Chewy I do work for BA. I also fill out the GPMs when I pax anywhere being nice to the crew, even if there were barely above average. I also see the negative GPMs go in the bin.
"cabin crew are the jewel in BAs crown"? Perhaps, but the research seems to indicate you're fairly low down the list when it comes to customers priorities. Comfort of seat, ease of check in, service frequency, corporate policy, safety and, for economy pax, price rate far higher in the passengers choice of airline. Service on board is almost incidental. Which annoys the pax more, a lousy meal or no IFE?
"the pilots are great at handling the emergency that comes round once in a blue moon, but the crew are equally great at handling the constant problems that occur every day"
If you were serious about flying training then you'd have heard the phrase A superior pilot uses his superior knowledge to avoid using his superior skills. We have emergencies once in a blue moon because the guys at the front are continually staying on top of the situation. Potential problems are dealt with before they occur. You'll learn that in flying training. That level of management gives you the luxury of only having routine daily problems to deal with, like handling delayed passengers because you wouldn't come out of the CAT lounge. We just don't feel the need to be honourd in BA news every week just for doing our job.
I'm not suggesting capping peoples pay at £10K (although we'd still be inundated by applicants from bmi and Virgin who earn about the same), but the allowance system will change one way or another without a strike. What proportion of new crew are joining BASSA? How many new crew think the allowance system is daft and dislke the variability? How many new crew are annoyed at losing a three day trip because they're late by one minute, with all the associated allowances, then having to live off the basic pay cos they got standbys instead? How many new contract crew would strike to preserve the fortunes of the old contract crew? They can afford to live on their basic. You can't. I don't think there's the will now that almost 50% of crew are new contract. I don't think Willy will think so either. IFS management is weak, ineffective and has had rings run round it by the BASSA reps. I don't think the new Chief is going to let that situation continue, do you?