BA Direct Entry Pilot.
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: SE England
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As someone with over 15 years in BA, I can say that, in my opinion BA is only worth it if you live within 60mins of LHR and want to remain living in the SE of England. To get any quality time with your family on SH you need to book parental leave and take strategic sickness to avoid alienation by your children and divorce from your other half. Pay is now on a par with EZY and the much touted safety culture is nothing more than a myth peddled by senior managers desperate to hit their punctuality targets at all costs. With hindsight, I should have joined EZY as the overall package is better, the training far superior and the operational culture more geared towards efficiency in a way that we could only dream of.
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Botswana
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In contrast there are guys commuting from outside of 60 minutes of Heathrow residing in a more tax friendly regime on Long Haul 75% Part Time living the absolute life doing (due to a mixture of part time weeks and leave) an average of two trips a month every other month and taking home as much as their full time counterparts living in the UK. Granted these guys are (occasionally) having to spend additional nights in the UK pre duty post the Staff Travel Audit - but not a significant amount - and it’s a relatively unique position in which to be in but let’s not pretend it’s not still possible to make BA work for you.
If if you’re happy with the monotony (just my opinion, horses for courses etc) of doing multiple sector days day in day out for the rest of a 30+ year career then fill your boots, easyJet is a fantastic airline to work for I’d never argue that. I’ve been there and done it. However if you want many varied directions in which to take your career, many of which are not available in the land of orange, then BA is (despite all its flaws and there are many) the best show in town.
(I appreciate the lack of coherence that because a small minority of the workforce can have it spectacularly good so that’s a convincing argument for the majority to join. However it’s really just to highlight BA is a place where you can make it work for you, more so than any other airline).
If if you’re happy with the monotony (just my opinion, horses for courses etc) of doing multiple sector days day in day out for the rest of a 30+ year career then fill your boots, easyJet is a fantastic airline to work for I’d never argue that. I’ve been there and done it. However if you want many varied directions in which to take your career, many of which are not available in the land of orange, then BA is (despite all its flaws and there are many) the best show in town.
(I appreciate the lack of coherence that because a small minority of the workforce can have it spectacularly good so that’s a convincing argument for the majority to join. However it’s really just to highlight BA is a place where you can make it work for you, more so than any other airline).
Last edited by RexBanner; 31st Mar 2019 at 15:20.
Join Date: May 2003
Location: UK
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In contrast there are guys commuting from outside of 60 minutes of Heathrow residing in a more tax friendly regime on Long Haul 75% Part Time living the absolute life doing (due to a mixture of part time weeks and leave) an average of two trips a month every other month and taking home as much as their full time counterparts living in the UK. Granted these guys are (occasionally) having to spend additional nights in the UK pre duty post the Staff Travel Audit - but not a significant amount - and it’s a relatively unique position in which to be in but let’s not pretend it’s not still possible to make BA work for you.
If if you’re happy with the monotony (just my opinion, horses for courses etc) of doing multiple sector days day in day out for the rest of a 30+ year career then fill your boots, easyJet is a fantastic airline to work for I’d never argue that. I’ve been there and done it. However if you want many varied directions in which to take your career, many of which are not available in the land of orange, then BA is (despite all its flaws and there are many) the best show in town.
(I appreciate the lack of coherence that because a small minority of the workforce can have it spectacularly good so that’s a convincing argument for the majority to join. However it’s really just to highlight BA is a place where you can make it work for you, more so than any other airline).
If if you’re happy with the monotony (just my opinion, horses for courses etc) of doing multiple sector days day in day out for the rest of a 30+ year career then fill your boots, easyJet is a fantastic airline to work for I’d never argue that. I’ve been there and done it. However if you want many varied directions in which to take your career, many of which are not available in the land of orange, then BA is (despite all its flaws and there are many) the best show in town.
(I appreciate the lack of coherence that because a small minority of the workforce can have it spectacularly good so that’s a convincing argument for the majority to join. However it’s really just to highlight BA is a place where you can make it work for you, more so than any other airline).
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Botswana
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Pray tell, if the guys and girls in question are residing and domiciled outside the UK in places where they have been born and bred then why the hell should they pay tax in the UK simply for setting foot in the CRC for an hour or so before their duty of which they will spend less than 10% of the time inside UK airspace?
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Uk
Age: 42
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Because they are ferried from Dublin via London to Barcelona on staff travel and have great pride in telling me they pay bugger all tax. My question, so what trip have you got.......”oh nothing I just need to attend a hospital appointment then I will go back to Dublin”
It is Monday so...colour me confused, what's this about DUB/LHR/BCN???..
Who are "they"? and how often does this "ferrying" happen?
..and to address the hoary old point about "commuters" and Tax avoidance: living outside the UK does not in itself automatically mean an individual is paying "bugger all tax"..(thinks..that reminds me, I must get back to working on my Tax return later..the non UK one)
Anyhow I fear we have strayed wildly off piste..
Who are "they"? and how often does this "ferrying" happen?
..and to address the hoary old point about "commuters" and Tax avoidance: living outside the UK does not in itself automatically mean an individual is paying "bugger all tax"..(thinks..that reminds me, I must get back to working on my Tax return later..the non UK one)
Anyhow I fear we have strayed wildly off piste..
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Uk
Age: 42
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They split their time between Dublin and somewhere in Europe. I believe it’s some dodge in Ireland but they can only spend x days a year there so they split their time. Fair enough but the hospital appointment got me. Anyway....Corbyn government and maybe we should all do the same.
What was the original topic anyway ����
What was the original topic anyway ����
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: UK
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There are plenty of people commuting from outside the UK who pay their taxes in the countries in which they reside, and there are plenty of people who are pretty much avoiding paying tax altogether, by not actually being properly resident anywhere. To be honest I wonder why I don’t go and become one of them. The taxation system on some BA pilots is extreme. I will be working for the next two years as a high earning UK tax payer and my net income during that time will be zero! The tax man will receive it all, via a mixture of my income tax, national insurance, and tax on my final salary pension increase due to promotion. That is not a fair taxation system and the fact it drives many to extremes to stop giving the tax man any more than they absolutely have to, is of no surprise to me. Many would call me lucky to have a final salary pension scheme, but it doesn’t matter which way you skin it, working for free for two years is not a fair taxation system, and rebellion against that unfairness is why many people decide enough is enough and actively avoid as much tax as they can.
Apparently 'Inbox full' is prunish for 'newbies can't send or receive pms' (and similar restrictions) until established as genuine members, whatever that means. I still can't find specific C&V for those rules.
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Between HRG & LGW
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Botswana
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Lots commuting from the crown dependencies, but you need the right to live there, not easy and generally speaking it’s by birth, hence my previous comment about people who were born and bred there.
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: somewhere between Miami and Havana
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Not sure if you’re referring to the Channel Islands, but you have every right to live there with a UK passport. Portugal would leave quite a bit more in your pocket, however.
Cheers
B
Cheers
B
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: HK
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True, but without a housing permit, your options on what property you can buy or rent in CI are severely restricted/ more expensive...
