NOD it appears I dodged a bullet then!!!! :)

As one door closed, another opened and so far I appear to be a very lucky boy!

Guaranteed thou, everything will get worse but hopefully more slowly where I am but then again.... Who knows!!

There's a voice that keeps on calling me
Down the road, that's where I'll always be.
Every stop I make, I make a new friend,
Can't stay for long, just turn around and I'm gone again

Maybe tomorrow, I'll want to settle down,
Until tomorrow, I'll just keep moving on.

La la la laaaaaa....

WhyByFlier.........I can't lie without smirking

I've been fortunate enough to get an invite to interview at the end of the week. Anybody know the format? Mixture of HR and tech questions?

Has anyone been invited to the sim yet? Did interview last week but haven't heard anything back yet.

Good luck to those attending interviews and group exercises. Don't make the same mistake as someone on my day by referring to the head of pilot recruitment as a captain. He wasn't one at the time (not sure if that's changed).

Good and bad news from the air show. 20 neos ordered for short haul but will only be allocated if short haul returns a profit! Until then it's still wizz's cast off's.

IAG - International Airlines Group - News Release

These aircraft are currently intended to replace 21 shorthaul British Airways’ aircraft but will be reallocated if the airline cannot make a profitable return from its shorthaul business.

I haven't heard a yea or nah and my assesment was 2 weeks ago, are others in the same position?

I received a rejection the next working day. You might want to chase up.

Commiserations, Superpilot - hard luck but there is always next time. It is how we respond to adversity that sets us apart.

Callsignkilo, your BA experience mirrors mine. I suspect we went through the process side by side back in 2011 (?). FlyingTinCans' eloquently written summary of the recruitment process is fairly accurate in timescale and content, in my experience, and it has always been thus with BA. Personally, back in 2011 BA 'made sense', but now I find myself closer to 40 than 30 and with a command on a Boeing, so BA's 2011 assessment that I was 'the right sort' for their operation probably no longer applies in 2014.:p

As for the BMI pilots/sympathisers who vigorously defend the tupe regs, I have some empathy. However, the irony and hypocrisy of a recruitment procedure that places such emphasises on aptitude, verbal reasoning and maths tests, group and individual interviews and then (let's face it) disregards it for 300 pilots is 'curious' to say the least. Of course, I would be equally pleased if I got into BA through the tupe route! ;)

At the end of the day, we all fly very similar aeroplanes to very similar operating procedures. Some of us work far harder for a lot less money, and naturally feel rather jealous! ;)

Thanks kirungi1

Onwards and upwards.

Do you think BA really had any choice? When BMI was taken over, BA weren't buying the pilots, they were buying the slots. This is not the first time that a group of pilots have joined BA without having had to pass selection. It's not ideal but, whether you like it or not, BA cannot disregard the law.

Is anyone else yet to find out their fate having done the first day of assessment? I did mine nearly two weeks ago and I've still not got a yay or nay...

Ham Phisted,

Of course I know BA didn't have a choice, which is why I referred to TUPE and said it was ironic that their recruitment process was negated so spectacularly.

When your parent company (IAG) makes a commercial decision you have to bite the bullet... I'm sure there were lots of very good BMI pilots who joined BA's ranks, but there will have been those who joined but would never have passed selection.

There's no hypocrisy on BA's part which is what you you said. They had no choice.

You are definitely correct with this assertion and I believe that BA has taken remedial action for those that have perhaps struggled to come to terms with the transition from BMI.

Went through the hoops today. I think I speak for everyone when I say that the capacity tests were downright awful. :) I expect nothing but a PFO. Best of luck to all applying, I really did find it very difficult.

Why didn't the law apply to the bmibaby pilots?

Been advised that bid line will cease effective April 2015 not great news for planning your month ahead it's just another example of the downward slope at BA

Not quite WW, there's no talk of a scheduling system called "Bidline" ceasing, that would be a step too far, but it is morphing at a very rapid rate ......

There's a bit of a long game being played at the moment between the Reps and the company, and it's not a good time for the Short haul community. The union reps are certainly catching some grief at the moment....however if the Reps are right about manning levels, or the lack of, some in management could perhaps find themselves with a "no tea, no biscuits" interview in Madrid if we end up with significant cancellations in August because of a lack of manpower.

That said IMHO BALPA are playing a high risk game, I hope for the membership's sake they've got it right.

