Originally Posted by
RetiredBA/BY
Time for Cruz to go. He took over, or was given an airline to run, which was in good shape hence the 2b profit, no thanks to him. In his brief time he has:
1. reduced to share price to near an all time low.
2. Managed to precipitate the first pilot strike in the airlines “ 100 year “ history with the most incredible solidarity.
3. Has dumbed down the short haul product.
4 Picked up a huge fine, 183 m, for IT incompetence, the biggest penalty ever imposed by the ICO.
5. Managed to precipitate trainers and even managers to resign.
Now, compare that with the superb business performance of the late Sir Colin Marshall, who had the onerous task of vastly reducing staff numbers to get BA into shape, which he and Lord King certainly did. That said, Sir Colin managed to retain the respect of virtually all employees, and I have never heard of any unpleasantness levelled against him.
Its a long time since I was a BA pilot but I am an IAG shareholder, hoping for a nice gain when Cruz leaves as happened when Ayling left.
Time for change.
Worked at BA in the time of King & Marshall. No LCC's then, short haul or long haul, little Gulf carrier premium competition and lousy US carriers. The focus was on product, not remotely the same pressure to tackle costs. Today the airline makes money on short haul (unlike AF/KL & LH) up against LCC's & having taken eye off the ball on the premium end, it falls to current management to put that right. That's underway but takes time for refirbs & new fleet. Also takes funding. Many IT systems probably date back to when I was there so again have to be addressed today when should have been worked on long ago-same as many airlines with legacy systems