I've been at easy for ten years now and for me, long haul comes into the category "nice place to visit but wouldn't want to live there".

Do you really want to give up the fun, informality and all the other good things about easyJet just so you can go and sit in a hotel room for days on end being driven mad by BBC World? Or would you rather get your command, do a couple of landings a day, then go home every night to your future wife and kids?

Ask your easyJet colleagues - I bet they'll all want you to stay.

a view not widely shared on the forgotten fleet or in certain regions :E

Cragg,

Might be worth waiting for first child. That's what I'm doing before giving BA a go. Same age bracket as you and time to command, so facing the same tough questions. I have come to the conclusion that you need to know how much time you want to spend with your kid(s). And I don't think you can tell until you have one. We're facing a long time RHS vs LHS with BA, so waiting another year or two won't make a huge difference. Until recently, you could just give BA a shot and go back DEC at EZY if you didn't like it. But since that's no longer the case (although that may change again), it's more of long term commitment.

P

For those of us in our mid-30's (or in fact anyone although the general consensus is, if you're less than 30, at least aim for BA), its easy to make a spreadsheet and work out what your career earnings will be over the period you expect/want to work for the various potential options open to you....if that kind of thing motivates you.

But what most people forget, even if they adjust for expected pay-rise(s) and expected command upgrades, is that its better to have the money in your hand now, because accelerating the rate at which you pay the mortgage off now is better than expecting to accelerate the rate at which you start paying it off in 10 years when your salary catches up, so to speak.

You have to work out the net present value of the expected cash flows and then compare.

Personally, I think the LOCO industry is still a seriously laid back life compared to what I did previously and I've been doing it 6+ years. Long haul doesn't appeal at all. My long haul mates always seem to be moaning about their circadian rhythms being fubar.

I'd be pleased if I could paid like I am to do this till I'm 60...

:eek::eek:

Hi,ROCKET RON,

Are we talking about the same company? But congratulations on your view of EZY!

Hi Rocket Ron
Nightstops will increase. I guess you haven't done the Lyon, CDG, ORY , GLA weeks. Soon there will be more N/S available in DTM....just wait for your reserve months!!

Personally I have a couple of mates who joined EZY at the same time that I joined BA, they work harder than I do with many more 4 sector days and generally take home £5 - 800 less per month depending on whether I have taken time off. They will be up for commands next year where as I will not be up to command for another 4 years. That four years I will use to have a taster of longhaul and then will be able to make the choice that is not available at EZY, a shorthaul command or continue with longhaul. So my mates at EZY will have 3 years of earning £15 - £20000 more than me but miss out on the long haul option. Once I take a command I will over take thier pay fairly rapidly and have far more scope for earning potential not to mention the excellent staff travel which allows me to travel around the world once a year in either business or first class. I notice someone a few posts ago say that waiting a year or two to join BA won't make a difference which is a big mistake. Guys that joined a year after me are 150 places down the seniority list which could mean a difference of a couple of years for a fleet move and more for a command. If you are going to join do it ASAP, if not then stay at EZY, as to be honest they do seem like a great company to work for.

abfgh:

Yep, I have just finished my reserve and nine nights were in LYS, my first in four years, but I enjoyed the change of scenery and went to some new places. As the new bases expand they'll be crewed locally so I'm not expecting to spend much time away, unlike BA Airbus short haul.

Kraut:

Yep, we do work for the same Company. Maybe you never experienced arriving at a desk job at 0900 on a Monday morning, looking at the clock and wishing your life away 'till the weekend.

I never said easyJet was perfect, but just tell me where's better? If you can do that then you've found the solution to whatever problem you have.

ROCKET RON

we are comparing airlines and not ailine vs desk jobs.
Changing that threat for me to make it somewhat comparable, asking wheter I would prefer Lufthansa (with all disadvantages that might be there)
I would ALWAYS prefer LH. So, als not in a position to go to BA, from my experience there is only one answer: go BA!

The strategical decelopment of EZY will take away some of the advantages:
from moving to the left seat to uncertainty of your personal future homebase, just to mention those.

Just my two cents out of experience, as a continental pilot.

Craggenmore, I apologise if I have misunderstood your previous post however I don’t understand how as a EasyJet SFO (basic £46,813 if DEP & approx £9000 flight pay) you can bring in the same money as your partner on BA pay point 10 (basic £71,888 with approx £15000 flight pay).
I made the move a year ago and never looked back. BA is not without its issues however my quality of life (mid fleet) has improved dramatically and that is at the bottom of the list.

Moo,

You have misunderstod my post but its no sweat. I'm just figuring things out at the mo.

Thinking out loud, I make Capt with EZY in a year, year and a half, and so earn what my g'f does now after ten years with BA, or, move to BA and then take another ten years to get up to the level I could be at in one, one and a half years.

Seems a long wait as I'll be 5 years or so off 50:{

Cheers, Craggs.

Hi Craggenmore,

Here's my two-penneth. I'm a similar age to you and thinking along the same lines. Presently fly as Capt lo-co and wondering if BA will be a safer long term bet. As I am in Europe the pay difference is more or less neutral, but after a lot of soul searching I realise that you have to differentiate between someone who is below say 35 and someone older.

For the younger guys and girls it's a no-brainer, BA wins hands down. But beyond that it's not so easy (no pun intended!) One thing is certain, you can't kid yourself that a pay cut doesn't matter. Whatever you earn you spend / save and after the initial rush of the new job is gone one does miss the cash! (I took a big cut to move to my present employer, but luckily got promoted which made up for it.)

In the end though, you can only make the final decision once the offer letter is on the mat (or in the in-tray!).

Good luck with the decision and remember that the only one that matters is the one that is right for you!

KT