Thanks for that SJ777.......:bored:

When was that??

Hold Pool Expiry
 

This latest info on the hold pool comes from a friend who just splashed down with the rest of us.

At present there are no formal plans to extend time in the hold pool so it is still 12 months from date of interview.

The current internal BA fleet aspirational/directional bids are being looked at now for next year. Once THIS has been completed (which from experience of a VERY similar system can take a while due to seniority conflicts etc) then the Hold Pool will be looked at.

November will see the planning stages for next (tax) year's training programme.

Any updates which may or may not get issued will be sorted out by Christmas or early in the new year.

The Airbus deliveries are still on schedule. Although 75's are being retired the 76 still needs to be crewed somehow from the existing 75/76 rated crew.

The plan is to use everyone in the hold pool due to cost of recruitment.

Whilst it isnt fantastic news, I think it is still fairly positive.

I don't want to pt a damper on anybodies' hopes, but the mood isn't very good within BA. Redundancies for pilots hasn't been ruled out. Historically, 50-100 pilots a year retiring would have meant some movement even during periods of stagnation. With the new age legislation and BALPA's new part time working agreement for pilots means that pilots that may have jacked it all in at 55 or so can now go 50/57/72/75 % part time working, for their last couple of years. With stock markets plummeting and prices rising, can anybody blame the senior pilots if they want to hold off for a year or two?

Generally I believe that most of us are fairly realistic about the current situation regarding the hold pool. Any poitive news does not mean we will then sit waiting for the phone to ring 24 hours a day. We do however appreciate any snippets of information either way so thanks for the last 2 posts.

Friend on the 75/76 who recently moved fleets was told that she may be going onto the Airbus since the 75/76 and the Jumbo being over crewed.

Pool
 

I am in the pool for a while now, I have Airbus rating but will not except short haul.
Does anyone know if there will be recruitment on the 747 fleet?

Thank you

Errrrrr.....no!

I thought the first rule of being 'recruited' was to accept a course as soon as it's offered, no matter what its on. You will be waiting a long time if you are waiting for the 744.

BAHEE 96,

I doubt that there will be ANY recruitment onto the 747 again as there is a surplus of pilots on this fleet and hulls are being flown to the dessert. My advice would always be take the first course on offer no matter what fleet it is on. If you are intending to stay at BA for a long career then your joining date is the most important thing. I took the first course available and know someone who held out for longhaul and admittedly he got the course but it was nearly a year after I joined on the A320 fleet. Result is that I am 200 higher on the seniority list which in the current climate could help a lot. Looks as though I will get a move to long haul within the next year or two and I will join my mates fleet much higher than him on the seniority list, could also translate into a command several years ahead of him. Very short sighted to turn down a course for a specific aircraft type in my opinion.

Very politely put.

well done bahee96 for passing the selection!

quote: I am in the pool for a while now, I have Airbus rating but will not except short haul.
Does anyone know if there will be recruitment on the 747 fleet?

i presume you meant accept? :E

how about expect

Bahee 96
 

As others have said you'd be absolutely barking to hold out for specific fleet in the current climate...Artificial Horizon has summed it up perfectly.

The 747 is a shrinking Fleet - it has a pilot surplus and BA have already started parking hulls, initially at Cardiff. I doubt there will ever be another DEP recruited onto the Fleet. The 777 is still up for grabs but many are bidding to move onto it from other Fleets within the Company...so IMHO it's debatable if there will be any further DEP recruitment onto that Fleet....I guess for the forseeable future any DEPs will go to Shorthaul.

My advice? If you want BA Longhaul in the future accept any Fleet you are offered. If you do that you have got yourself onto the senority ladder, got a magic date of joining and are in a position to bid for Long Haul in the future...

BA DEP selection
 

Guys,

BA are now offering unpaid leave to 777 pilots so I guess that fleet is in surplus at the moment.
The 747 is definately in surplus, so shorthaul is the only option. However,
I would be surprised if there were any movement out of the pool in 2009.
:hmm:

At the risk of kicking somebody when they are down, one could even call the 747 fleet a "dying fleet". Should provoke a response from the "classic" drivers.;)

If it helps to put up with the 'stigma' of being on the 'hideous' short haul fleet at BA, every year you prevaricate and refuse SH will be one year less at the end of your career on Pay Point 24. At the current scales, assuming you get there, that equates to about £130,000 per year to refuse that SH slot.

Add to that the loss of seniority position and thus a delay to command as people have also pointed out and the scenario doesn't look so rosy holding out for the real pilots metal ( ;) ). If you go for the SH fleet, sit there for 4/5 years and then move to LH you take your seniority with you and will have a far better bidding position to avoid the constant east coast weekend States trips. Which, oddly enough, generally go to those holding a 'blind line' and are junior on the fleet.

Also, if they change the rules for those swimming in the pool, to extend the time you can tread water, those concessions will NOT be given to any pilot who has refused a fleet allocation.

Just a couple of helpful guiding points!

p.s. They are offering unpaid leave to ALL pilots, not just specific fleets so don't assume anything.

Evenin all,

Got the call last wk to say I'm in the hold-pool...RESULT!!! No new info really but when I went for the sim I was told the pool was 40-50 bods and during the call was told the pool was increasing to approx 80 bods. Was also told told that the 12 month limit is currently under review with no courses planned for the near future.

Good luck to all those still awaiting their sim assessments and a huge thanks to all those that posted CONSTRUCTIVE info on this thread. The best of luck to everyone!!!!!

Doesnt feel like its dying in HKG :E. Hows Philly?

Hey, you can't knock Philly. EWR on the other hand........

Thank you 757 Flyer, I will have to spell check from now on. I would like you to try writing in your second language!!!

I have flown the Airbus for long time now and will not be taking job on short haul. I also have opportunity with 767 operator in India which I will take over short haul BA.

Bahee 96,

I take it from your previous posts that you are ex Esy. SH on BA is a totally different regime with night stops in lots of very good locations around Europe. Bidline allows control of your roster and commuting is done by many. As to the future, well during this little downturn that's a little hard to predict. However there are still aircraft ordered, financed and needing to be flown. These include 777-300 ER's, 787, Airbus A380, A318 London City to New York.

So, when aviation crawls out of its current cyclical hole there will be a whole lot of long haul expansion at BA with the associated draw of pilots from SH. But if you aren't in it, you aren't going to win it.

Enjoy flying your gas guzzler as an ex-pat pilot in India.