Decent coke 🤣😎

(This is a joke for the easily offended)

I know people who work for EasyJet who are extremely happy, and I know people who work for BA who are not particularly happy. It is horses for courses. I personally, have never understood how you can be happy being a pilot and not having nightstops. For me, half of my enjoyment is about being in the air, and half is about my time spent down route. During Covid, I did not miss the flying, but I sure did miss my time spent in other countries. Some people hate long haul largely because of sleep issues caused by it, but most can manage those issues and therefore love it. I have flown with many ex EasyJet pilots, but only one was unhappy with their move. (And even that one became very happy again, by moving away from long haul).

hmm it was quite tone deaf, my apologies folks, sorry for the hijack, I'll go and lurk for a while to think about what I've done. The fly to serve thing was just a fun conclusion of my opinion, nobody gives a rats **** about the company they work for, come on guys.

cylindrical, you won't have to worry that people at BA are different, they're identical to the 2 previous airlines I worked for and everybody moans just as much at all outfits - I promise.

If you're a member, someone at BALPA will happily put you in touch with a pilot at any airline you consider for a chat about what its like.

BA is currently about to vote on a new deal that will change a few things especially for SH captain pay and is undergoing improvements in almost every area. the recruitment is booming and forecast to continue up to 5500 pilots total with what seems to be a bubble of retirements coming up and most leaving early. You could move up the seniority very quickly with a swift move - this will speed up better rosters, quicker progression to your final seat of choice. EDIT - more recruitment = more training opportunities, if that's in your sites.

PS. nobody makes you wear the hat and doublebreasted jackets are optional :yuk:

It’s a very personal decision . We’re all looking for different things . For me it was about the options that a large airline like BA can open up.

It’s not just about different fleets - it’s about contract options, other career opportunities within the company etc. - heck they’re even looking at offering sabbaticals . You don’t even have to live in the U.K. if you really don’t want to.

Example, I have absolutely no interest in flying longhaul , I want to be back home every night and choose where I spend my free time and when . I could have just opted for a jet2 or easyJet life, but by joining BA I still get what I want in terms of making it a day job - but with the option of changing that or doing less flying in future if I want . That’s a nice position to be in .

That’s what tipped it for me .

Wrong part of SA 😉

I agree with this, senior SH is the best kept secret at BA. Short day trips Monday to Friday will have you at home a lot more than easyJet. I stayed on SH longer than others before moving fleets because of that; your seniority makes more impact than your fleet choice. I know there’s some weekend working changes happening which may impact that now, but once you’re top 25% you can pretty much choose your roster and what type of work you do.

So say one was to move within commutable distance of Heathrow, would the day trips really be sustainable? Obviously coming from a much smaller airport a concern would be losing significant real time at home dealing with LHR on a daily basis. I.e. is being at home most nights achievable and more importantly manageable out of mainline?

Just want to thank everyone for their insight - very much appreciated and all useful for both other's and my own decision making.

I would suggest easily achievable as FO given a significant number of FOs want trips away from
base for money, variety etc.

You would need to decide if you prefer earlies or lates . SH LHR doesn’t do middle of the night flights because of the Heathrow curfew - that really is a huge boon. You shouldn’t be flying past 11pm unless you’re late.

It’s an airline and base with seniority-based bidding, so you’ll have to be realistic about what you can achieve on day 1. At the moment and for the last couple of years, seniority progression on SH Heathrow has been meteoric . The music will stop at some point.

Once you slide across to the LHS on shorthaul things can get trickier, and you’ll be competing with a lot of other more senior folk that want to keep it as a day job.

Thanks again all. Honestly, I am leaning towards staying after carefully thinking through earnings (which I don't believe to vary significantly either way really when all is accounted for), lifestyle and the nature of the flying. I fear I am drawn too much to the idea of working for BA as a brand which is silly to base a decision off rather than perhaps a reality as to what the job would entail... nights at home, quick command, regional bases all do appeal, additionally, having recently learnt as to what a monitored approach entails, whilst I'm sure you simply get used to it, feels like I would lose some job satisfaction in the sense of a view seemingly discouraging manual flying, alternative approach types etc? It is rather frustrating as I understand this is such a personal decision and one you can never really know is right until you've made it! I will continue to ponder for the short term as I do have a little window to make the decision in. I do most appreciate everyone's input thus far and going forward, many thanks again.

