Leaving BA for low cost
 

Hi,

Im seriously contemplating leaving BA 747 to go to low cost short haul for a quick upgrade, but most people that I speak to look back in shock. So I'm looking for anyone that has done the same, to basically try and find out if they regretted it. And anybody else with any insight that might be helpful.

Any help appreciated!

TT

Not sure many will have done this. I was in the BA hold pool but decided last year to stay orange after moving right to left. For me, as a 7000 hour pilot and 10 years experience, it was the thought of reverting to two stripes and many years waiting for an upgrade in the BA seniority process that influenced my decision. I am not sure I would choose to leave though once I had started. I have no real interest in long haul at this stage but I do not know what the next 10 years might hold. In some ways the time to command in BA makes it a more valuable prize.

If the low cost life style suits you better then why not, but once you're there that's pretty much it as far as progression is concerned. The training department is the only step upward and it's not for everyone.

Lots of four sector days and early starts but mostly in your own bed at night, hard work and you will be tired but its a different kind of fatigue to long haul, back of the clock, multiple time zone changes.

Financially, a LCC will get you into the money seat sooner but the pay isn't usually as good as a legacy. An older applicant will do better in an LCC as by the time he upgrades at a legacy airline he hasn't got too many years in the Captains chair until retirement, a younger applicant will do better in a legacy as he will have more years on premium pay to make up for the longer upgrade time.

Horses for courses.

Hi Trica

I left the 747 at BA to go back to low cost. Haven't regretted it for a minute. Feel free to PM me if you want any more info. Good luck. It's a massive decision to make but for me it worked out well. Everyone is different depending on their circumstances.

Thank you for all of the info, including the PM's! Its nice to know that I'm not nuts considering it.

BAP, I've been in just shy of 3 years. Funny you should mention EK, as I did consider that option, then read the Middle East forums :eek:

Having done UK regional flying, the sandpit, and now BA LH, I – personally – find BA the easiest of the three. That said, it probably helps being on the 787, as everyone else is doing our flying for us. :)

Also, I don’t mind working weekends and am in a position where I can prioritise lifestyle over cash or command, so I’m quite content in the RHS. I quite understand that others will have different priorities, for all sorts of reasons. But like what Wiggy said:
I couldn’t agree more. Being late to the party, I’ve got a maximum 20 year career with BA, but I can’t imagine being full time until retirement – part time is the only way to make the job work long-term. One could ask whether it would be any different in low cost short haul? If not, I’d suggest the workload / sustainability issue is an industry wide problem, and not restricted to BA.

I suspect it has exceeded even the companies expectations.

Excellent thread...how do the benefits stack up at somewhere like EZY compared to BA? Medical/Dental /loss of licence etc. Obviously staff travel is completely different so that’s not really part of the question. Thanks

For balance, if the OP were to join today, how long would he or she be waiting for that regional base? Be prepared to spend many a year at LGW where things aren't so rosy.

Depends on the base you want. Most start out where the need is for the company, and then sign up on the transfer lists. However, there are still choices + Ezy is fairly easy commuting wise if you need that. LGW is not all that bad as some claim - I certainly enjoyed my years there.

I am now a LHS commuter on a 71% contract, or a 7/7 as it is called. In real life it often works out as a 5/9 or 6/8 roster. (yes often 9 days off ;) )

Would not even swap this for a direct entry CMD into a 744 if offered.

I'm an experienced Boeing SFO at another UK airline (the red and silver one) and would love a European base, particularly PMI... is there any chance easy will get rid of or lower the type rating cost as that is a major barrier to me applying?

Thanks for all of the info. Lots of great stuff.

RE EZY. I would be looking at LGW or LTN. Could anyone provide a few typical early and late rotations that one could expect. And am I right in thinking around 18ths to 2 years currently for a cmd?

Also, considering the other Low Cost airlines. Does anyone have any good info on Wizz Air? Ryanair only seem to recruit 737 rated FO's unless you want a Sicily base. Is this correct?

Thanks again for all the great input.

GS

Gissa clue then what parts of EASA FTL will cause life expectancy to drop. In many parts EASA FTL is similar to Sub Part Q which was deployed in Europe for years and years.
Is it the old factorisation of flights over 7 hours in CAP371 something that was introduced when Flight Engineers left the cockpit......

Yes, once a market is saturated LCCs will have to adjust and grow slower or not at all. However, Europe is far away from that at the moment. Easy for example has only bases in one city in germany, the biggest economy in the EU, apart from that they are present in switzerland (different company though), the UK of course as their main market, spain, france italy and a bit of spain and the netherlands. Nothing in eastern europe or northern europe. There is still a lot of expansion to be done in the markets they are in already, not to mention those they are not in yet. It is going to get harder though, as of course other LCCs did spring up in those markets with Norwegian and Wizzair. Ryanair on the other hand is already present in more markets, but there is still a lot of expansion to be done as well. Easy is currently at around 300 airframes and will probably reach 330 to 360 airframes at the end of the calendar year. Ryanair has something like 440 airframes and will most likely add quite a few frames this year as well.

Compare that to the US with close to 1000 planes in total between southwest and jet blue, not to mention the other ones, in a home market with something like 330 million customers, vs around 500 million in the EU alone, not to mention the other european states or even northern africa which is in range of narrowbody aircraft.

And now, that Lufthansa is going to buy Norwegian, BA is going to struggle even more.
Mind You anyone with BA experience will be a shoe-in at Norwegian LH !
Good time to change!

Hmm, a lot of sh1t stirring here and firing about of fake news.

I know of one guy who has left for a DEC A330 job in China but he commutes from NYC, he was a junior captain on the A320.

A few people have turned down courses but they've also been sat in the hold pool for almost 2 years, if BA offered them contracts straight away I guess it would have been a different story.

Enzo
My mistake, BA is doing great.

And , Yes LH is looking at Norwegian. seriously.