How about the current A320 recruitment drive?! Any news?

I am led to believe that some of those who have recently drowned in the pool have been offered 76 or 74 places. This at the same time as BA are directing some 76 guys to the bus. You couldn't make it up!!! There could be trouble ahead..

As the BA recruitment manager does occasionaly monitor this thread perhaps he would care to update one and all on what's going on. Pretty please......

I fell out of the holdpool first week of Jan 2013. Non airbus rated and I've heard nothing.

Is there some kind of company criteria that you only could have drowned within the last year to be eligible for a call/email as the stuff you had then may have had only partially gone?

All I've heard from friends on various fleets is that bid line is getting the blame from management for being under under crewed and that the recent drive for bus pilots has fallen quite short for those with the right stuff.

Drowned middle of last year. After the initial low period I accepted the fact that BA were adamant that the 18 months holding period was finite. The news today, although completely unconfirmed, is a bit annoying to say the least. Although i like to think the guys within pilot recruitment, who I was told had been pushing for our retention,have won a minor battle over the guys in HR. I accept this may merely be rumour, however considering the difficulties BA appear to be having with current crewing levels anything's possible. Plus there were around a dozen guys taken at the turn of the year who I presume had been drowned in the pool

Are pilot's still going to be based at either LHR or LGW? If you're looking for rostering efficiency, surely dual-basing is an attractive option now the fleet is standardised? It's already done on the 777 IIRC..

Non rated recruitment
 

Any possibility of opening the Non Rated recruitment in the near future?

Callsign Kilo

I too drowned around a year ago. I promise you, this is not a rumour. One of our fellow drowned swimmers (non bus rated) is starting in October on the bus. 100% definite.

By your question I assume you mean two seperate bases? I assume so, LGW operates different payscales, pay caps and rostering systems on the 737 which I believe will continue when the fleet has transitioned to Airbus. There was initially a dual basing system as the LHR airbus crews would often cover work at Gatwick however, as the Airbus fleet grows at LGW that will decline.

The 777 is a different story as the fleet is 'run' from LHR with LHR flight crew but LGWcabin crew as I don't believe there is enough work, aircraft or F/C willingness to operate LH under Gatwick rules/rostering to justify a Gatwick base per se.

As stated above that is my opinion, I'm sure anyone from the Airbus fleet could possibly correct or corroborate the above. :}

Didn't hear about the 744 or 767, but heard it was going to be for the 787. All due to training capacity and manning levels on SH.

Good rumour, however it seems to have been confirmed that all recruitment will be onto the A320, and in all likelihood with a LGW base.
There may be some movement onto the 747, but it will be internal only.

Is the LGW deal a hangover from the Dan Air operation?
Those old 737-400s are from that era I think.

No they are BA standard 734s from Heathrow - I used to fly them back in the 1990's :hmm:

The LGW working arrangements and contracts originated in the Dan-Air take over but the equipment and those contracts etc now are very different. Essentially everyone at LGW is paid the same as their LHR counterparts, but with different, lower pay caps. Rostering is different there being no Bidline at LGW. IF the new rostering system adopted at LHR turns out to be Bid Trip then it is highly likely that this would also be brought into LGW, bringing the T&Cs at the two bases closer together, though the pay caps would still be lower at LGW.

As the change of fleets at LGW continues there willl be some "Schedule K" work at LGW - essentially LHR pilots operating at LGW but on constructed Bidline trips at LGW, this includes hotac at LGW as dual basing is not allowed. All 777 work at LGW is done by LHR based pilots under Bidline, there is no 777 base for pilots at LGW nor is there any intent for that to change.

I find the complexity baffling. Perhaps the military phrase "all of one Company" needs to be explored by BA Management. Unless of course they prefer "divide and conquer"?

For two bases 50 miles apart, you couldn't make it up. It is a legacy of Dan Air, but that's over 20 years ago.

Either way, it should be apparent to all that BA is moving into the 21st century, and it won't be for the benefit of flightcrew. Still one of the best places to be for many in the UK imho.

I think it's THE best place to work in the UK but this is dependant upon your seniority number and the fleet you're on. You're not joining the BA of yesteryear any longer, nor will you ever.

I agree it's the best place in the UK, but you need to see a flying career as very different to 20 years ago with a different calibre of people.

...I suspect you're right FANS, but prospective employees also now need to know that it's also now an airline where management cannot actually deliver pivotal elements of agreed pay deals......

This is the Pilot Share Plan that was much vaunted in 2009, even making it into the papers, which was to provide an executive reward which recognises the miracles we do everyday to save the reputation of this company in a tax efficient way. The sort of scheme that senior managers take for granted.

