"Why"?????

It's fairly obvious I'm afraid. After the integration with BMI, and their bizarre system of RHS captains, (combined with the legislated SH slot giveaways) BA now have FAR too many Airbus skippers, and will have for some considerable time to come. Too many pilots in the wrong seat. Too few in another!

BA will not tolerate this situation for long. Even though nobody expects more than half a dozen takers at most for this initiative, it has at least 'ticked a box' before the less palatable, but necessary, remedies are inevitably rolled out.

The only remedy positively ruled out, is compulsory redundancies. Everything else is most definitely still on the table!

Purser and CSD VR offers being sent out now. Also derisory like Flight Crew. Most will turn it down.

BA will not get the 400 they need by a long chalk.

What will the next stage be then? CR?

Perhaps some of the CSD's will consider themselves 'management grades' thus entitled to do whatever they want, work whenever they want and not turn up whenever they want thus getting themselves thrown out without any 'derisory' payment? I do believe it's happened before eh Count?


Additional to the VR is the 90 day notice for redundancies (on the CC side) which could be implemented if no VR is taken. Whether or not this will be done on the flight crew side is yet to be seen but there has been no formal announcement of 90 days notice from flight ops yet.

Flight Ops can 'carry' the surplus if necessary, what remains to be seen is the 'cost' to the community of carrying that surplus on top of the concessions made for the integration of BMI. Nothing in life is free. :{

Rather a stoical and phlegmatic approach to the misery that it is likely to come Wibbly.

On the cabin crew side I can see some difficulties ahead with CR which may lead to IA. BA have deliberately given MF a different job description, for instance the ability to work on the ground, plus the steadfast refusal to integrate the 'Young Ones' with the more experienced Legacy crew.

The trumpets of Midian soundeth!

IA would be interesting now as MF are there to step into the breach...

But this is thread creep, Count, or was that what you had in mind?

Phlegmatic : Having an unemotional and stolidly calm disposition

Not a bad position for a Pilot methinks.

Just a realist Count, the previous Government left nothing in the coffers to buffer the country against the economic storm we currently have, even after the biggest period of growth the nation has ever seen. Now we must live with the consequences. I could mix up your moniker quite easily to reflect your previous postings but that would be lowering to your level. :E

Why would the company want to 'integrate' the 'Young un's' as you label them with Legacy crew? MF is broadening rapidly and their experience and enthusiam is gaining rapidly as well, why would you want to contaminate that? Perhaps when the legacy left from BASSA has completely withered the legacy crew to a meaningless minority then it would be a kindness to move the remaining legacy crew into MF.

Back on thread, I don't see takers for the Flight Crew VR, the payout isn't good enough. I do see this as a tester for potentially increasing the VR in the future if the seasons flight plans require it though. Looking at S13 and W13 now.

It would be common sense in any other airline that if you have too many Captains you demote them until you get it sorted. How hard can it be?

What is the point in demoting Captains if there is no cost saving? If they stay on command pay, as they would under BA rules there would be no cost savings.
Its easy to suggest panaceas if one has no idea how things work and can ignore agreements and indeed employment legislation.