British Airways Direct Entry Pilot
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 163
Likes: 18
From: London
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 233
Likes: 13
From: Somewhere
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 37
Likes: 1
From: EGLL
You would indeed be engagement frozen for 5years so BA can choose to keep you there for the full duration. I believe with the struggle to recruit for Gatwick you should certainly plan on being there 5 years, and consider it a bonus if you got an earlier move.
day trips are reasonably popular at Heathrow, especially high credit trips. As a junior pilot I would expect a mixture of tours/ day trip, with the possibility to do some swapping
day trips are reasonably popular at Heathrow, especially high credit trips. As a junior pilot I would expect a mixture of tours/ day trip, with the possibility to do some swapping
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 171
Likes: 31
From: European riviera
The fleet is big enough that you should be able to swap at least some of your work, either with someone else or through uncovered work which is available as “Open Time” (rules apply). As with any other gig, expect to have to do some work that you didn’t bid for / were unable to swap.
Worth bearing in mind that as a new entrant you’ll be getting 6 days of reserve every month, non negotiable - perhaps a commuter can offer advice on how to manage that.
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 351
Likes: 9
From: uk
note: when you join you'll be so junior your bid is pointless. Hard to say how long that'll be the case as it depends on future movement across fleets, retirements and recruitment below you. Your work will be mostly day trips, some 2/3 day tours. Swapping is possible but tricky.
Joined: Sep 2022
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 328
Likes: 183
From: Perpetually circling OCK for some reason
The fleet is big enough that you should be able to swap at least some of your work, either with someone else or through uncovered work which is available as “Open Time” (rules apply). As with any other gig, expect to have to do some work that you didn’t bid for / were unable to swap.
Worth bearing in mind that as a new entrant you’ll be getting 6 days of reserve every month, non negotiable - perhaps a commuter can offer advice on how to manage that.
Worth bearing in mind that as a new entrant you’ll be getting 6 days of reserve every month, non negotiable - perhaps a commuter can offer advice on how to manage that.
Reserve can be a good way to get weekends off if you bid cleverly.
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
From: earth
I managed to park when I was there for an assessment recently. Just gave my name at the barrier and the chap on the gate told me where to go. There seemed to be ample space, but if you're there on a particularly busy recruitment day it could fill up quickly so have a plan B.
Last edited by mrguy; 13th March 2024 at 14:36.
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 250
Likes: 14
From: UK
I have been in a year and in that time.
I have done reserve 3 times all of which I bid for.
I bid mainly for day trips which seem to be easy to get. I do bid for tours but only the popular ones. Usually get 1 a month.
If you don’t mind doing 2 day 6 sectors or 3 day 8 sectors they seem to be the unwanted trips from everyone.
I have done reserve 3 times all of which I bid for.
I bid mainly for day trips which seem to be easy to get. I do bid for tours but only the popular ones. Usually get 1 a month.
If you don’t mind doing 2 day 6 sectors or 3 day 8 sectors they seem to be the unwanted trips from everyone.
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: UK
Question aimed at BA pilots. I am a current 320 captain at a well known orange airline, 1000PIC, 5000TT. Still have a longhaul itch that I might want to scratch at some point in the future which I cannot fulfill at my current airline. BA obviously offers options for short and long haul to tickle any future itches when my kids are older and I don’t want to regret not leaving earlier when I could. If I were to jump ship to BA, would I be completely mad? Also I assume there are never any DEC positions that come up so would I go in as FO at paypoint 1 and bottom of the seniority pile or is there discretion to go in at a higher PP? Would I have to wait for my seniority number to come up to get my command back, be it short haul or long haul? I am pretty clueless about how it all works in a seniority based airline and don't know how rigid it so I would like peoples thoughts and insights please. Thanks in advance 👍
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 121
Likes: 6
From: London, UK
Question aimed at BA pilots. I am a current 320 captain at a well known orange airline, 1000PIC, 5000TT. Still have a longhaul itch that I might want to scratch at some point in the future which I cannot fulfill at my current airline. BA obviously offers options for short and long haul to tickle any future itches when my kids are older and I don’t want to regret not leaving earlier when I could. If I were to jump ship to BA, would I be completely mad? Also I assume there are never any DEC positions that come up so would I go in as FO at paypoint 1 and bottom of the seniority pile or is there discretion to go in at a higher PP? Would I have to wait for my seniority number to come up to get my command back, be it short haul or long haul? I am pretty clueless about how it all works in a seniority based airline and don't know how rigid it so I would like peoples thoughts and insights please. Thanks in advance 👍
There Is a chance of DEC at Gatwick for euroflyer, and you could feasibly transfer to Heathrow after 5 yrs, but this would still have you very near the bottom of the P1 seniority list, and all that goes with it wrt bidding etc.