The monitored approach policy is the only reason that refrains me from applying to BA. Personally, I could never get used to it; I enjoy managing the descent from TOD all the way to landing and maybe followed by a nice decrab with the winds we have experienced in the last days.

The monitored approach has its place in a LVO environment, but is it really required on modern aircraft?

If the monitored approach is the only thing stopping you… it’s not a big deal. I don’t love it but I don’t hate it. It is what it is.
BA is not the obvious choice it once was, there are pros and cons and it sounds like the original poster has given it some good thought.

If I may offer a dissenting view, as someone who has (admittedly many years ago) flown the “conventional” way but who has had the bulk of my career flying the monitored approach… it is an absolutely fantastic tool, enhances SA and mental model sharing, forces an interactive briefing style between crew members, and, in my opinion, removes a great deal of ego in trying for a “perfect” CDA, as all I really care is that I’m handed a nice stable approach at 1000ft, I’d rather you’re conservative. It isn’t a policy that can’t be tweaked when necessary (visual approaches that have to be flown from one side, for example). BA has plenty of pilots who didn’t think they could get used to the monitored approach but who have come to at least respect the benefits it brings.

At the end of the day, as a Captain on a long haul aircraft, you’ll find that the actual flying, whilst satisfying, is a fairly small part of the big picture that you’re paid to manage.

Exactly that...

drawn to the brand. I'm in a similar situation...leaving the military and have a job offer from Jet2 and BA. BA offers the stronger package and prestige but Jet2 offers home stability, a 25 min commute (compared to 2hrs for BA) and hopefully quick command as Jet2 will factorise my hours from the military.

There are a lot more "BA -isms" than the monitored approach, far too many to recount here.

I must be honest though, in deciding to apply to BA, unique BA SOPs formed 0 part of my decision making. It was as irrelevant as the choice of coffee supplier in the report centre.

I was applying to the airline, to fly the metal on the routes, the associated lifestyle, finacial benefits and dare I say staff travel and prestige. I flew my old man to the USA last week on a trip of mine in business class, for less than it costs to park at an airport these days. How many are afforded such opportunity? .. so whether it is the monitored approach, or the PM idling the thrust lever on an EFATO (against Boeing) .. just nod, pretend you think their way is the best thing since sliced pan and get on with it.

Have to say the monitored approach thing shouldn’t be a factor in your decision. Moving from a different airline to BA I wasn’t sure at first. But after a few weeks I actually prefer the monitored approach as gives you something to do
each sector.

In terms of your decision - if you are happy doing the same type of flying on the same routes for the next 30+ years then that’s your decision made. Personally I would get bored and the option to have a change every 5/6 years is a major benefit at BA

I assume you’re on the A350 then? It’s Boeing standard now just like on the Airbus. For those unaware, FOs also get control of the thrust levers during takeoff and can reject for a smaller number of reasons than the skipper.

I’ve only ever flown with BA so I’m biased but I like the monitored approach. It ensures both crew members are fully engaged each sector and makes it a team effort to get to your destination. Yes you don’t get the satisfaction of nailing every element of the PF sector but that’s hardly a deal-breaker surely?

I guess the big unknown is whether this pilot career deal gets voted through. It’s a decent place to work that’s still held back by the high living costs of the south east and IAGs vice-like grip on costs. I’d still back the company to ride out the current storm better than most airlines though!

No, B787. I know Boeing SOP is that PF retards the lever, but when I joined BA the SOP was that the PM does it. I was reminded of it being the latter at a very recent recurrent

BA SOPs didn’t play any role in my decision to join or not. That said, I’m not particularly a fan of the monitored approach or the FMA callouts. When I’m PF, I prefer to fly the entire sector, and I always found it satisfying to fly a good approach into a smooth landing myself. But it is what it is…it’s not my rule set, I just do what I’m told. :8

Boeing standard definitely is for the PF to retard the thrust lever

Does strike me as slightly strange to discount a job over something like monitored approaches.

But hey everyone has their own priorities, so if it does bother you that much then fair enough

Fake News Correction

No, it was SOP on landing and after an RTO for PM to select REVERSE, not to set the thrust levers to IDLE.

PF closed the TLs and PM selected REV.