British Airways Hold Pool News
 

As the BA DEP selection thread seems to be choking up with people discussing the Hold Pool, I think it sensible to begin a new thread dedicated to those who have already passed the selection process and want to discuss any issues relevant to the next stage.

Here's a starter for ten...

When BA stopped giving out course start dates to those in the Hold Pool, the size of the pool (post sim check) grew to a size of (i believe) around 80-90(??). This is clearly huge. A short while ago there was also banter that BA were discussing increasing the length of time one could spend in the pool to eighteen months. Would it be sensible to assume that the company are intentionally allowing the pool to empty to a more sensible level before keeping those that are left by allowing longer in the pool?

Further question: from within the company, is there any news of the number of retirements expected this year?

from what i've heard, there are very limited numbers of retirements expected this year. think more info will come out once the results of the annual bid are known, which is due shortly. my own personal opinion is that if the economy stays the way it is there is absolutely no chance of BA taking any people out of the hold pool in 09. think the best to hope for is signs of a slight recovery later in the year followed by a few people being taken on. sit tight and wait for better news in 2010.

with respect to retirements, figures of the order of 9 pilots have been mentioned for the last 18 months. Bearing in mind that as more NAPS rather than APS guys retire, I should imagine, that like myself, we will be forced to defer retirement for at least 2 or 3 years to 57/58/59 ish. ie, Don't rely on retiring pilots to create vacancies. I should imagine it will mainly come from expansion in the next few years.

I would not rely on this. BA asked us to indicate if we had any intention to retire within he next year to help planning, but we wouldn't be held to it. With Industrial Relations post Openskies in BA, very few people are prepared to give BA any more than the required minimum 3 months (or possibly shoot themselves in the foot in case BA offered some incentive!).

My take on it is that the Annual Bid will reveal little, and if anything underestimate the number of retirements, which even so, will be few. Any interesting aside, is that the first group who could work beyond 55 are now approaching 57, when many forecast they would leave - we shall see. Another 12 months and another 12 pay packets may be too tempting...

Email from John monks
 

Just recieved this from Mr Monks

Dear All,Happy New Year, I hope you had an enjoyable festive period. I know I have spoken to a number of you over recent weeks and I said that I would give you an update on the situation here at BA. The last 6 months have been an experience for all of us and I would like to thank you for your patience and understanding whilst we have found our way through these difficult times. I would like to be able to say to you all now, there is clarity as we move forward into 2009 but that is not the case. I do know that no additional pilots will be joining BA before the end of the financial year 2008/09. The commercial flying programme is constantly being reviewed and developed in light of the price of fuel and revenue outlook. Consequently any 'snapshot' of the current plan will change as time goes by. The initial business planning process for the financial year 2009/10 will have come to a conclusion in early February 2009 and out of this, BA will have a Manpower plan that shows the number of pilots required to operate the flying programme and if any recruitment will be required in that financial year. Current indications would suggest that there is unlikely to be any recruitment in the first 6 months of the year but beyond that we are less able to predict. The main issue that most of you have on your minds is the validity of your assessment and time in the holdpool. We have taken the decision to extend this to 18 months and this will be from the day you attended BA for your simulator assessment. If you have any queries then please let me know. I will give you an update as we move towards March 2009.Regards,John.

Oh well at least it is reliable information

All the best

Binsleepin,

You've been quick off the mark on that one! so you manage to stay awake sometimes?! :ok:
Everybody in the pool seat tight.... hope we'll see the light soon !

Vrille

Allegedly there were 8 retirements from BA last year. Although a further 25 left to join other airlines, or through sickness etc. The comment about another 12 pay packets being too tempting, is likely to remain absolutely true for the next 6-7 years!

It was only sent to 15 on the one I got. Maybe it's being sent in groups because I was thinking the same. Did SSP's get the same extension?

Jamin

Yes we did.

There were 28 on my e-mail including me!

I too was on the list of 17 but my friends e mail had only 9. We are both in the hold pool from assessement day.

H-D and Jamin20 what is your back ground, same as me or are you military or ssp? Just to help get a picture of overall numbers.

Just for info, what's the basic salary for swimming in a pool until they need us?

I'm a Flybe prop jockey so non- mil DEP. Ok, on my list there was 16 including me plus one to [email protected]. Is that the 17 you guys made?

Not done by rating, think done in a rough order as I know more than a hand full in the pool all with different experience and ratings. My e mail seemed to be people who went for day one around June / July time. Just my observation.

17 Inc me. Not copied to anyone at ba. Though my friends was 9 then 4 copied in I guess to ba personell

My interview was 9th July and my email was next to another guy who passed that day

17 for me.
In the pool since june

17 on mine and been in the pool since July. A friend of mine also splashed into the pool at the same time (week earlier) as me but his name was not included on my list. So like Jamin/Evian I think the emails are done from the date you passed interview. Attended interview in May.

The one I received had 13 names on it.

I did my interview mid June 08 ( simulator a week later ) Anyone put in the hold pool before then?

Regards

B.

Have been told that emails going out. So Monks and his Oxford quislings have succeeded in getting the hold pool extended to 18 months.
Not fair on the guys who were turfed out after 12 months but hey, good for you guys!

I know if at least one persons date of entry into hold pool starts in march/April time. He was kind of told to hand his notice in as he was at top of the pool, thankfully he did not and is now still swimming.