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Desk-pilot · 11th October 2008, 09:41

I must say there are some very ill informed views on this thread, and I speak as an ex-BA Manager who is now a pilot at a rival airline.

BA has for the whole of its history been a pioneer in aviation - first transatlantic jet service, first supersonic service, first flat bed in business class. It also developed in house the very best check-in system anywhere in the world, deployed self service kiosks en masse long before any other European airlines, pioneered lounges etc etc. It is and always has been one of the truly great airlines. This innovation takes manpower and brains in large numbers to stay one step ahead of the competition. It's harder to be the first airline to put flat beds in business class than it is to be the hundredth when seats etc are readily available off the shelf. This rich history, the diversity and quality of its service and its global reach means BA needs more Managers than an airline such as Easy of Ryan. A simple example is the fact that BA has a fully qualified sommelier choosing its wines, and yes I suppose he is a Manager. Quite clearly you don't need one of those if you're Ryanair and are flinging a bottle of Blue Nun at the proletariat!

I'm afraid I now work amongst the Blue Nun brigade at present too (though thankfully not Ryanair), but I hope one day to work again for BA because they are a quality operator, perhaps amongst the very last ones left in a world that knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. God knows this profession has been devalued enough without attacking one of the few airlines left that still puts service not price at its core and believes in hiring the best talent and training and paying it well.

BA made £800 million last year, more profit than any other airline I know of in the world - partly because of the quality of its management and its ideas, its product innovation, its superb service. It's a great pity T5 was a shambles on opening day, but on projects of that magnitude problems always occur and by God have they got a world class terminal now.

The pilot professions would indeed be a better place if its future lay with more employers like BA.

Desk-pilot

11th October 2008, 09:41	#58 (permalink)
Desk-pilot Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: UK Age: 40 Posts: 211	Clarification I must say there are some very ill informed views on this thread, and I speak as an ex-BA Manager who is now a pilot at a rival airline. BA has for the whole of its history been a pioneer in aviation - first transatlantic jet service, first supersonic service, first flat bed in business class. It also developed in house the very best check-in system anywhere in the world, deployed self service kiosks en masse long before any other European airlines, pioneered lounges etc etc. It is and always has been one of the truly great airlines. This innovation takes manpower and brains in large numbers to stay one step ahead of the competition. It's harder to be the first airline to put flat beds in business class than it is to be the hundredth when seats etc are readily available off the shelf. This rich history, the diversity and quality of its service and its global reach means BA needs more Managers than an airline such as Easy of Ryan. A simple example is the fact that BA has a fully qualified sommelier choosing its wines, and yes I suppose he is a Manager. Quite clearly you don't need one of those if you're Ryanair and are flinging a bottle of Blue Nun at the proletariat! I'm afraid I now work amongst the Blue Nun brigade at present too (though thankfully not Ryanair), but I hope one day to work again for BA because they are a quality operator, perhaps amongst the very last ones left in a world that knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. God knows this profession has been devalued enough without attacking one of the few airlines left that still puts service not price at its core and believes in hiring the best talent and training and paying it well. BA made £800 million last year, more profit than any other airline I know of in the world - partly because of the quality of its management and its ideas, its product innovation, its superb service. It's a great pity T5 was a shambles on opening day, but on projects of that magnitude problems always occur and by God have they got a world class terminal now. The pilot professions would indeed be a better place if its future lay with more employers like BA. Desk-pilot