So you’re teaching me about what TUI and BA are? Don’t call me naive, If only you knew....
I understand those agreements at BA very well, I’ve given several of my years to the airline and my partner flies there. I also know what TUI is about and I can tell you from experience on both airlines that the grass is greener. After all, It’s the BA Pilots and crew who are having sleepless nights right now whilst the TUI’s are congratulating their leadership team for doing the right thing.
We can agree to disagree on this, but to me, on top of job security there must be respect and transparency. When was last time Alex Cruz did a vlogg to speak directly to his staff? Because TUI Group CEO, and the airline’s managing director were both releasing communications and holding webinars since this crisis started. Everything was laid bare to staff, from financials to strategy and the questions could be asked directly to the top guys without censorship or fear.
You are right about looking into the future, but we know that the relationship between BALPA and TUI is much healthier and we now know that there is trust and respect between them. Can you say the same about BA?That old “mystique” about flying for the flag carrier is long gone, and some guys were knocked down a notch or two when the company sent them the S188. There are examples on this very forum!
Do you know what is really touching the naïveté line? Is believing that TUI group and it’s complexities (cruise ships, hotels/resorts worldwide, 150 aircraft, 70K staff) with much shorter cash flown than BA, didn’t have a financial burden.
BA was recovering from strikes? Well TUI have six 737Max’s siting around and compensation from Boeing was only agreed now, over a year later, who was paying for it? The others were severely delayed, hence the wet leases. They also had higher debt, whilst BA’s previous financial results showed a healthy wallet. TUI announced severe cuts, 8000 staff to go, although they were overheads, some Staff in Germany lost their jobs already, So I think you’re wrong there as BA was in a much more privileged position.
This is about leadership and priorities, and BA’s are hellbent on ensuring they get their way even tho there were better solutions to deal with their staff. BA is showing their pilots that they are not as special as they thought they were, by putting them in the same bin as the cabin crew.
At the moment, I see little hope to the Unite/GMB cause, because our prime minister is inept and the government so far got it terribly wrong. He was questioned in the PMQ’s two days ago if he was going to do something about BA. His response was that there was no “magic wand” to save everyone’s jobs.
The government washed their hands and Cruz has green light to proceed. The emails for the 1-2-1 meetings with crew were send this week and they are going forward. Even Ryanair had more class in dealing with it’s staff during the crisis....you’re trying to convince me that BA is still the top UK job in aviation?
So my friend, it’s simple, in 6-12 months I do not know where TUI will be. I know that it looks positive now and I know that there isn’t any opportunistic ideas in order to attack the staff. It could change but the evidence suggests that it’s unlikely. But also, one thing is looking more likely now is that in 6-12 months time, the BA pilots T&C’s will be different. They will earn less, work harder and have the feeling that they do not have the respect from their employer. I say this with sadness as people close to me are affected by this.
There is no way to defend a business like that!