Unfortunately they won't bat an eyelid regarding costs and what's sensible, if they want to disband the hold pool again they'll just do it at will.

BA HR seem pretty good at blowing cash. I suspect it's a sort of "justifying" the jobs/headcount they have. The old mantra..... look busy!

Realistically though, how much does it cost?

Day 1; A days wage for someone to administer, then mark the written tests. A proportion of the purchase cost of said test (which given that they will be used across the BA organisation, for engineers, clerical etc etc, means that proportion is less), the purchase cost of the computer exams.

Day 2; a days wage for 6 or so pilots, plus 6 or so HR bods. Some money for a round of Tesco sandwiches.

So for the first 2 screening days, the main cost is wages, I'd say. And given that these people are already employed full time, they'd be paying that wage anyway.

Mentally I'm resigned to having to go through the whole rigmarole again.

My expiriation is in exactly 12 months, and from what I read I am fairly convinced that that time will come and go with no offer. Not sure that I will put myself through it all again, I'll be within 2 yrs of a command where I am by then...

A quick vow-pox from people - given the 18 month hold pool time now, when do you sink?

June '18.

And similar, will be looking at command board at current airline at the end of 2018.

For the sake of accuracy I'm not sure how many of the actual "HR types" would be BA employees these days ( Waterside has been well and truely denuded of staff over the last few years) , they are described in a lot of the literature as "HR associates", which my guess means they are consultants - though I'm open to correction and in any event accept that BA has to carry the can for any impressions given.

That aside reading the comments here I can accept that overall it may not be perceived as a great experience for many - I think the mad dash to recruit a year or two back has led to expectations which may now not be delivered, but sadly it's also fairly typical of the roller coaster ride that can be the 'BA employee experience' ...

Lots of good points mentioned above. Regarding the cost to BA to run the recruitment process; yes it might not cost a great deal to empty the pool and start again but in this day and age of cost cutting, you do wonder what's the point of incurring any additional unnecessary costs though?

Having failed a couple times prior to being successful this last time I do know for us candidates it's certainly not easy to pass, but I wonder what their logic is regarding our ability to do the job if after 18 months they don't offer us one. Provided we are still working in our current airline and having already passed BA, what exactly do BA think has happened to our ability in this time? As far as I can see we've only gone and gained even more experience and are bringing even more to the table.

It is of course their train set, and while I'm still positive I do know two things;
1. I'm happy I passed and am at least in this situation instead of having failed again, and
2. Having passed I now know then level you need to be at to get through. Should I need to do it all again, while I won't be overly happy, I'm pretty sure I'd pass.

FWIW I expire in early March 2018.

Agreed, dumping the pool and starting again would fly in the face of the increasing frequency of communicatuons we get about the need to cut costs.

I expire Feb 2018 but am suprised the guys expiring later in 2018 are not more confident of a call seeing that 2018 has all the aircraft deliveries.... I however expect no phone call personally

It's the glimmer of hope I cling too!

Remember that roller coaster ride I mentioned earlier? Here's an example - same source for both stories (Bloomberg)

1. Feb 2016: "IAG Seeks to Expand British Airways Fleet "

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...atlantic-gains

2. Nov 2016: "British Airways Pares Fleet Plan, Seeks Job Cuts"

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...ve-1-6-billion

Still expiring October 2017, so could be worse lads ;)

To explain my negativity, despite dropping out of the pool quite late in 2018;

I think BA will get some new aircraft next year. They might not take all the 787s they have scheduled for delivery early next year, but will take some - maybe 5 out of the 7 they've got scheduled between now and summer '18. Any SH (A320/321neo) aircraft will be more or less pro rata replacements for retiring aircraft, or sent to Spain, or elsewhere.

So there will be a need for new pilots in the spring, but I think the bulk of it will be met by the FPP cadets, the general overcrewing that BA seems to have at the moment, and lastly by people in the hold pool who are above me - but even then not many, maybe a dozen. If I had an expiry date between Dec - Mar, I think that'll be about the sweet spot and I fancy your chances. Before or after (I'm after) you'll be too far up or down the "seniority" to escape and drown in the pool.

Of course, all this rumour and speculation could be killed by an update from BA...

Jan 18
If they make offers for next year then that would start in Sept/Early Oct to allow 3/4 months notice. Will be interesting to see ......
I put a tremendous amount of effort into the "process" and must admit that a 4th time with no guarantee, having dropped out of the pool once would probably be taking the pi**

I'm applying for anyone I can think of and only PFO so far. It's a daft system but hoping for the best planning for the worst I think is now the only way.

