BA Strike - Your Thoughts & Questions
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BA Strike - Your Thoughts & Questions
Use this thread for comments on the BA strike. Please try not to be hateful, immature or abusive. Please also remember that support for the BA strike is not 100% - Some crew, and many other workers within the airline will be brave enough to come into work (not easy to do) and therefore deserve your respect. Those going on strike deserve courtesy, simply as human beings: Raw abuse and rudeness simply lower the impact of the point you are trying to make.
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Thanks, TS. 
"Never in the field of IA have so many been misled and/or deceived by so few"?
Tragic, ill-founded, unnecessary, inappropriate, mishandled - that's what I gather from reading the CC thread on PPRuNe on a daily basis.
Support by CC for the strike is, of course, nowhere near 100%. Something like 50% of the BA CC aren't members of BASSA anyway, as I understand it. So in reality maybe 40% of the CC workforce actually voted for the strike ... without apparently understanding the issues [info from one side only], and it seems with the objective of "sending a message to BA".
I have massive sympathy for the great majority who are caught up in this Union-engineered power struggle.
"Never in the field of IA have so many been misled and/or deceived by so few"?
Tragic, ill-founded, unnecessary, inappropriate, mishandled - that's what I gather from reading the CC thread on PPRuNe on a daily basis.
Support by CC for the strike is, of course, nowhere near 100%. Something like 50% of the BA CC aren't members of BASSA anyway, as I understand it. So in reality maybe 40% of the CC workforce actually voted for the strike ... without apparently understanding the issues [info from one side only], and it seems with the objective of "sending a message to BA".
I have massive sympathy for the great majority who are caught up in this Union-engineered power struggle.
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It is fair to say that, sitting on the sidelines, full extent of what is occuring, that we have seen publicly, is not the full story on any side of the dispute. (and there are not just two sides within BA).
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Fingers Crossed
I have a cancelled and rebooked flight to GVA on Sat morning. I'd be happy to sit on the floor or bring my own chair, as long as I (and my luggage) get there. It will be aboard a Jet2 wet lease if all goes to plan.
I have no idea about what scenes I will encounter at LHR, which I'm not looking forward to TBH.
I'm hoping make a return trip on the 27th
I have no idea about what scenes I will encounter at LHR, which I'm not looking forward to TBH.
I'm hoping make a return trip on the 27th
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As you have just seen from my other post, I fear for premium pax like myself the damage to BA is already done.
What would it take for me to come back to BA? I honestly don't know, I am not seeing the reason why, the seats in club world and first are wonderful, but then so are they on Cathay/Virgin/Emirates/Qantas/Ethiad.
It's not all about the CC, if I cant get home to my family, it causes me grief and stress, if I cant get to meetings arranged with my customers it causes me money, grief and stress.
Yes I understand that the CC have been in a state of anguish, but can they honestly say strike action that drives away the customers who keep them employed like this is the way to solve the problems?
I don't want to desert the CC that are decent people and are coming to work to make it possible for me to get the 3 flights on the strike days that I have.
I cant just move the dates, I have client engagements that have been arranged for many months, if I don't come to the customer, the missed meetings cost a lot of money. This includes the cost of the flights/hotels plus about £12500 in terms of day rate. Why should my company suffer?
What would it take for me to come back to BA? I honestly don't know, I am not seeing the reason why, the seats in club world and first are wonderful, but then so are they on Cathay/Virgin/Emirates/Qantas/Ethiad.
It's not all about the CC, if I cant get home to my family, it causes me grief and stress, if I cant get to meetings arranged with my customers it causes me money, grief and stress.
Yes I understand that the CC have been in a state of anguish, but can they honestly say strike action that drives away the customers who keep them employed like this is the way to solve the problems?
I don't want to desert the CC that are decent people and are coming to work to make it possible for me to get the 3 flights on the strike days that I have.
I cant just move the dates, I have client engagements that have been arranged for many months, if I don't come to the customer, the missed meetings cost a lot of money. This includes the cost of the flights/hotels plus about £12500 in terms of day rate. Why should my company suffer?
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I think we laugh about strange industrial practises in the old legacy airlines like Alitalia (before the collapse), but some of the standard practises at BA that I have read through the main CC thread are unbelievable! 2 overnights on a diversion etc. I'm astounded that in 2010 big companies have crap like this to put up with.
