BA DEP Recruitment
 

Hearing strong rumours that BA DEP recuitment is planned for this year...Anyone got inside info if and when and is it going to include long fleets or just short haul for the time being ? ... Having said that if people decide to throw missles out of their prams - forget it !

British Airways Jobs is still showing no vacancies...

Would be surprised if there was any LH DEP recruitment this time round. It's likely that any recruitment will be onto the Airbus at LHR. Having said that, there are expected to be a fair number of people required for the 747-400 this year, so if these are not covered by transfers, they may yet get to the DEPs. Minimum requirement for LH would certainly be a full ATPL (not frozen) but not sure of an hours requirement.

OK,

notwithstanding the forthcoming conflict here goes:

From the horses mouth, external recruitment is likely to start in May/June. There will be vacances on the A320 and 744 and possibly the 75/76. The airbus fleet is expanding massively and the 744 is/will be haemorraging pilots mainly due to retirement and the expectation of P2s bidding for SH P1 slots cos' of the new pay deal. No 777 slots will be offered and the 73 ceases to be at LHR from July.

I have worked both mil and for a major charter outfit so I am qualified to say that, overall, BA is a good Company to work for. I feel about as secure as one can be in this fickle business (nb how they treated new joiners post 911). The new pay deal addresses some of the prior imbalance and the quality of life (stability/choices) is second to none. The cc can be a pain in the a**e at times and the time to command will rise due to the new pay structure but, bottom line is, I look forward to going to work!

Good luck

from horses mouth and the powers that be. 38 successful applicants on hold and due to expire (end of march) from sept 01 interviews. decisions made at end of month, grey area as not external as already in system. all experienced airline pilots from other companies. recruitment looking like Aug not sure what fleets. def shortage on all fleets but due to FSS unable to recruit. arguments between ops and directors due to urgency of requirement of crew. old argument, when go ahead given, will be 6 months late as crew needed now

Could somebody please tell me. Is the age 55 final salary pension scheme still in place for new joiners?

whoopie
 

I'm afraid that the the age 55 final salary pension scheme has been abandoned by management policy for all new joiners, pilots or otherwise.

BALPA are still quite rightly attempting to resurrect the scheme for new pilots as we speak.


regards
Exeng

BA recruitment
 

Quite close to this dep and this is certainly news to us. There are reputed to be 50 - 100 pilot cadets to be taken on for 2003. At present it would seem most umlikely that any flt crew are to be taken on. I hope your right.

also understood that the cadets are going on SH ie, Scare and 73 due to agreement with CAA on Zero time, hence DEP still required on LH like 400. the 400 indicating by consent to be more junior due to new pay deals with hourly rate.

I am reading the scales wrong, or is the DEP flight pay £40 ph ????

The £40/hr is the rate payable for normal overtime. The incentive/flying pay is £8/hr (£10 for P1s). On top of this, both seats get £2.50/hr for time away from base (TAFB).

Hi there,

All of the above seems to tally with what I've heard too. Could anyone in the know please post the starting salary, sector/flight duty pay etc.. for a new DEP? I would really appreciate it...with thanks...TT

And while I'm at it....

What is the standpoint of BA on their pilots living abroad? I presume that as long as you are there to fly and for standby, you are doing exactly what you are employed to do....but do they see it that way? I know a few airlines look down on it..thanks...TT

Any idea whether there will be an age limit imposed on candidates!

I believe there used to be an upper age limit of 38.

two together,

you can live wherever you like as long as you turn up for work rested.
we have approx 4 long haul guys living in Oz, 1 in Thailand, several in north(& south america), some in Ireland and hundreds in northern europe. We also have several short haul guys living in either Scotland, Ireland, Channel isles, IOM, and even some in Wales! a few short haul guys live in France & Spain.

year 1 pay - £40,500, increasing by £1575pa short haul, £1650pa 75/76, £2175pa long haul.
plus £8.50 per hour flight pay, plus £2.50 per hour away from base
plus £150k loss of licence + private health care.
overtime rate approx £40per hour for year 1 increasing as you progress

PSYCOBFH, Thanks very much for all that useful info. I really appreciate it.

Best Regards,

TT

The new DEP scales are now much more attractive under the new pay deal (affective 1/3/03)....

A 4 year FO on long hual is looking at a basic of around £50K plus good benefits, like the LOL inurance and health cover .....

Just make sure you get offered the final salary scheme pension and not a money purchase one.
BALPA are on the case and waiting for the first BA pilot to be offered a money purchase scheme (the final salary scheme was scraped last year for all new BA employees).

Retiring at 55 under the old pension and around 20 years at max incremenets gave about a half final salary pension, around £40K under todays money ........

Read the small print on any offer and consult BALPA !!

Do you guys think they will be hireing in the near future with the given circumstances? If yes, any infos on when the start could be?

WGU

Impossible to answer, especially now. Rumoured to be a possibility of standing down some aircraft 'for a while', which would either have people changing type or stood-down. I would imagine that until the gulf crisis is over and (business) people start flying again in larger numbers, that recruitment will be very limited.

Then again you may have a better crystal ball than me.

Good luck

TopBunk
Unfortunately I am missing this cristal ball as well. ;)

But thanks for sharing your opinion anyway!

WGU

Latest rumour is that 100 -400 guys to be stood down, early retirement, redeployed etc. Concorde drastically reduced service, but probably still kept as flag ship for a bit longer. It's SOP to say Concorde is retiring every few years just to increase traffic from those who want to fly supersonic before it's demise.
Unlikely to be any DEP recruitment for long while. 100 plus cadets still in the system and coming through at the moment.
Pension situation is far from clear as BA have yet to officially notify BALPA of the impending change and until somebody is put on the new system there isn't much that can be done. However the rest of the flight crew will be fighting tooth and nail to make sure new joiners get a final salary pension scheme.