On Friday, IAG said that we're not worthy of such recognition and tore up the agreement. In just the same way that they're about to tear up the rest of our agreements on rostering and hotel accommodation and everything else we value.

Just so's you know what you're letting yourself in for.

"the Pilot Share Plan that was much vaunted in 2009, even making it into the papers......"

For those that are perplexed as to what is being discussed:

Seems several years down the road BA have been told by someone in IAG that the shares are not going to be made available...in other words BA management made a promise they couldn't keep. Cash may now be offered by way of compensation but details/amounts are yet to be confirmed:

Couldn't have put it better myself.....

Approaching my 26th year in UK airlines...totally agree with FANS!

Yes, young people these days. Tut tut tut. It was different in my day you know! Bloody first officers.......Yawn.

If you wanted multiple employee share schemes, you should have joined Easyjet!

I certainly wouldn't be accepting any sort of compensation without a fight. By definition, this "profit sharing" scheme only applies when the airline is in a good financial position. Maybe if this agreement is dropped pilots can have a pay rise to make up for their side of the bargain?

This is not the case.

In truth it is the legacy of Bob Ayling and a continuous loop of grey suited accountants who now run everything.

Invitation for more applicants, re-opened today! :ok:

Wonderful things happen at BA, don't they?

I just checked the DEP recruitment page, it says it's closed?

Makes sense for BA to reopen if Monarch is on its knees.

BA don't think like that..and in any event AFAIK the recruitment for DEPs has not reopened.

Still need a bus rating though :(

mark e

Apologies, certainly wasn't showing when I looked a little while back...I'm either going to blame my browser or BA iM :E:E

A few friends couldn't find it either, the DEP page links to an old First Officer opening so you need to go in to the job search and do it manually. I was signed up for alerts and got an email this morning.

Anyone know what the current starting salary is for DEP airbus? Do they still get £9 per hour flying pay as pilotjobsnetwork says, I understand the ex bmi guys didn't get this flying pay so is that now the norm for all joiners? Otherwise, how much does this work out annually?

Also, anyone know a realistic time to command?

So, not enough applicants last time around. Now only 200hrs on the Airbus required...

Perhaps the next round will recruit non typed individuals?

Anyway, interesting to see BA was not flooded with applicants.

It used to be the case that guys and gals would flock in from RYR and EZ. There have even been a handful going back to EZ recently believe it or not!

The fact is that if you are close to a command at either of the above (or elsewhere for that matter), all of a sudden it isn't a cut and dried decision to head for BA anymore, especially as there is currently no direct entry onto longhaul. 34 pay points for new joiners (34 being the same as the old 24), the BARP pension (middle of the road compared to the competition, by all accounts) and a long time to either RHS longhaul or LHS (any) make it a less attractive proposition than it used to be.

You will do at least five years on shorthaul at LHR (do your research carefully as to what that actually means in terms of lifestyle. :=) before you are able to bid to move to longhaul RHS. Even then you need the seniority, which you may or may not have (research the demography). A shorthaul command will traditionally occur at some point after longhaul. Currently this is running at nearly fifteen years for a LGW command, slightly more for LHR (this does vary a little to be fair). Longhaul commands take significantly longer.

Welcome aboard but for Pete's sake do your research properly.

A few of my colleagues applied. They are all well-trained, highly-motivated, enthusiastic, knowledgeable and generally excellent all-round operators and thoroughly nice people. All with plenty of Airbus experience at a reputable airline. Not one of them got in this time around.

It does make you wonder what the recruitment team are looking for.

Just to add to Tay Cough's excellent precis:

We are being made increasingly aware that the shots regarding T&Cs are being called in Madrid, not Harmondsworth......it is very difficult to see what life at BA will be like next year, let alone in 5 years time (IMHO especially in Short Haul)

As Tay said for Pete's sake do your research but be aware you are very much rolling the dice.

Hi guys, i'll go straight to the point.

South european. 40yrs (i've been in the military for 18yrs)
EASA FATPL
A320/A330 both current
ICAO level 6
EASA class 1 with no restrictions

800hrs TT - 300+hrs on the A320

Currently employed by possibly the worst airline in the world and flying the 320 (transitioning to the 330).
Do i have any chance with BA?
I really don't understand what they're looking for.

Thanks in advance folks.

You technically meet their requirements for the DEP recruitment closing on 2nd September as long as you have the right to work in the UK.

Your guess is as good as anyone else's on what they are actually looking for...

Hi mate,

Thanks for your reply.
Yes, i hold an EU passport so i am entitled to live and work in UK too.
Honestly speaking my concern is about my age and my grand total flight time.

I applied, we'll see.

Good luck to everyone, wish you all the best.