Leaving BA for low cost
Join Date: Jul 2007
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Given that junior BA short haul (LHS or RHS) is not competitive in any way, I guess we are comparing long haul (BA) to loco short haul. And the health effects of working through the night + jet lag, are proven far far worse than getting up early (especially once you get into the early/late groove. Being in your bed in the wee small hours of the night are crucial to health.
As an EZY lifer skipper having just reached 60 I can tell you that the long days just get harder and harder and for us LCC guinea pigs, burn out is a fact, as the 75% of skippers at my base who are part time will testify.
IMHO it’s not just an EZY thing but a fact of life for airline pilots these days. Skin cancer, enlarged prostate, chronic fatigue etc etc are all things you young pups have got to look forward to, trust me.
The advice I give to the youngsters I fly with - get your command, pay off your debts and go part time - then the job is fantastic.
IMHO it’s not just an EZY thing but a fact of life for airline pilots these days. Skin cancer, enlarged prostate, chronic fatigue etc etc are all things you young pups have got to look forward to, trust me.
The advice I give to the youngsters I fly with - get your command, pay off your debts and go part time - then the job is fantastic.
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Guys have you had a good look at the EASA FTL?? I ask again, have you seen the EASA FTL??? And still people are here lecturing on how to be in bed by 8 p.m!
Unreal.
Unreal.
Last edited by bringbackthe80s; 2nd Aug 2019 at 02:56.
Join Date: Jan 2006
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On the US side we don’t have a “part time” option. Some airlines allow you to drop your schedule and lose pay, but most don’t. A full schedule is anywhere from 12 to 15 days a month.
Im intrigued by all of the discussion of part time. Is that common in Europe? Is it difficult to get? And lastly, how many days is a full schedule and how many is it if working part time. I think that’s brilliant... when the kids are young I’d love part time, and now that i have a teenager I’m quite okay working a bit more :-)
Im intrigued by all of the discussion of part time. Is that common in Europe? Is it difficult to get? And lastly, how many days is a full schedule and how many is it if working part time. I think that’s brilliant... when the kids are young I’d love part time, and now that i have a teenager I’m quite okay working a bit more :-)
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On the US side we don’t have a “part time” option. Some airlines allow you to drop your schedule and lose pay, but most don’t. A full schedule is anywhere from 12 to 15 days a month.
Im intrigued by all of the discussion of part time. Is that common in Europe? Is it difficult to get? And lastly, how many days is a full schedule and how many is it if working part time. I think that’s brilliant... when the kids are young I’d love part time, and now that i have a teenager I’m quite okay working a bit more :-)
Im intrigued by all of the discussion of part time. Is that common in Europe? Is it difficult to get? And lastly, how many days is a full schedule and how many is it if working part time. I think that’s brilliant... when the kids are young I’d love part time, and now that i have a teenager I’m quite okay working a bit more :-)
B
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The part time seems to be working the opposite way from how you suggest... more senior pilots seem to be part time as they can no longer handle full time work. Not too many young part timers that I have met. That's just my impression!
BA works well for me personally, much more than a LCC but you can't deny I would be on a lot more money at a LCC - as others have said it will take 14 years to even equal the basic pay of an EZY skipper.
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On the US side we don’t have a “part time” option. Some airlines allow you to drop your schedule and lose pay, but most don’t. A full schedule is anywhere from 12 to 15 days a month.
Im intrigued by all of the discussion of part time. Is that common in Europe? Is it difficult to get? And lastly, how many days is a full schedule and how many is it if working part time. I think that’s brilliant... when the kids are young I’d love part time, and now that i have a teenager I’m quite okay working a bit more :-)
Im intrigued by all of the discussion of part time. Is that common in Europe? Is it difficult to get? And lastly, how many days is a full schedule and how many is it if working part time. I think that’s brilliant... when the kids are young I’d love part time, and now that i have a teenager I’m quite okay working a bit more :-)
Only half a speed-brake
n.b. also that the EU-wide law on mobile workers in aviation prescribes a minimum of:
- 4 weeks (24x7) of paid holiday
- plus 96 off days
for every calendar year.
