These are the kind of people who would be far more willing to adopt a lowcost approach to flying than those who are using our European services to connect to long-haul flights from Heathrow.
I have to disagree on this.
The reason why BA at LGW is losing money (they say) is because of bad fares. If you read the shares, only a little percentage of eurotraveller is sold at full fare. Most of the fares are discounted and an amazing percentage is non-revenue!!!!!! Next time I have a bit of time I ought to take a copy of the documents that are exposed in the speakers's corner on 3rd floor.
When bmi decided to go "no frills" at LHR, I had club passengers - and traveller pax who enjoy the benefits of flexible economy fares - complain to me about that! It was incredible how many of them said that if BA goes "cheap" (meaning no food/drinks unless paid for onboard) they will go on a strike! => won't fly ba.
If that's really the way forward, we will only attract the share of the customers that already pay very little for our flights.
WW will have to realise that we cannot possibly compete with EZY at Gatwick. We don't have the structures (from management to crew ops etc) and the infrastructures to go low cost all of a sudden. EZY was born low cost and those people have a lot of experience.
Eddy you're right, there's always the option of re-applying to BA as one of my mates has done. He is now at LHR doing short haul and is happier. However this can be the solution for the individual and not not for everybody. Besides,will all this work? I personally don't want to see my airline in trouble, wherever I am based, but I have no faith in their "revolutionary" thoughts!!
Tilly66 you're right, morale is very low, also given to the fact that we've had the hardest summer I can remember (for me it was worse than my charter years) and all worked bloody hard as it was, imagine how it will be with 3 crews. If BA want the same level of customer service as it is now with only 3 fatigued crews looking after 150 passengers AND club (which they are promoting) they can only dream about it. We are only humans.
Ba without excellent customer service simply isn't BA anymore.