BA standby explained for new joiners, airport vs home standby and call-out times
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#1 If I join BA, what's standby like in the first year? Airport in uniform, or at home? How much notice?
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#2 Mostly home standby with a call-out of around 90 minutes to report, and some airport standby blocks. A call at 05:30 can turn a planned home day into a Madrid-and-back plus a night-stop, so live within easy reach of Heathrow in year one. It's the part everyone finds hardest and it gets better fast.
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#3 From the US perspective, 90 minutes call-out is generous, Delta reserve in New York can be two hours but you're waiting for weeks, not blocks. Every system has its trade.