Fair comment Wiggy I expect quite a few August cancellations with morale dipping by the day this force draft mechanism seems to be counter productive with sickness levels increasing. I can see trouble on the horizon especially with operations being reviewed with regards to cost savings needed.

Hi,

I did my interview yesterday, how long can I expect to wait until I get an answer? If I were successful, when are they planning to run the sim check?

Thanks

:)

Watersidewonker, stop trolling, you're talking nonsense, go back to worrying about cabin crew stuff!

Anyone considering joining as a pilot at BA should read the following article and decide do they really want to join a company where profits are more important than the safety of it's employees and customers. If BA can't even gets it's cabin crew to turn up for this flight ( delay today ) maybe serious questions must be asked in light of other airlines concerns.

British Airways continues Israel flights despite rocket landing near Ben Gurion Airport | Mail Online

PS sinbin your trolling accusations are totally unfounded with your head buried in the sand once again no wonder your're not seeing the bigger picture.

It's great to see that the Waterside management have managed to get manpower so wrong when this time last year they were adamant that they had got it so right. Shameful to see BA shorthaul being the scapegoat. Another kick in the knackers for the industry; I'd be wary about joining now for all the reasons stated. Unless you are stuck somewhere you don't want to be, namely overseas with no chance to get home plus very limited prospects then you ought to question your motives.

Don't worry about it, BA will have no problem filling the RHS.

Watersidewonker, all you are doing is trying to wind people up, you bring no benefit to this thread with unfounded rumour after unfounded rumour backed up by some journalistic :mad: from none other the Mail:D. It's not great at the moment I'll give you that, but it's still a dammed sight better than other outfits I can tell you. Oh and my eyes are wide open too thanks very much!

Consider the facts sinbin the good old Daily Mail was very very supportive towards BA during the cabin crew dispute of 2010 very anti union i must say. Many would have thought that the pilots union would be pulling the strings with regards to safety concerns examples being Tripoli Tel Aviv and Nairobi alas weakness is quite evident. Any pilot considering joining must consider promotion prospects are very limited coupled with poor starter rates and a fragmented workforce something akin to the masons. Major changes are in the pipeline with a raw deal being served up by an aggressive management structure driven by the next bonus payment. Good luck at your interviews.

Perhaps if you have such grave concerns and are indeed a pilot as you seem to promote, please give the BA security team a call and they will be happy to talk you through how they arrived at their decision to continue operations. It is a risk assessment and no BA pilot would operate there if they were not completely confident in the safety of the flight.
As for promotion prospects, depending on aspirations it looks likely that a LGW shorthaul command will come down to around 8yrs this winter. Perhaps Heathrow is currently circa 15yrs, but it won't take much for this to drop so take whatever is quoted now as pure guess work.
Starting salary for a new joiner will rise to around 65k in sept (inc allowances). I don't think you will find many FO positions with a starting salary of this scale.

As for bid line, yes it will evolve, but the basis of how we bid for work will remain exactly the same (based on seniority).

WW

Thank you for your posts on this forum thread.

Rather than use the anonymous medium for spreading your thoughts, if you'd like to have a conversation by telephone please drop me a private message so we can set that up. I'd be happy to discuss any of the points you raise, and give you my thoughts and point of view on them.

I hope you take me up on the offer,

Kind regards

Lindsay Craig
Manager Pilot Recruitment
British Airways

Well, strike me down! It's true! :E

Oh dear WW, better get that exercise book down the back of your trousers before receiving 6 of the best from a cane, where it hurts!!!

If it's true that BA can't launch scheduled services as a result of mis-management of personnel (sorry, human resources!), then who should be up for a firing, without a golden handshake??

Most unlikely it would be a coalface worker, but truth is stranger than fiction......

SkyRocket10. If you're connected with the BA security team, remind them of the content of my posting #871 on the MH17 thread, they may be too young to remember such events. Those who forget history.....................:sad:

Amendment List #1. SkyRocket10, disregard my last, my posting # 871 has been excised from that thread. I wonder why?

Cor blimey governor! Sticking your neck out here aren't you Lindsay? Your company and it's recruitment policies have inflicted some deep deep scars on people affecting their lives and aspirations.

Why rely on WW to spread the word after your private conversation? Why don't you just put us all out our misery here and tell us how it really is rather than trying to scare people from expressing an opinion? If you want to engage in the forum then why not do it properly, but be careful.... A lot of people are watching and we all know how unpredictable anonymous forums can be.

This says more about BA than anything else on the whole thread!!