That is the mathematical equivalent of all annual weekend days after having subtracted the 4 weeks of leave. No OFFs for national/bank holidays. Spread evenly over a year (not a realistic scenario), that leaves almost exactly 20 days for duties in each of the months. Thus 75% part-time yields 15 workdays on a long term average - no charity, just crunching numbers.
- 4 weeks (24x7) of paid holiday
- plus 96 off days
for every calendar year.
That is the mathematical equivalent of all annual weekend days after having subtracted the 4 weeks of leave. No OFFs for national/bank holidays. Spread evenly over a year (not a realistic scenario), that leaves almost exactly 20 days for duties in each of the months. Thus 75% part-time yields 15 workdays on a long term average - no charity, just crunching numbers.
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n.b. also that the EU-wide law on mobile workers in aviation prescribes a minimum of:
- 4 weeks (24x7) of paid holiday
- plus 96 off days
for every calendar year.
That is the mathematical equivalent of all annual weekend days after having subtracted the 4 weeks of leave. No OFFs for national/bank holidays. Spread evenly over a year (not a realistic scenario), that leaves almost exactly 20 days for duties in each of the months. Thus 75% part-time yields 15 workdays on a long term average - no charity, just crunching numbers.
- 4 weeks (24x7) of paid holiday
- plus 96 off days
for every calendar year.
That is the mathematical equivalent of all annual weekend days after having subtracted the 4 weeks of leave. No OFFs for national/bank holidays. Spread evenly over a year (not a realistic scenario), that leaves almost exactly 20 days for duties in each of the months. Thus 75% part-time yields 15 workdays on a long term average - no charity, just crunching numbers.
Thread drift!
when I went part time my flying/duty hours increased, the part time guys were rostered the long days but got more days off, invariably starting on the earlies and finishing on the lates. The full time guys got the cushy duties.
Europe short haul.
when I went part time my flying/duty hours increased, the part time guys were rostered the long days but got more days off, invariably starting on the earlies and finishing on the lates. The full time guys got the cushy duties.
Europe short haul.
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As an EZY lifer skipper having just reached 60 I can tell you that the long days just get harder and harder and for us LCC guinea pigs, burn out is a fact, as the 75% of skippers at my base who are part time will testify.
IMHO it’s not just an EZY thing but a fact of life for airline pilots these days. Skin cancer, enlarged prostate, chronic fatigue etc etc are all things you young pups have got to look forward to, trust me.
The advice I give to the youngsters I fly with - get your command, pay off your debts and go part time - then the job is fantastic.
IMHO it’s not just an EZY thing but a fact of life for airline pilots these days. Skin cancer, enlarged prostate, chronic fatigue etc etc are all things you young pups have got to look forward to, trust me.
The advice I give to the youngsters I fly with - get your command, pay off your debts and go part time - then the job is fantastic.
Not just Airline Pilots but many people have worked a life time of shifts - particularly night shift workers and all the negatives that go with it. I'm sure also a few of the Airline Pilots who are part time will appreciate these folk don't have the benefits of part time. There is always someone worse off.
Not just Airline Pilots but many people have worked a life time of shifts - particularly night shift workers and all the negatives that go with it. I'm sure also a few of the Airline Pilots who are part time will appreciate these folk don't have the benefits of part time. There is always someone worse off.
My advice to the OP would be to get command in BA on the 320 then apply to places as a DEC rather than a DEP. Quick upgrades aren’t guaranteed at a new airline and while that’ll be the aim, what you’re actually doing is swapping BA LH FO for FO SH loco somewhere in the hope you’ll a) get a quick upgrade opportunity and b) pass the course. I’d wait until I had upgraded on SH in BA first and see what options are available then...
