reasonable trips.
Weekends worked seems to be the main bug bear at the moment. I really think BA needs to perhaps introduce a minimum number of weekends worked even if you’re at the top of the list. Maybe 1 weekend in 4 or even 8 weeks with junior people getting 1 off in 4 (or 8). How it would be introduced is a discussion for later. Personally I don’t mind on the whole but it really affects others. Golden days are great but the lead time for putting them in is quite long and many of my friends outside of the industry haven’t quite grasped that. Therefore a lot of social invites for weekend get-togethers have to be turned down due to work.
Reserve is something else that needs to be looked at. A 28 day block is tough on your personal life. I believe BALPA and BA are thinking of introducing shorter blocks in addition to the current blocks to give people a bit of a choice. Without moaning about part timers, a lot of them haven’t done reserve for years if the computer is physically unable to insert a reserve period into their roster without clashing with their part time weeks. That to me doesn’t seem fair and would spread out the reserve duties a bit if it was fixed.
champ
Weekends worked seems to be the main bug bear at the moment. I really think BA needs to perhaps introduce a minimum number of weekends worked even if you’re at the top of the list. Maybe 1 weekend in 4 or even 8 weeks with junior people getting 1 off in 4 (or 8). How it would be introduced is a discussion for later. Personally I don’t mind on the whole but it really affects others. Golden days are great but the lead time for putting them in is quite long and many of my friends outside of the industry haven’t quite grasped that. Therefore a lot of social invites for weekend get-togethers have to be turned down due to work.
Reserve is something else that needs to be looked at. A 28 day block is tough on your personal life. I believe BALPA and BA are thinking of introducing shorter blocks in addition to the current blocks to give people a bit of a choice. Without moaning about part timers, a lot of them haven’t done reserve for years if the computer is physically unable to insert a reserve period into their roster without clashing with their part time weeks. That to me doesn’t seem fair and would spread out the reserve duties a bit if it was fixed.
champ
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BALPA keep amending the inhibitors to try and broadly flatten the gradient slightly and allow a greater spread of work down the seniority list. However, someone’s gold is another person’s sh*t. Everyone has their own preferences. I’m about 75% on the Airbus FO list and broadly get what I want (providing I don’t get shafted with global constraints). The downside is that I have to work every weekend to have a chance of achieving reasonable trips.
Weekends worked seems to be the main bug bear at the moment. I really think BA needs to perhaps introduce a minimum number of weekends worked even if you’re at the top of the list. Maybe 1 weekend in 4 or even 8 weeks with junior people getting 1 off in 4 (or 8). How it would be introduced is a discussion for later. Personally I don’t mind on the whole but it really affects others. Golden days are great but the lead time for putting them in is quite long and many of my friends outside of the industry haven’t quite grasped that. Therefore a lot of social invites for weekend get-togethers have to be turned down due to work.
Reserve is something else that needs to be looked at. A 28 day block is tough on your personal life. I believe BALPA and BA are thinking of introducing shorter blocks in addition to the current blocks to give people a bit of a choice. Without moaning about part timers, a lot of them haven’t done reserve for years if the computer is physically unable to insert a reserve period into their roster without clashing with their part time weeks. That to me doesn’t seem fair and would spread out the reserve duties a bit if it was fixed.
champ
Weekends worked seems to be the main bug bear at the moment. I really think BA needs to perhaps introduce a minimum number of weekends worked even if you’re at the top of the list. Maybe 1 weekend in 4 or even 8 weeks with junior people getting 1 off in 4 (or 8). How it would be introduced is a discussion for later. Personally I don’t mind on the whole but it really affects others. Golden days are great but the lead time for putting them in is quite long and many of my friends outside of the industry haven’t quite grasped that. Therefore a lot of social invites for weekend get-togethers have to be turned down due to work.
Reserve is something else that needs to be looked at. A 28 day block is tough on your personal life. I believe BALPA and BA are thinking of introducing shorter blocks in addition to the current blocks to give people a bit of a choice. Without moaning about part timers, a lot of them haven’t done reserve for years if the computer is physically unable to insert a reserve period into their roster without clashing with their part time weeks. That to me doesn’t seem fair and would spread out the reserve duties a bit if it was fixed.
champ
BA are well known for their glacial pace of change, so I think it's fair to assume that any improvement to these significant issues won't gain momentum unless it transpires a few quid can be saved. We can live in hope though!
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Reserve is something else that needs to be looked at. A 28 day block is tough on your personal life. I believe BALPA and BA are thinking of introducing shorter blocks in addition to the current blocks to give people a bit of a choice. Without moaning about part timers, a lot of them haven’t done reserve for years if the computer is physically unable to insert a reserve period into their roster without clashing with their part time weeks. That to me doesn’t seem fair and would spread out the reserve duties a bit if it was fixed.
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Great thanks for the info! Sort of - although the majority of my experience is on Boeing pencils and slightly fatter pencils.. which obviously aren't in your fleet anymore! Been waiting a couple of weeks now, but heard that some people have waited 24hrs-4weeks for a fleet/start!
