This is all just so sad...... I am both a Pilot and passenger. I have never flown Virgin I allways fly BA. I love BA as a passenger. I think the managemnt are worthless on the whole. Some good ones but not many that I have met are.
However in passenger mode I say this...to all you cabin crew that want to strike and read this please dont take us as passengers as complete idiots. I fly BA to the US many times a year. BA are the best in any class but I am getting really tired of the same old routine (and I am not alone - we all know whats happening on board) .
Its this: After T/O get the food down the self loading freights throats ASAP.(what a terrible thing to think let alone say about the people who pay your wages - and many of you do think that because I have heard you say it) Start clearing up before in many cases they have finished to keep the pressure on them to finish Clear up.
Mass rush to back of aircraft by most of the cabin crew after meal service to chill out in crew rest area. Halfway through flight the 4 or 5 cabin crew left on duty get replaced by 4 or 5 from the rest area. Mass thanking of those replacing those going to rest area in view and earshot of as many pax as possible so pax understand how tiring and hard the job is and how greatful we should all be to even be in the presence of these gods. Relieved crew rush to back and into rest area taking pillows blankets books and anything else they can carry (as did first lot). Put little things out in galley area for pax who may want some water etc. let the pax self serve. etc etc .
Stuff food and minatures into bags before bar closes for landing to make sure the well earned rest at the destination at least has some pleasure for all the effort put in by the CC on the Long Long Long Long Long flight..
It happens EVERY time.
When I fly on business I am
en route to work. The flight IS the cabin crews work. Can I or others like me who also work 9-12 hour days dissapear for a rest for 4-8 hours during my work day when I get to my destination? No way.
This isnt a rant about Cabin Crew. Many of them are really great helpful and kind. I blame the BA management and yes I think that for the newer CC the pay is really bad. But please dont tell us that you are overworked. Underpaid the younger/newer one are maybe but you dont have to do the job.
And what is going to happen? You strike. The company is weakened. It becomes an even more interesting take over target and we all know the UK government will allow anything in our country to be sold (because of course they get billions in tax on the profits the sharegolders make on each sale) - the only thing that will stop them is when there is nothing else left to sell!
New owners come in. get in even lower paid CC from we all know where . Company goes bust. slotes etc sold. all the fat cats make loadsamoney. You lose! OK so the close down comment I made is a bit stuped but why dont you strike over the usless management you have. Tell Willy you will walk out if he dosnt prune them all back and give you 50% of the savings. Now thats something I think Willy would do.
Maybe this post is insane. If I worked for BA as CC I would strike too. But think of the downside. Better to change it from within. You can do that if you do it right. None of you are perfect - nor am I.