On a personal note, since Christmas I have booked me and my team on 28 flights to Dubai and Newark with Swiss. We used to use BA. We will most likely never go back. I will only step back aboard to use up the 300K airmiles I have.
Its a great pity. I feel for the crew, they are on the whole a great bunch, but now simply cannon fodder in a Len McLuskey power play.
On a personal note, since Christmas I have booked me and my team on 28 flights to Dubai and Newark with Swiss. We used to use BA. We will most likely never go back. I will only step back aboard to use up the 300K airmiles I have.
Its a great pity. I feel for the crew, they are on the whole a great bunch, but now simply cannon fodder in a Len McLuskey power play.
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jethrobee I know that VS do this. A quick look at BA EC only referred to their cash collections of small coin. There are charities that collect FFMs to use for children that are recovering from sever illness, or may have a terminal condition. They take them to places like Disneyworld. So consider search for the charities.
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As an investor with many shares and stocks in many companys, I am very pleased that many company employees will not be flying BA in the future in business class.
I do deplore the habit of business class travel for company staff when I as a shareholder am paying part of their salary and travel expenses. In the rare occasion when a company pays a decent dividend, the staff memeber is well enough rewarded by having his pension share scheme increase in value. When the company does not perform so well or pay the dividend then why the heaven and the other place, should the staff member travel in business class. All it does is to clutter up useful shopping or toilet space at airports with 'Executive' lounges and delay flights while people for whose tickets I am forced to pay exercise their delusions of self importance by necessitating three late gate calls.
I do deplore the habit of business class travel for company staff when I as a shareholder am paying part of their salary and travel expenses. In the rare occasion when a company pays a decent dividend, the staff memeber is well enough rewarded by having his pension share scheme increase in value. When the company does not perform so well or pay the dividend then why the heaven and the other place, should the staff member travel in business class. All it does is to clutter up useful shopping or toilet space at airports with 'Executive' lounges and delay flights while people for whose tickets I am forced to pay exercise their delusions of self importance by necessitating three late gate calls.
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A strike anywhere in this day and age (in the western democratic world) is about an individual who is power hungry leading many like sheep along for the slaughter. In large open to public companies like BA it is hard to believe that anyone is being made to work over and above what the law has provided for. If you don't like the law vote your government out and get another in that will change the laws.
One needs to only browse through all the threads on this site to see how an overwhelming number of topics cover poor customer service on BA over the past years. Maybe some introspection is needed by all to see who has called the strike. It however is necessary as it will purge BA of some of these sheep and wolves that have done it a great dis service over the years and have led many loyalists to move elsewhere.
It will be sad to see many caught in the crossfire, but such is the nature of Unions these days. The Lawyers and the leaders will drive away in the Porsche's and Ferrari's to another industry to create havoc, the sheep will be slaughtered, and the collateral damage will last a while and trickle into the other airlines and cause a supply demand situation which will lead to lower wages.
If you don't like your job quit.... if there are no more jobs out there then thank your lucky stars you have one. Don't bite the hand that feeds you!!!
One needs to only browse through all the threads on this site to see how an overwhelming number of topics cover poor customer service on BA over the past years. Maybe some introspection is needed by all to see who has called the strike. It however is necessary as it will purge BA of some of these sheep and wolves that have done it a great dis service over the years and have led many loyalists to move elsewhere.
It will be sad to see many caught in the crossfire, but such is the nature of Unions these days. The Lawyers and the leaders will drive away in the Porsche's and Ferrari's to another industry to create havoc, the sheep will be slaughtered, and the collateral damage will last a while and trickle into the other airlines and cause a supply demand situation which will lead to lower wages.
If you don't like your job quit.... if there are no more jobs out there then thank your lucky stars you have one. Don't bite the hand that feeds you!!!
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You deplore employees traveling in Business Class??? Try and fly 24 hours to Sydney and then get off the plane at 6.30am and be in the office for 9am to do a productive day's at work on site with a client that earns your company £1250 minimum!
Just because people fly business class it doesn't mean that they are wasting the companies money, am I paid for giving up weekends to sit on planes? No, and I paid weekends to be away from my family? No.