Instead of just dismissing what WW is saying as bitter inflamed rubbish, which some of it is, some questions do need answering. Are the promotion prospects better than he suggests, have the new starter pay scales and pension been degraded by the present work force in an attempt to keep their own standing and is the workforce still fragmented? These are points which should seriously affect a decision whether or not to join a major carrier at the bottom of a seemingly endless seniority list.

An open question from a bystander.

WBF
 

Yes, something like that, though I'd guess at more than 10 years as an FO on the 320 at LHR.

There are certainly heavy hints that Shorthaul must do better ....or else ( and since IAG call the shots I guess you can work out what some people are worried about).

Lifestyle - we're in the middle of a major shake up of our scheduling agreement - what we will end up with is anyone's guess but I'm sure it will still be called "Bidline":E...

As for perks, well frankly the profit share this year was regarded as being p. poor...

I certainly know one or two of my short haul colleagues who moved to BA from a Major LoCo are now wondering if they did the right thing. That said I'm sure LC will never be short of applicants.


( who as a line pilot is struggling to see how/why somebody brought Masons into the debate, maybe that's a Waterside thing :ooh:)

I can't help but wondering is that can of worms well and truly open with regards to the ongoing recruitment campaign faltering or not only time will tell. As for an invitation to have a private conversation with Lindsay i think i'm old enough and wise enough to realise that it would be like a visit to the headmasters office for a quiet chat. I never use to hear about pilots leaving to go and join Emirates and other airlines well that is indeed the case this last year or so. Rightfully so as expressed by previous posters questions need to have answers why such a mess has come about cancelled flights force draft i can tell you all one simple answer cutbacks cutbacks cutbacks. Never before has it been more evident from cabin crew to ground staff to engineering that cost cutting has it's negative side such as waiting 20 minutes for a TRM to become available to operate the jetty pathetic response especially at the so called hub. I could write till the cows come home about the mismanagement within BA so plain to see everyday instigated by someone we all love exiled in Madrid.

WW

Ho ho, and you love him more than most, don't you WW?

Worth considering those that joined the company 6 months ago are now 15-20% off the bottom of the 320 LHR list, and well into trip line territory.

Whoever can predict the seniority levels of LH p2 needs or even time to command in the next decade or so has a better crystal ball than I do, though that said, more LH hulls are coming. Staying LoCo means LH wouldn't be an option anyway right enough.

All in all, I've worked in places where moral is much worse, and general day to day work for me as a junior FO is quite pleasant.

Hello LGJ (did I get that right?)

Well, thanks for your post. I might be "sticking my neck out" but every year since I have been in this role I and my colleagues have taken/answered thousands of calls and emails, letters and CVs etc, in response to the pilot recruitment process at BA. We have endeavoured to reply to them all, despite the volume, and although we have a small backlog we do try to respond to everyone. We don't hold CVs though, just to be clear.

I am sorry if you have been affected by one of the events that have happened over the years, but without chatting face to face I can't be sure which thing/s you refer to, nor do I have the opportunity to talk from this side about what happened, or what I think of that situation.

That's why, having known about this forum since 1997, I have always treated it with the same caution as the flying instructor who introduced me to it advised - anonymity brings major issues when communicating, and using electronic media mean that all the visual and verbal elements of communicating are lost. Tone is reduced to CAPS lock or smilies, all a bit of a shame. I much prefer face to face, or by phone. I will answer honestly, and am disappointed to hear that WW thinks I would give some kind of headmasterly chat. Far from it, I can only surmise that s/he and I have never met before? I would like to take the feedback, debate it one to one, and try to achieve understanding of both sides of the debate.

I don't intend to become a regular poster on this forum, as the volume of work going on at the moment is high, and I need to dash now to something important. However, I value very highly the commitment and effort all applicants to BA show when applying, and am keen to talk to applicants etc, without the pprune anonymity, should they so wish.

Safe flying everyone

Lindsay

Watersideplonker, I'm truly sorry to hear about the problem with your keyboard - it must be a nightmare not being able to use a comma within your trite scribblings. It has been troubling you for such a long time - have you considered asking BASSA or UNITE for some funds to get a new keyboard? Perhaps they could pass on to you one of their old cast-offs? Be sure to get one that has a working Caps key!

And with an A where the O should be ;)

Well ladies and gents, as self loading cargo, I have had 2 short haul flights cancelled by BA in the last 6 months due to lack of pilots. An airline without pilots is like a petrol station without petrol - not a great deal of use! BA clearly have issues with pilot numbers and need to do something about it ASAP.