Generous BA ?
 

Got upcoming interviews with BA, CX and SQ.

CX and SQ provide me with free tickets and accommodation and BA gives NONE.

(I even have to bring my own sandwich for my BA interview)

Well, I am not going to attend BA's interview as I think their gesture is more suited for the position of a clerk. Not for direct entry jet-rated pilots.
:ok:

thats ok we dont need you as you sound full of your own self importance!!!

marlowe,

Who is showing more of his "self-importance" here? You are! A generous gesture from any company does reflect to a certain extent how important the company view their candidates.

Now I know how low you are viewed by your company.

Take it easy, mate!:cool:

Market forces apply.
So does common sense.

Do they need to provide free transportation? Doesn't look like it.

Would they incur significant opportunity costs by providing free transportation? Nope.

Are they stupid? Yes.

Why? Because they're missing out on a larger pool of qualified applicants from which to select.

(I applied to them in 1970 and I'm STILL waiting for even an acknowledgement. Culture obviously hasn't changed much..)

HA! coming from a BA pilot!!

Have to say a couple of our guys turned down BA to go to Virgin, and being treated badly at the interview was one of the reasons.

Not the compmany it once was.

Marlowe,
Glide is not full of his own importance.
He is merely somebody with a little self esteem who wants to be treated with respect.
If he was an accountant called to an interview for BA I am sure he would have his flights provided, they are an airline after all.

This is the start of Willie Walsh (BA CEO) rule within BA.

That is Willie Walsh ex CEO Aer Lingus.
Thats right, the ex Pilot in Aer Lingus.
Now you have it, that ex Pilot guy that was heavily involved in the union there.

The point here is that, we all deserve a little self respect.
If I am going to be of any value to a company then show me a little respect.

In my experience BA treat people very well at interview. They are courteous, professional, and fair to all. You can get a job regardless of whether you have a mate in the company, unlike some.

It is their right to ask whatever questions they like at interview, and if you struggle to answer them I suggest you aren't what they are looking for - no reflection on you as a person, just not what they want.

SQ and CX need expats to crew their a/c, hence they are willing to fly in people from all over the world. BA have a huge pool of willing applicants on their doorstep, hence no need to pay people to travel to them - simple economics.

As to basing your career on whether or not you have to buy a sandwich at interview, it is slightly short sighted. There are many pros and cons to BA, but having to lay out £1.95 for lunch doesn't feature highly on most lists

If you are a direct entry jet pilot, surely you can use staff travel to get to LHR for peanuts. By not atending the interview I think you are cutting off your nose for the sake of a few quid and your ego.


P.S. I wonder if you will reconsider if CX and SQ say no!!!!

Alternatively, it could be viewed that BA doesn't have to offer travel expenses/flights to potential applicants. It does interview a lot of people, after all. Domestic flights are usually filled with serving commuters already, as well as the BCN and NCE flights. When BA can't get enough suitable applicants, I'm sure that the policy will change. After all, it is a profitable company, not a charity. What I would say is don't cut your nose off to spite your face. BA is fairly good once you are an employee. It hasn't sacked 49 odd pilots for industrial action or cut salaries during SARS, for instance.

sandwich, anyone?!
 

Glide,

Exactly why should BA provide you with free tickets/acomodation/lunch?You obviously think that you are incredibly important.

Did you apply to BA,or did they write to you begging you to work for them?-Thought so!!

What's the real issue here Mate?Are you to tight to put your hand in your own pocket or someting?
After all, it is YOU that wants a job from them-NOT the other way around!

I am sure that jet rated pilots(important as you seem to think they are)are not the rarest of people to find & if you don't apply to BA on the grounds that you're not getting a free lunch, then I am sure they won't suffer as a result.

Happy Flying!

p.s: I bet you're one of those pilots who orders fillet steak and then suggest the rest of the crew who only had caeser salads "split the bill"-old habits die hard!!

No, it is not.

There are several areas about which if they were to ask questions, they could find themselves being taken to an employment tribunal.

Glide everybody deserves respect but why should BA provide free transport to interviews for you ? you want the job with them, you applied to them Willie did not come round to your place and plead with you to consider BA as a career move cos you are a jet pilot!!!! are you really going to base a career move on the fact that an airline did not reimburse you some expenses for a posistion that you want/wanted ?

Err, why do you need a sandwich for the interview? It's rude to speak with your mouth full. :p

Does that mean I can claim expenses for diesel used for driving to my CSA, crew and Dispatcher interviews? What about the 15p cups of coffee at 'The Rivers'? Can I get that back too?

So, seriously, what makes a 'jet-rated' pilot more worthy of free transportation to an interview? If you interview at a bus company, do you get a free ticket? No, didn't think so....

PS- You can't buy sandwiches at The Rivers....!

You are however simply human capital just like every other worker. Not being God, royalty or executive level, I can't see what your problem is with a company that tries to operate on a commerical basis. I assume you are not applying to Ryanair this century?

Glide,

With respect mate, I notice that you're in Australia. . . The flights to attend interviews with CX or SQ will be a fair bit cheaper than shipping you all the way over to the UK! Besides, I hear there may be one or two 'Jet Rated pilots' here in the UK looking for a spot of gainful. . . ;)

Good luck either way.

BH

God, some people are so righteous here.

It used to be that airlines DID provide transport to applicants, provided lunch etc... I had that from BA myself!!!

It is just the sign of the times that tight fists rule the planet. Some of us may have spent £60K in getting a licence, without any promises. That in itself deserves respect.

BA are quite selfish as if times were different, if they were stuck, they WOULD be gladly offering all sorts of incentives. It suits them not to at the moment. That doesn't mean Glide is in need of slagging off.

It's just another sign of the erosion in conditions in this "profession".

Fools hole you want respect for spending money!!!! er no one asked you to spend it you wanted to have a flying career and so you payed the going rate to gain your qualifications to hopefully get that career of course there was no guarentee you would get it but it is the same in any career that you could have pursued

marlowe

Paid, not payed!

No other career you'd be stupid enough to pay this much to qualify.

thank you for the spell check i am aware of the difference but typing finger was not

Marlowe

By placing an ad in an aviation publication or on his web site, Willie did in fact do just that. One day he may have to plead even more as I do believe there have been cancelled flights due to crewing.

When this becomes too much of a problem, I think BA will then provide a free flight, a sandwich an a cup of tea.