BTW I am looking at one of the childrens charities to see if they would be interested in my miles, 500k BA miles is a fair few kids/helpers to the USA.
-oh and no I dont read the daily mail!!!
Just because people fly business class it doesn't mean that they are wasting the companies money, am I paid for giving up weekends to sit on planes? No, and I paid weekends to be away from my family? No.
BTW I am looking at one of the childrens charities to see if they would be interested in my miles, 500k BA miles is a fair few kids/helpers to the USA.
-oh and no I dont read the daily mail!!!
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Like others on the thread, I no longer fly BA on business, as the company is too unreliable and no longer fit for purpose.
Having said that, I have just booked my family on a long haul at Christmas, in WT+ which I regard as being a good vfm product.
For the sake of balance
As a frequent traveller, it would be good for BA to be a strong player in the market, but I fear we may be past the tipping point.
The board has broken the trust of too many premium users (companies and individuals) by a combination of cynical cost cutting, ineffective IR and generally failing to provide differentiated service in times of disruption.
What is left is a second rate carrier.
Having said that, I have just booked my family on a long haul at Christmas, in WT+ which I regard as being a good vfm product.
For the sake of balance
- A lot of BA people are decent hard working folks
- The CC union has a lot to answer for, as do the members who voted for IA
- The company managament over the past 10-15 years also have a lot to answer for
As a frequent traveller, it would be good for BA to be a strong player in the market, but I fear we may be past the tipping point.
The board has broken the trust of too many premium users (companies and individuals) by a combination of cynical cost cutting, ineffective IR and generally failing to provide differentiated service in times of disruption.
What is left is a second rate carrier.
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When You Wish Upon A Star - Dream Making For Sick Children
I do not see that BA management have been particularly effective over the years. Look at the c*ck up a few years ago with EWS - Engineers Want Spares. Look at the cost cutting - no hot towels in Club Europe. A little thing, and I doubt it saved much money. OTOH, I have found BA CC and ground staff far better than any of the other airlines I've regularly flown, with the possible exception of Qantas, who were OK, and Baboo, who are up to BA standard. AA have gone downhill over the last few years: they'd be LOCOS if the fares were lower.
I'm not convinced that either side in this dispute come out with clean hands. Now we hear about CSD and the like on on £40 -50- 60 a year. I wonder how many managers there are at BA on more than £60k plus perks? And what they do to earn it.
Years ago, there was an article in the Engineer magazine with an accountant who went into failing companies to turn them round. He said that if you had to fire people, you should start at the top. Firstly, that's where you save the most money per head disposed off, and secondly, these were the people whose mismanagement got the company into a mess in the first place....
I'm not convinced that either side in this dispute come out with clean hands. Now we hear about CSD and the like on on £40 -50- 60 a year. I wonder how many managers there are at BA on more than £60k plus perks? And what they do to earn it.
Years ago, there was an article in the Engineer magazine with an accountant who went into failing companies to turn them round. He said that if you had to fire people, you should start at the top. Firstly, that's where you save the most money per head disposed off, and secondly, these were the people whose mismanagement got the company into a mess in the first place....
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I strongly believe that managers get the staff attitudes they deserve. In a small way I've seen it close at hand, when a department had a manager who built his staff into a silo mentality, with the result that things took twice as long as necessary, and most dealings with them were a hassle. After a couple of years a new manager took over, and within weeks attitudes changed. As a result the department were miles easier to deal with, and the work they were delivering also increased in quality. All because the message from above changed.
A lot of similarities with the Gordon Bethune turnround of Continental - wonder if any BA managers have read his book? I'm sure it wasn't all milk and honey at CO, but it was certainly better than it used to be.
A lot of similarities with the Gordon Bethune turnround of Continental - wonder if any BA managers have read his book? I'm sure it wasn't all milk and honey at CO, but it was certainly better than it used to be.
You deplore employees traveling in Business Class??? Try and fly 24 hours to Sydney and then get off the plane at 6.30am and be in the office for 9am to do a productive day's at work on site with a client that earns your company £1250 minimum!
It's a subjective thing, of course, but I reckon most of the major Far East carriers, and several Mid East beat BA hands down. But perhaps that's missing the point. BA's cabin crew costs are twice as high as their nearest UK competitor. Are BA CC so outstanding that the company can afford this?
