LGW BA lite
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: On the ground now
Good luck
Good luck to you all at BA, particularly those who are getting the opportunity to return to the skies at long last.
I left last year after 15 amazing years on the triple, partly due to mental health issues, so when BA offered VR, I declined the offer of entering any of the pools and fell on my sword! Part of my reasoning for doing so, a small part admittedly, was that at the age of 50 it would be better to let a younger person have the chance of the great career that I had than for me to cling on. I’d had enough of the sleep deprivation too.
There were about 4500 pilots on the MSL when I left. In a group of diverse people of that size, some will be selfish, some will not. In my experience, the vast majority were good eggs who were far from selfish.
As an aside, for anybody dithering about retiring, if personal circumstances allow of course, I would recommend it. I am significantly poorer financially than I was whilst flying, but much, much richer in other ways and my mental health is A1 again. Do I miss trying to sleep in the oily, smelly high vis jacket at 30W? Nah!
Best to all.
I left last year after 15 amazing years on the triple, partly due to mental health issues, so when BA offered VR, I declined the offer of entering any of the pools and fell on my sword! Part of my reasoning for doing so, a small part admittedly, was that at the age of 50 it would be better to let a younger person have the chance of the great career that I had than for me to cling on. I’d had enough of the sleep deprivation too.
There were about 4500 pilots on the MSL when I left. In a group of diverse people of that size, some will be selfish, some will not. In my experience, the vast majority were good eggs who were far from selfish.
As an aside, for anybody dithering about retiring, if personal circumstances allow of course, I would recommend it. I am significantly poorer financially than I was whilst flying, but much, much richer in other ways and my mental health is A1 again. Do I miss trying to sleep in the oily, smelly high vis jacket at 30W? Nah!
Best to all.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 156
Likes: 4
From: between the M6 and M25
P1969, well said. I hope to going that way in a couple of years myself. If you miss the flying at all, then try locking yourself in the stair cupboard in the dark with the hoover running 😉
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 219
Likes: 17
From: Ask crewing
Can you provide a bit more than this? Respectfully, what you may have heard or wanted to hear could easily be framed as confirmation bias when compared against the tone of your other posts which to be frank are basically loaded with conspiracy theories.
Joined: Sep 2008
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 940
Likes: 57
From: Scotland
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 829
Likes: 9
From: taking up the hold
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 118
Likes: 0
From: uk
I can only assume there were not enough internal valid bids in this years PRIAM to fill the vacancies..
We were told only weeks ago that the 320 fleet was in surplus, this disappeared when NEWCO was approved, if no one wants to move to LGW this surplus must still be there, I wonder how that’s going to be resolved now the CRS folk are being welcomed back.
Interesting times ahead me thinks..
We were told only weeks ago that the 320 fleet was in surplus, this disappeared when NEWCO was approved, if no one wants to move to LGW this surplus must still be there, I wonder how that’s going to be resolved now the CRS folk are being welcomed back.
Interesting times ahead me thinks..
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: London
What? So you can spend your time reading about self entitled moaners (small minority of serial posters) with nothing better to do than bang on about how this, that and the other will mean 50p less a year in their pension. No thanks.
Anyway, this proposal for DEC. Yet another hammer blow for the 249 made compulsory redundant for JM's ego trip. I'm sure Sean Doyle has his number marked now, anyway. How on earth he obtained the role in the first place is beyond me - you only have to listen to his negativity for 5 minutes to ask yourself why. Interesting that the negative rhetoric from 2020 is now coming back to bite him hard, with the cancellation of services due to lack of crew and equipment.
Anyway, this proposal for DEC. Yet another hammer blow for the 249 made compulsory redundant for JM's ego trip. I'm sure Sean Doyle has his number marked now, anyway. How on earth he obtained the role in the first place is beyond me - you only have to listen to his negativity for 5 minutes to ask yourself why. Interesting that the negative rhetoric from 2020 is now coming back to bite him hard, with the cancellation of services due to lack of crew and equipment.
Last edited by BAreject; 16th November 2021 at 07:39.
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 121
Likes: 6
From: London, UK
Year 1 Basic £73048
Flying Pay £30ph
Subsidence Hourly rate £2.50
The £105,000 quoted is based on 800hours plus I believe, but whether that’s achievable is questionable
The scheduling agreement is another story, and the main reason I would guess that very few, if any LHR pilots have applied for the positions.
Engagement freeze at Gatwick is 6yrs and all redundant pilots that return to a CPT/FO position at LGW will be senior to any DEC that is recruited. It will likely be a long wait for any transfer.
Flying Pay £30ph
Subsidence Hourly rate £2.50
The £105,000 quoted is based on 800hours plus I believe, but whether that’s achievable is questionable
The scheduling agreement is another story, and the main reason I would guess that very few, if any LHR pilots have applied for the positions.
Engagement freeze at Gatwick is 6yrs and all redundant pilots that return to a CPT/FO position at LGW will be senior to any DEC that is recruited. It will likely be a long wait for any transfer.
Joined: Feb 2013
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 154
Likes: 7
From: London
It is unsurprising they have immediately had to resort to DEC's. The offer will be unappealing to most currently employed pilots given the rostering/pay/freeze issues.
The more interesting question is whether they will get enough external applicants, given that you must now have the right to live and work in the UK on top of being a currently operating captain with A320 experience (does this mean you have to be currently operating the A320 as a captain? There is your example of ambiguity for when they ask you at selection - you're welcome). Oh and as skyrocket says, you get a 6 year freeze at Gatwick. I would suggest the group of people who meet all these requirements and can be enticed by the current offer will not be large. Smaller still once the recruitment process has taken its toll.
The more interesting question is whether they will get enough external applicants, given that you must now have the right to live and work in the UK on top of being a currently operating captain with A320 experience (does this mean you have to be currently operating the A320 as a captain? There is your example of ambiguity for when they ask you at selection - you're welcome). Oh and as skyrocket says, you get a 6 year freeze at Gatwick. I would suggest the group of people who meet all these requirements and can be enticed by the current offer will not be large. Smaller still once the recruitment process has taken its toll.
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 81
Likes: 1
From: Anywhere
Northern Monkey is spot on about the availability of A320 current skippers with the correct license and employment rights. I wonder if this is one reason for the ad not publishing minimum hour requirements? The more senior A320 guys with hours galore are unlikely to be unemployed right now.