British Airways Direct Entry Pilot
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out of morbid curiosity what does a very junior 777 roster look like? I presume there’s a select list of junior destinations too? Workload examples?
cheers
Join Date: Feb 2005
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Expect six three day low credit trips a month with two days off in between. Great if you enjoy JFK, Atlanta and Lagos.
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I would definitely choose your example over six night Atlantic crossings a month coming home to be a complete zombie for your minimum days off. Workload is high on all fleets but the 777 is particularly bad and not glamorous at all at that end of the status list.
Join Date: Nov 2022
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If given a choice nowadays I would not be touching the 777 with the biggest bargepole known to man. The benefit of joining SH is your relative seniority will rise much faster than it will on the triple and you won’t have to watch yourself stagnate (and in some cases go backwards) in five to six years time when all the unfrozen people who joined the company on the Airbus ahead of you all slot into your seat.
I would definitely choose your example over six night Atlantic crossings a month coming home to be a complete zombie for your minimum days off. Workload is high on all fleets but the 777 is particularly bad and not glamorous at all at that end of the status list.
I would definitely choose your example over six night Atlantic crossings a month coming home to be a complete zombie for your minimum days off. Workload is high on all fleets but the 777 is particularly bad and not glamorous at all at that end of the status list.
But some people think it’s glamorous flying the heavy metal , I guess someone has to do it
Someone will always be the most junior on the fleet, but it sure as anything wont be me! LH bid not going in until they have done a good amount of DEP LH recruitment or people below me have moved across. 6 JFKs a month just doesn't appeal whatsoever.
Join Date: Jan 2009
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You can’t do 6 JFK’s a month JSS blocks that. Take a look at the junior crews on iBid and see what they are actually doing.
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Join Date: Nov 2018
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What's a 'carry out trip'? TIA
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: UK
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The reality is, if you have the seniority for it, most people will target higher credit trips so they can do fewer trips, which leads to more days off; be they down route or at home. Many people also target weekends off for obvious reasons. This means down the bottom of the seniority of each long haul fleet, you end up with trip two days off repeated over extended periods of time. This is because the trips left over for JSS to work with, are typically lower credit three day trips, with the odd unpopular, slightly longer trip thrown in. This is the same at the bottom of all long haul fleets, it just looks more prevalent on the 777 because it is such a large fleet, so there are more pilots on it who fit into the definition of junior, just as there are also more who fit the description of being senior.
Join Date: Dec 2012
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“Carry out” is a trip that crosses into the next monthly boundary. So there would be 5 trips fully contained in the month and then the 6th may start on the last or second last day of the month and then continue in to the next.
There are many pros and cons to any airline gig in the UK but the flexibility on offer at BA is pretty unrivalled. Unless being top of the LH Skipper’s list is a main priority, you can still get a lot out of joining BA in your 30s. A senior SH FO will have a much better roster than anything at EZY. Don’t want to live in the SE? Part time LH will still give you a decent payslip and you can either have a week or two weeks off every month.
I fully appreciate the guys loving EZY at a regional base and a short drive to work, especially as upgrading to the LHS is a no brainier with a fixed pattern roster. I have certainly looked over the fence and thought about a move but it’s not right for me.
Long haul is definitely a lifestyle thing. Part time in BA enables you to live pretty much anywhere in the World. The continent is popular with its differing tax regimes. Part time working in BA, but living on the continent can mean pretty much taking home a full time pilot’s salary , along with a lower cost of living.
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Most common are 50% and 75% with either a block of 2 weeks or 1 week off every month on a fixed pattern. Able to apply for it as soon as you start but no guarantee you get it quickly. During covid PT was granted rapidly, not sure what the current climate is like.
Different part time patterns that are effectively 1 month off, one month on or 1 off every third month are also available. They can only be bid for once a month and new contracts in this pattern haven’t been granted for a while.
You have to return to full time working after a new type rating for consolidation which is also something to consider.
Different part time patterns that are effectively 1 month off, one month on or 1 off every third month are also available. They can only be bid for once a month and new contracts in this pattern haven’t been granted for a while.
You have to return to full time working after a new type rating for consolidation which is also something to consider.
Join Date: Jan 2010
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When you join makes a difference and it’s a bit pot luck. Joining beginning of this year has seen me get lucky on the SH fleet. Moving rapidly up the ranks. I would welcome a bit of LH DEP. As others have said that’s fine because people always seem to want to try it and I would slide ahead of them if/when I decide to go LH.
Bidding on SH has been a bit of trial and error. For me I don’t mind working weekends which I think helps. Couple of days off in the week helps with childcare I day trips at weekend sometimes get a really easy early/late 2 sector, back home afternoon or morning with family. Yes I did have more days off per month when I was LCC but I don’t feel anywhere near as tired on my days off. Summer last year landing 1-3am 5 days in a row after 4 sectors 12 hr duties. Savage.
As others have said, part time option in the future with the ability to live in a much more favourable location and you are laughing.
Of course there are cons it’s not for everyone and if you’re commuter SH or junior LH it looks tough. My mate is one of the most junior on the triple. What others have said is spot on. He recently had 5 trips with a duty free week in. JFK/Lagos galore.
Bidding on SH has been a bit of trial and error. For me I don’t mind working weekends which I think helps. Couple of days off in the week helps with childcare I day trips at weekend sometimes get a really easy early/late 2 sector, back home afternoon or morning with family. Yes I did have more days off per month when I was LCC but I don’t feel anywhere near as tired on my days off. Summer last year landing 1-3am 5 days in a row after 4 sectors 12 hr duties. Savage.
As others have said, part time option in the future with the ability to live in a much more favourable location and you are laughing.
Of course there are cons it’s not for everyone and if you’re commuter SH or junior LH it looks tough. My mate is one of the most junior on the triple. What others have said is spot on. He recently had 5 trips with a duty free week in. JFK/Lagos galore.
Join Date: Aug 2011
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I've worked at Easy and I'm now 6 years into BA SH. What everyone says is true, BA opens doors that LoCo's cannot. My rosters are good now but even in my short time here BA has changed beyond recognition. I would seriously, seriously think about how good/bad you have it where you are before joining. JSS, Euroflyer, BLR decimation... Knowing what I know now I wouldn't do it again.
It's nice to have options of course. But a regional base at Easy or Jet2 (part time?) is about as good as you’ll get it, IMHO.
It's nice to have options of course. But a regional base at Easy or Jet2 (part time?) is about as good as you’ll get it, IMHO.
Join Date: May 2006
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Most common are 50% and 75% with either a block of 2 weeks or 1 week off every month on a fixed pattern. Able to apply for it as soon as you start but no guarantee you get it quickly. During covid PT was granted rapidly, not sure what the current climate is like.
Different part time patterns that are effectively 1 month off, one month on or 1 off every third month are also available. They can only be bid for once a month and new contracts in this pattern haven’t been granted for a while.
You have to return to full time working after a new type rating for consolidation which is also something to consider.
Different part time patterns that are effectively 1 month off, one month on or 1 off every third month are also available. They can only be bid for once a month and new contracts in this pattern haven’t been granted for a while.
You have to return to full time working after a new type rating for consolidation which is also something to consider.
Is there still the option for LH commuters to do back to back trips to allow for more days off in a row and if so is that something that can be bid for or has to be engineered with swaps?
Also intrigued that LOS is so unpopular. No jetlag is a rare treat in the LH world. What are the equivalent destinations that one would end up on at the junior end of the 787 fleet?