BA Direct Entry Pilot.
Join Date: Aug 2010
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This is one of my favourite threads on pprune, but I've never posted until now.
May I be so bold as to ask what a full-time, LH, TRE, with say 25 years senerority could expect to earn at BA?
IMHO. Maybe it's a flaw with my generation or maybe I wear rose tinted glasses, but most people my age do not seem to play the long game and are not prepared to invest longterm into their career and await the fruits of their labour.
This is not a shot at guys on this thread in their mid 30s+ with kids and mortgages. I understand you can not hang around waiting for T&Cs to improve when you are in that stage of your life.
So, in light of my intial question, surely BA is still a company to aim for if you are my age?
May I be so bold as to ask what a full-time, LH, TRE, with say 25 years senerority could expect to earn at BA?
IMHO. Maybe it's a flaw with my generation or maybe I wear rose tinted glasses, but most people my age do not seem to play the long game and are not prepared to invest longterm into their career and await the fruits of their labour.
This is not a shot at guys on this thread in their mid 30s+ with kids and mortgages. I understand you can not hang around waiting for T&Cs to improve when you are in that stage of your life.
So, in light of my intial question, surely BA is still a company to aim for if you are my age?
Join Date: Feb 2005
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Long Haul low cost isn't viable in the long run. If it were then O'Leary would have already done it. And don't tell me he hasn't costed it.
we don't want FAA 1500hr madness in Europe either so things are fine as they are.
Given the news that well qualified DEP at BA have just received, and the lack of rest/fatigue management rules, I'm surprised to hear a pilot say that "things are fine as they are" in Europe.
* I haven't included CA positions in China, since it's not relevant.
Join Date: Apr 2006
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IMHO. Maybe it's a flaw with my generation or maybe I wear rose tinted glasses, but most people my age do not seem to play the long game and are not prepared to invest longterm into their career and await the fruits of their labour.
I'm sure there are BA captains who earn more than me, but they'll have been in the company a long time, and almost certainly have training and/or management responsibilities (or do a hell of a lot of overtime!). The power of a (relatively) high salary when you're (relatively) young is in compounding (the same reason why sticking money in a pension is a good idea at the earliest opportunity). Financially it simply wouldn't make sense for someone like me to make the move; yes, I'd probably earn more for the last few years of my career, but I've got around two decades a of earning more. All assuming Ts & Cs remain static of course!
As others have eluded to, going to BA certainly wouldn't be a decision based on finances for many. This is all to say nothing of the other reasons to make the switch.
Join Date: Nov 2014
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I think I'm wrong in my assumptions that BA is still a career airline, at least in some regards. The figures ENZO provided in his last post were a bit surprising to be honest.
Join Date: Jan 2014
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Maverick,
I'll start by saying as many others have, money shouldn't be the driving factor for choosing this career.
However I think enzo was slightly conservative. If I'm looking at it correctly I'd say a 25 year LH trainer is on circa 164k basic plus 20k training plus flight/duty pay (pp24) & 140k basic, 20k training, again plus flight/duty pay (pp34).
Obviously it'll take a long time to get there but you asked!
I'll start by saying as many others have, money shouldn't be the driving factor for choosing this career.
However I think enzo was slightly conservative. If I'm looking at it correctly I'd say a 25 year LH trainer is on circa 164k basic plus 20k training plus flight/duty pay (pp24) & 140k basic, 20k training, again plus flight/duty pay (pp34).
Obviously it'll take a long time to get there but you asked!
I can appreciate that JS...just trying to add to the debate. BA has fallen behind in the pilot pay over the last 20 years or so. We work pretty hard for not much money in the great scheme of things. Sadly, mostly given away by ourselves and our reps. But that is a whole new thread. 
Join Date: Dec 2011
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The Assistant Pilot Recruitment Manager mentioned in the last email to those in the pool was at CTC last weekend (L3 sorry) which could confirm many of the rumours on here...............
Has anyone contacted BA to ask about the "white tail" rumour? They were pretty quick to stamp on the FlyBe -> BA 777 rumour a few months ago, their silence on this says a lot I think...
And on the subject of contacting BA HR, has anyone filled out the survey regarding their "Candidate Experience"?
And on the subject of contacting BA HR, has anyone filled out the survey regarding their "Candidate Experience"?
Join Date: Dec 2005
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I speak to people from outside aviation and the effort/reward ratio is staggering. Seriously, go out and see what jobs attract a STARTING salary right at the bottom of the stack of £56,500 plus over £10,000 in extras. Also see whether those jobs have a guaranteed increase every year for the rest of your career, and then more often than not an annual pay rise on top of that. Middle or Far East pay it may not be (nor even necessarily LCC I concede) but it's a damn comfortable existence that I don't see people walking away from in their droves.
airbus38 Thanks for your comments. It's great to get a different perspective on things .
My profile probably shows I live abroad now and I guess my experiences and expectations have changed my opinions. It does seem that other EU flag carriers and our US competitors are still doing pretty well, for a lot less work. A problem I see with the UK is a serf mentality and a system that has been pretty well designed to milk the last drop of tax out you.
Much of this isn't the employers fault, of course, however, if I was a younger, more thrusting pilot, I'd be exploring options outside of the UK like a flash. It's a big world out there, full of opportunities for the talented and enthusiastic.
I'd certainly view being an airline pilot nowadays as a stepping stone to something better. It isn't a sustainable career for a 20 something starting out in the job.
I foresee many changes for BA flight crew. I'd suggest reading the Emirates threads as it will all be coming to an airline near you in the near future I suspect.
My profile probably shows I live abroad now and I guess my experiences and expectations have changed my opinions. It does seem that other EU flag carriers and our US competitors are still doing pretty well, for a lot less work. A problem I see with the UK is a serf mentality and a system that has been pretty well designed to milk the last drop of tax out you.
Much of this isn't the employers fault, of course, however, if I was a younger, more thrusting pilot, I'd be exploring options outside of the UK like a flash. It's a big world out there, full of opportunities for the talented and enthusiastic.
I'd certainly view being an airline pilot nowadays as a stepping stone to something better. It isn't a sustainable career for a 20 something starting out in the job.
I foresee many changes for BA flight crew. I'd suggest reading the Emirates threads as it will all be coming to an airline near you in the near future I suspect.
Join Date: Aug 2003
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Willing to pay for a type rating and take a reduced salary to join BA?
Tell you what - I'll auction off my airside pass and the idiot's guide to the 380*.
Pay me 30k up front and half my salary for the next 6 years and you'll be living the dream.
(Sorry Wiggy, et al... the very thought of paying for a type or voluntarily reducing a salary in our company is shocking)
*clearly not a serious offer
Tell you what - I'll auction off my airside pass and the idiot's guide to the 380*.
Pay me 30k up front and half my salary for the next 6 years and you'll be living the dream.
(Sorry Wiggy, et al... the very thought of paying for a type or voluntarily reducing a salary in our company is shocking)
*clearly not a serious offer