Timesreader84,

I wouldn't be quite so negative if I were you. I expect BA to take all the 787s it ordered because at the moment we have many slots at LHR that we gained with the BMI takeover that are not being efficiently used. The slots are being used on shorthaul domestic and european routes like Leeds that don't bring in nearly the sort of revenue that a longhaul route does. Also 1 SH aircraft could use up to 4 pairs of slots a day where a LH aircraft would only use 1, and its slots that are at a premium at LHR. After the BMI takeover BA was very short of LH aircraft.

On the holdpool front I wouldn't count on costs being a reason not to expire. I was in the hold pool in 2010 when cost were just as much an issue and I drowned only to finally get a course in 2012 on my 3rd attempt. It happened many times before me and has happened since.

All the best and stay positive.

Binsleepin,

I don't have a crystal ball, a hotline to Alex Cruz or Willie Walsh. I know a few guys on various fleets in BA, and that's about it. So anything I write is just guesstimating based on what's out in the public domain, and what little I can glean from here, and mates on the inside. Unfortunately, my guesstimates seem to be pointing towards 2018 being another slow year for recruitment, and given that I'm a long way down the list for recruitment, I don't think it's going to happen for me this time. I don't dispute what you are saying about LH vs SH slots, I just don't see sufficient aircraft orders / crewing levels to justify recruiting 40-200 (the generally accepted pool size) DEPs between September and July '18.

And if I have to go through it again, I'm not convinced of getting over the line second time around.

Congrats on finally getting in, even if it was some time ago!

First quarter results for IAG.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/iag-profit-edges-higher-on-lower-fuel-costs-2017-05-05

Ummm yeah I saw the share price earlier and had to google what had happened. As ever though with this industry we swing from one up to another down etc etc. I don't like admitting it but it seems the guys at the top may know what they are doing. The only sting in there was "our unit cost is still to high". Probably true but I doubt it's aimed in the direction of flight ops.

On a side note and more to the topic I flew with a new FPP recently so there is still some draw off the pool. A few friends of mine who went LH and were part time on SH have also decided that they will be keeping their part time on LH.

Ah yes one other thing was that the noises about pension sustainability from the company would seem to indicate that there could be some large changes for NAPS and APS on the horizon. I am no pension expert but the number of guys who have said "I am only hear for the pension, or the day that looks like it will close I will go part time and start drawing it" could change things with respect recruitment going forward.

Maybe it's overly positive but I certainly sympathise with those who have worked so hard to get into the pool.

A nice video here about the recruitment process for BA and a lot of the operations background. Not pilot oriented but interesting nonetheless.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY4ISW8uB1Y

A follow-on video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_lfPtDG0Y0

Anyone else get the email?

Yup. Good of them to finally send something though.

Not heard anything. Anyone else in the same boat?

What did the email say for you guys? Haven't got anything through

I've not had an email either, been swimming since November. Would appreciate if someone could summarise it for us.

Nothing here either. Can anyone enlighten us?

Zero change since what we were told in January was the gist of it

Yep, zero change from the last update.

Confirmed some of the stuff on here - part time has been offered, FPP courses slip to later this year, no dep recruitment expected this year.

And a request to not post rumours on social media sites.

Cheers guys. Naturally I was crossing my fingers for the opposite but at least they've broken the silence. FPP courses definitely just later this year and not next?

Doesn't say either way. "The FPP graduates will now be joining us later in the year" is the phrase they used, in my email at least.

My reading of the tone is that BA are hedging their bets as to whether they'll need us next year. But I have been pulled up for my negativity on here before!:}

Strange everyone swimming didn't get the email.

Check your junk folder diligently. The email that went out in October/November 2015 asking people to confirm their hours I never received as it had been filtered straight to junk. Think it cost me a long haul offer.

After not receiving one yesterday I have today got the email. The news is.... no news.

You never know... Alex might have just put one bo*"ock on the chopping block, could result in changes at the top - which could go either way.

Edit: in his defence, he's standing firm while apologising profusely. He's not hiding, strong positive leadership is exactly what's needed.

You are joking aren't you? The man is hated by 99% of BA staff and was missing in action most of the weekend apart from bizarre youtube videos dressed like Bob the Builder, or Yammer rants peeving even more people off..

Really Love joy?

To me his response was too little too late and totally insincere.

Not good.

https://www.theguardian.com/business...ue-it-meltdown

Well, there goes the recruitment budget.

The nickname "Ebenezer Cruz" is doing the rounds now.

The share price is still the highest it has been for years 'thanks' to that man.