if you join as P2 at Heathrow on the 320 you ‘could’ achieve a command after 1-2 years atm, but again, salary scales are way below the easy equivalent.
There is no escaping joining at PP1 unfortunately, whether that be short haul, or long haul.
On current PP34 scales, it would take approximately 15 years as a captain on the 320 to be earning what you currently earn at easyJet as a captain. Long haul commands historically run at about 20 years in the company.
HTH
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 370
Likes: 176
From: The sky
100% rigid and transparent.
You’ll join as the most junior F/O but you’ll move up the list fast, recruitment is at full speed at the moment. I’m not sure of the chances of starting on a long haul fleet, short haul is most likely. Because postings and promotions is seniority based if you’re going to join it’s advantageous to do it as early as possible.
Once you’ve done a few years the world’s your oyster, you can move fleets anytime after your freeze is up and sometimes before.
You’ll join as the most junior F/O but you’ll move up the list fast, recruitment is at full speed at the moment. I’m not sure of the chances of starting on a long haul fleet, short haul is most likely. Because postings and promotions is seniority based if you’re going to join it’s advantageous to do it as early as possible.
Once you’ve done a few years the world’s your oyster, you can move fleets anytime after your freeze is up and sometimes before.
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 22
Likes: 1
From: UK
Question aimed at BA pilots. I am a current 320 captain at a well known orange airline, 1000PIC, 5000TT. Still have a longhaul itch that I might want to scratch at some point in the future which I cannot fulfill at my current airline. BA obviously offers options for short and long haul to tickle any future itches when my kids are older and I don’t want to regret not leaving earlier when I could. If I were to jump ship to BA, would I be completely mad? Also I assume there are never any DEC positions that come up so would I go in as FO at paypoint 1 and bottom of the seniority pile or is there discretion to go in at a higher PP? Would I have to wait for my seniority number to come up to get my command back, be it short haul or long haul? I am pretty clueless about how it all works in a seniority based airline and don't know how rigid it so I would like peoples thoughts and insights please. Thanks in advance 👍
It works. It's pretty transparent, but just a different way of thinking. (I joined from non seniority based carrier). There is zero wiggle room to enter on a higher PP or seniority number. Everyone starts at the bottom! The saving grace at the moment is that things are moving fast. Very fast. With your experience you would be eligible for direct entry long haul FO (which comes with a slightly pay hike over direct entry short haul), and would quickly find people starting in the weeks and months after you. You'll move up the list with every person starting after you. As such, if you're going to take the plunge, the sooner you get in, the sooner you get on the list!
Also with your experience, you'd be able to bid for an A320 command, and likely have it within 1-2 years of joining, although that would kick the long haul option down the line for a few more years while you sat out your type rating/OCC freeze for 5-7 years. However it would mean if you then made the move to long haul at that point, you would return to being a senior FO, albeit with those years of seniority under your belt.
Hope i haven't confused things too much, but in summary, if you want to scratch the long haul itch... get in ASAP as you'll be further up the seniority list than if you delay. Long haul is a very mature and relaxed operation, with lots of excellent operators in both seats. You won't have a long haul command for a while, but the operating environment certainly goes some way to compensate for that.