Average-p

Yes it would, but sadly you (and others) now have another insight into the “BA way”.

I’d be interested if any other airlines have been known to reimburse expenses in similar circumstances.

I don’t have the emails to hand (given that I went through selection a while ago, and lots happened since then), but I remember it stating explicitly that BA wouldn’t reimburse any costs incurred by candidates attending waterside.

My most recent interview where expenses were reimbursed was in 1990.

Since then, off the top of my head, Ive had at least 13 job interviews, and no-one - in any industry - has offered to pay for expenses. (The only exception was airlines in the sandpit, who provided an air ticket and hotac for the interview).

It's not just BA that won't pay, it's the modern world.

Agreed. Especially as it looks like the whole thing was a “you scratch my back...” deal between BA, CAA and XXX airlines.

Anyone else read the update email...Anyone had a phone call yet? Airbus...LHR...LGW.....other fleet?

Could be short notice for ‘quality’ wet-leased available aircraft/crews - especially given ACMI recruitment and its short-term contract nature!

Would BA use Latvian/Lithuanian registered aircraft?!?

Why should they not?

Heard through a mate near the top of the pool- 4 x B747 offers gone out today. Whoopee

Got the update email as well, limited number of offers to be made for starting date in march 2018. That's at least something positive! From no DEP in 2018, to a limited number. I do however wonder if its just for type rated guys and gals seeing as the update mentioned, 'for those eligble'.

'For those eligible' - maybe read 'eligible for ZFT' for DEP Long Haul? Not too many rated 744 bods in the pool I would have thought.

Best of luck!

4 more 'more junior' bidders on the 744 than me, lovely! JSS implementation excepted....

I expect BA to be fully surprised by the no’s to their 747 offers tomo :}

I think it’s safe to say that everyone in the DEP holdpool will be able to complete a ZFT course; roughly speaking most of us probably have somewhere between 1000-1500 additional hours since we entered the pool. Those that entered via the shorthaul route without the Longhaul 2000 hour requirement probably all have it now.

I do wonder how many of those that that entered via the long haul route who are now Captains, are keen to drop 30-40% pay to sit at the bottom of BA seniority list- behind the recent FPP/white tail cadets.

Last time I checked, BA dropped their requirement to 1,500 hours and an unfrozen ATPL for DEP long haul..

I know plenty of people who have left their command to join BA. The calculation involved is, of course, a very personal one. Increasingly though Captains at easyJet and Ryanair are in their mid to late 20's/early 30's. That still gives you a 30+ year career at BA and even a pessimist would acknowledge that some of that is likely to be as a long haul P1.

I acknowledge it is a more balanced decision with the birth of 34 pay points and the expansion of the seniority list. However it's a long term decision and for most people will be about lifestyle as much as money.

Best of luck to those waiting for the call!

You'll get to know Riyadh pretty well which is always a plus.

Out of interest - for these lucky few who have been offered jobs on the 747, how long is it likely to be before they begin to see any reasonable degree of control over their roster?

Anyone going into BA with their eyes open would presumably be expecting to receive the dregs of the flying for a good few years - most of which I assume would also be distributed solely over their weekends. But as their senior SH colleagues also move fleet and slide in above them, seniority for the newbies surely stagnates for quite some time?

Anyone joining on the 747 should be aware that not only will they be the most junior pilots on it (hence the Riyadh comments) but they’ll be held back on it until the fleet dies (which may or may not be advantageous - ask some 767 guys for their opinion on that). Roster control is a moot point with only four more months of bidline. After that we’re all on blind lines.

Rex...good point.....Some people here probably did their cost v benefit analysis of moving to BA so long ago that that statement is worth repeating 100 times, with emphasis, for the benefit of those about to make a decision......( I’m sure that wouldn’t change anybody’s mind but it is a health warning: please don’t come back onto here or the BALPA forum in six months time and say Bidline isn’t as wonderful as promised).

The latest state of play is that the first training “videos”/ training packages were released to the rank and file a few days ago and the grumbles about JSS have started again...I suspect some junior folk are going to be seeing a heck of a lot of one or two ME destinations and perhaps central Africa, and not much else, despite the promises.

It does indeed look increasingly like Blindlines for all with a release date that was later than promised (i.e. overall less notice of monthly rosters than is currently the case for most of us)......

There’s no way JSS will be ready for June, so it’ll probably be left until October/November, subject to the email saying they’d leave it for summer if there were still teething issues.

The two most junior 747 FOs have both spent December going across the Atlantic. Denver, Phoenix, Miami, Vegas and Boston. There will be trips to sunny Lagos and the odd detox in the ME. Weekends will be a premium and you won’t get roster control for a long time. You will also develop a mistrust of half-moon glasses and long sleeves, but I believe that to be airline wide.

However, with EASA now the and commuters who want to ‘back to back’ there will always be a demand for the ME and Africa. Let’s try and keep it a little balanced.

Good grief, haven't seen either of those in years....is it a 744 or Airbus thing?

As for the shape of current rosters, well whatever shape they are now is a bit irrelevant come June or later.....given the way bidding is going to change it will be interesting to see if the likes of Phoenix, Denver and Vegas get hoovered up by senior preferences come the advent of JSS, rather than dropping through to Blindlines (?seeded??).....we will see...