British Airways Direct Entry Pilot

Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 898
Likes: 73
From: UK
This flow rate restriction does not really exist, other than that overall training footprint (and cost) increases if you make everyone have to do an additional course in order to obtain a long haul command. And there’s the reason why it has not already been enforced - money.
I am actually surprised the company went for increasing pay for existing short haul captains as well as new. Far cheaper to just give golden handshakes to new short haul captains from now on (payable over four years or some other timescale). That particular point was a win from BALPA as far as I can see. The problem was that all other pilots were receiving a pittance.
I am actually surprised the company went for increasing pay for existing short haul captains as well as new. Far cheaper to just give golden handshakes to new short haul captains from now on (payable over four years or some other timescale). That particular point was a win from BALPA as far as I can see. The problem was that all other pilots were receiving a pittance.

Joined: May 2005
Posts: 648
Likes: 74
From: uk
So rather than an obvious impossibility what we have here is a desire/assumption by interested parties that it will not happen. From experience I would say don’t count on it, all you need is an eager new manager and a disjointed workforce and pilots will be directed to where the company need them to be.
Joined: Jan 2025
Aviation Qualifications: SLF
Posts: 166
Likes: 137
From: Mars
We haven't even gotten the results of a survey we filled out nearly a month ago. So far all BALPA have said of it is that we apparently liked PCS more than we realised!

Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 93
Likes: 0
From: Oxfordshire
I’m also hearing on the line that long-haul commands could come down to 15/16 years (with said expansion and retirements) - tempting those considering a SH command to wait a little longer in the LH RHS.. (increasingly so, like me), compounding current issues even further.

Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 121
Likes: 6
From: London, UK
I’m also hearing on the line that long-haul commands could come down to 15/16 years (with said expansion and retirements) - tempting those considering a SH command to wait a little longer in the LH RHS.. (increasingly so, like me), compounding current issues even further.
People who joined in 2011 have ok bids for this year on the 777

Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 995
Likes: 100
From: Botswana
I’m also hearing on the line that long-haul commands could come down to 15/16 years (with said expansion and retirements) - tempting those considering a SH command to wait a little longer in the LH RHS.. (increasingly so, like me), compounding current issues even further.
I am actually surprised the company went for increasing pay for existing short haul captains as well as new. Far cheaper to just give golden handshakes to new short haul captains from now on (payable over four years or some other timescale). That particular point was a win from BALPA as far as I can see. The problem was that all other pilots were receiving a pittance.
In fact it was being taken from the PP34 SFOs by reducing their pension and locking them in to a freeze at a lower paypoint than their current Ts & Cs allowed. A point missed by the Balpa cheerleaders (funnily enough low to middle paypoint C32Ls) on the forums who whinged and moaned about being denied their £20k payrise conveniently forgetting not only was that money coming from some of their colleagues but those same colleagues actually were the ones who had allowed them to get command at a lower seniority than they should have had by them not bidding for C32L in the first place!
Last edited by RexBanner; 3rd June 2026 at 21:21.
Joined: Jan 2025
Aviation Qualifications: SLF
Posts: 166
Likes: 137
From: Mars

Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 995
Likes: 100
From: Botswana
Yes. Colleague of mine on the 380 joined 2011 had an OK bid, subsequently changed to him dropping out of it but looks like he’ll probably get a course this year, if not he’ll get it beginning of ‘27.
BMI joined the year after, coinciding with the end of PP24. Will be interesting to see how many bid for Long Haul as the majority will be getting on in age now and in a decent enough place seniority wise on SH.
After that you then get into the big wave of 2014-16.
BMI joined the year after, coinciding with the end of PP24. Will be interesting to see how many bid for Long Haul as the majority will be getting on in age now and in a decent enough place seniority wise on SH.
After that you then get into the big wave of 2014-16.





