Thanks for the reply Bugspeed.

I guess things have slowed a little, although I interviewed in August my sim was in Nov, so I'm more in that sept batch now.....
Its a shame, but more time to work on that bond I owe.....
I hope things progress.

Good luck to all, I'm sure you'll be fished out soon Kempus, I know there was a full 737 course running early february, and maybe a TR'd 320 course end feb. But other than that I have no inside knowledge!!

In hold pool since early June

Offered 320 LHR end of Feb....:ok:

Congratulations Yak-yak! :D

thanks for the update, best news i've heard in a long time!:ok:

Excellent news folks, movement is clearly happening.
As specified in BA's latest email, it looks like they are streaming candidates directly onto fleets they already are typed on (so far anyway!).
Kempus: perhaps with your hours BA are keeping you for a long-haul vacancy? Not sure just a wild guess, but yes you have been in the pool a LONG time now...

And.... spaaalllaaasssshhhh! Arrived in the pool today. Best of luck to everyone still to finish selection.

A rather tipsy SK (E195 and ex-Q400 driver).

Well done SK.

I'm still waiting for a Day 1 slot

Gentlemen/Ladies,

Sorry to pour water on the parade but the Governments abject inability to deal with anything contentious (APD) has led to the following announcement from BA.

This is the Conservative coalition which is supposed to support, encourage and boost UK growth, the same Government who oppose the expansion of Heathrow, charge extortionate APD rates just to escape the UK and then don't even have the decency to 'ring fence' them for 'green' purposes. The same self serving beaurocrats who give our troops in Afghanistan a 1% pay rise and the social scroungers a 5.3% 'pay rise'.

So, if the recruiting dries up you know exactly who to blame, and I apologise now as I was duped into voting for them as well. I can only shudder to think what state we would be in now if the other lot had won.

Rant over.

:*

Been waiting a while for a sim slot.

Wonder if it'll ever happen now...

Chaps some stories of note:

BA slashes recruitment drive blaming APD increase
APD hikes prompt cut-backs at BA | ABTN

:}

Very bad news indeed! I've been in the pool nearly two months and was expecting a long wait......but with this news I'm now wondering if I'll get out at all!!!!! Can anyone remind me what the current policy is on time 'swimming' before having to re-apply?!?

On a (maybe somewhat selfish) sidenote.....it just says 'jobs' can't imagine it'll only be pilots suffering?! Isn't there a cabin crew recruitment drive ongoing too?! Not to mention ground staff.... BUGGER!

Was the APD not taken into consideration at the beginning of the recruitment drive.

As Brian said, no article is job specific (again selfish)!

Any ideas on how many people are already been recruited so we get a rough idea?

Keep your heads up guys and girls!

Think it could perhaps be a political way to scale back recruitment based on the economy in general rather than the direct impact of APD? If it's true obviously, and I hope not for the sake of all who strive to join BA...

Best of luck all!

It's probably a bit of both, IMHO the resurrection of the beloved 744s has been looking less logical with each passing day of economic gloom, though APD won't help and anything that applies pressure on the government over that tax is a good thing.

Having said that, fingers crossed for you all in the hold pool, good luck.

This looks fishy to me. BA knew perfectly well about the APD from well before all this recruitment drive. Its probably cover for saving themselves the embarrassment of cocking up their recruitment estimates, especially since they did it with so much media wallop..!!

Wirbelsturm, there was nothing wrong with the other lot. They had approved the third runway, HS 2 (High Speed Rail) to better connect the airport and didn't have this silly APD thing. That is investing in the future, not this palaver the current Government has done. Glad you realised you got duped, because I hate saying 'I told you so' on this one…!

Could it be related to the possible purchase and integration of the remnant of BMI, surely not?

yes but like the rest of the business community in this country they probably planned on the basis that no government would be stupid enough to do this! I've voted this way all my life - never again! (not voting for the other lot either though!)

Well I'm no economist :sad: but my own gut feeling is that maybe, just like the bankers and politicians, BA wasn't planning on a double dip recession.

Do we have any idea how many people have actually started with BA since recruitment began earlier this year and how many people are currently in the hold pool?

Not a political thread
 

Chaps and Chappesses,

Whilst I see the relevance of W'strums post and the follow-ups with supporting and counter-arguments, I fear we may have changed heading somewhat. (I myself dropped out of the hold pool just over 2 years ago and had to re-apply due to the recession so I really DO understand!)

There is a level of politics in everything, however, this is one of THE most useful threads on Pprune; I'm not sure turning this into a political debate is helping.

Just as a sanity check more than anything else guys.

BS

Wise words. Not the place for a political discussion!

In very rough numbers: Approximately 20 pilots per 747 airframe. So if 3 are to be stood down that's 60ish less pilots needed. Contracts have been offered up to and including end of February for at least the A320 and B767.

BA will probably leave the FPP scheme running, a) because of the time/money invested in setting it up and b) because the cadets won't come online until end of 2013. This leaves the only option as tempering the DEP/Services recruitment lines, unfortunately for anyone in the hold pool.

Don't give up hope, but be aware that in 2008 the recruitment taps were turned off very,very quickly, but all those with contracts were honoured, AFAIK.