TrevorPSmythe
16th Apr 2006, 03:24
Since I was a wee lad I have followed BA, and its predecessors. My career path took me overseas, but I have kept following what I consider to be the UK flagcarrier, through the press in the UK, and the occasional chats in the bar.
Over the last few years some of what I observe troubles me. The BA Flight Operations management appear to be increasingly arrogant, even more so than someone living outside of the UK would normally expect. I understand this arrogance extends all from the way they rarely try to interact or speak face to face with their crew, to the pressures they put them under. The only time they appear to be on the crews side is when there is a personal problem, and perhaps that is just fear of litigation.
Over the years BA has had a few close calls.......I recall a let down onto the wrong nav-aid 10 miles from the field, thankfully the crew noticed, and went around. It could easily have ended differently. But these things happen, and we all learn.
Then there was the Nairobi incident, where a passenger who had already been observed behaving oddly was allowed by the cabin crew to walk unchallenged through business class, up the stairs, through business class again, through the (then) unlocked flight deck door and nearly managed to cause a hull loss. If I remember the tale correctly, BA management lauded the cabin crew as heroes, even giving them a trip on the Orient Express, and only remembering to add the pilots involved almost as an afterthought. Arrogance again.
Then there a couple of high profile drinking incidents........come on boys, a bit of self-control was needed. Much talk that crews would be breath tested, threatened, but never implemented. Arrogance again.
With the industry being small, even the the silly things get out, like diverting into Iqualit for water......hello? Did anyone think of phoning the airfield first? That gave a few of us a good laugh, but was another example of BA arrogance.
In these time when there is so much competition, I cannot understand the latest BA idea of putting pressures on the crews to be depart from LHR on time, but not allowing crews to put on extra fuel to go faster to ensure a scheduled arrival. Departing on time, but arriving late might satisfy the management bonuses, but not the passengers. The passengers, from whom the bonuses are generated, reasonably expect to depart, AND ARRIVE, on schedule. Yet more arrogance.
Now the BA management are after the employees pensions. Have the management considered what is the likely impact on safety of a company where all the employees face a retirement on a much reduced pension? Additionally, I understand the pilots also face contract negotiations in a few months? It has happened where I live, and the efffect on morale, and the risk to safety is enormous. Stress levels both at home, and in the cockpit increase, and at best peoples concentration falters. And the hours that you guys are flying are putting the rest of the industry to shame, and putting additional stress and fatigue on you. Yet the BA Flight Operations management still exort the crews to take minimum fuel, and the crews still do!! Surely the boys should be filling the tanks, putting some pressure on the management and their management bonuses. The bonuses should be coming from ticket sales, not employee pensions. Carrying "sensible" rather than minimum levels of fuel is one of the few tools that crews can legitimately use.
My leads suggest that luckily in a recent diversion the crew had not followed the minimum fuel policy to the letter and had taken extra fuel, or the results could have been worse, much worse. Even after a diversion shutting down with only a couple of tons of fuel in the tanks is not a good feeling, and my sources suggest the passengers had been made aware of the predicament. If the crew had not taken extra fuel, the results could well have been catastrophic. But of course, the BA Flight Management team who pressure the crews to take minimum fuel will stay intact. Arrogance again.
Thankfully the diversion a night or 2 ago into Uralsk was completed safely, despite the extraordinary mental pressures the crew are being put under.
Remember, you are the guardians or your airlines, and your own safety.
There was a time I wish I had left my carrier, and joined BA. Sadly now, I am glad I did not.
Over the last few years some of what I observe troubles me. The BA Flight Operations management appear to be increasingly arrogant, even more so than someone living outside of the UK would normally expect. I understand this arrogance extends all from the way they rarely try to interact or speak face to face with their crew, to the pressures they put them under. The only time they appear to be on the crews side is when there is a personal problem, and perhaps that is just fear of litigation.
Over the years BA has had a few close calls.......I recall a let down onto the wrong nav-aid 10 miles from the field, thankfully the crew noticed, and went around. It could easily have ended differently. But these things happen, and we all learn.
Then there was the Nairobi incident, where a passenger who had already been observed behaving oddly was allowed by the cabin crew to walk unchallenged through business class, up the stairs, through business class again, through the (then) unlocked flight deck door and nearly managed to cause a hull loss. If I remember the tale correctly, BA management lauded the cabin crew as heroes, even giving them a trip on the Orient Express, and only remembering to add the pilots involved almost as an afterthought. Arrogance again.
Then there a couple of high profile drinking incidents........come on boys, a bit of self-control was needed. Much talk that crews would be breath tested, threatened, but never implemented. Arrogance again.
With the industry being small, even the the silly things get out, like diverting into Iqualit for water......hello? Did anyone think of phoning the airfield first? That gave a few of us a good laugh, but was another example of BA arrogance.
In these time when there is so much competition, I cannot understand the latest BA idea of putting pressures on the crews to be depart from LHR on time, but not allowing crews to put on extra fuel to go faster to ensure a scheduled arrival. Departing on time, but arriving late might satisfy the management bonuses, but not the passengers. The passengers, from whom the bonuses are generated, reasonably expect to depart, AND ARRIVE, on schedule. Yet more arrogance.
Now the BA management are after the employees pensions. Have the management considered what is the likely impact on safety of a company where all the employees face a retirement on a much reduced pension? Additionally, I understand the pilots also face contract negotiations in a few months? It has happened where I live, and the efffect on morale, and the risk to safety is enormous. Stress levels both at home, and in the cockpit increase, and at best peoples concentration falters. And the hours that you guys are flying are putting the rest of the industry to shame, and putting additional stress and fatigue on you. Yet the BA Flight Operations management still exort the crews to take minimum fuel, and the crews still do!! Surely the boys should be filling the tanks, putting some pressure on the management and their management bonuses. The bonuses should be coming from ticket sales, not employee pensions. Carrying "sensible" rather than minimum levels of fuel is one of the few tools that crews can legitimately use.
My leads suggest that luckily in a recent diversion the crew had not followed the minimum fuel policy to the letter and had taken extra fuel, or the results could have been worse, much worse. Even after a diversion shutting down with only a couple of tons of fuel in the tanks is not a good feeling, and my sources suggest the passengers had been made aware of the predicament. If the crew had not taken extra fuel, the results could well have been catastrophic. But of course, the BA Flight Management team who pressure the crews to take minimum fuel will stay intact. Arrogance again.
Thankfully the diversion a night or 2 ago into Uralsk was completed safely, despite the extraordinary mental pressures the crew are being put under.
Remember, you are the guardians or your airlines, and your own safety.
There was a time I wish I had left my carrier, and joined BA. Sadly now, I am glad I did not.