http://www.uk-airport-news.info/heat...ws-270408a.htm
The BA pilot at the controls in the Heathrow Airport crash landing is planning to quit the airline in disgust at the way bosses have treated him, the Mirror reports. Captain Peter Burkill, 43, says he is a ‘broken man’ and feels betrayed after being effectively grounded and having his pay docked. He also says he has been refused the support he needs to start flying again, and that BA have not done enough to halt rumours that he ‘froze’ when co-pilot John Coward landed the packed Boeing 777 on the runway on January.
The newspaper says that he has told friends: ‘I've had enough. They told me I was a hero - but they've treated me like a fool. They said they would be there for me after the crash but I feel badly let down.’
On the afternoon of January 17, Captain Burkill had already handed control of BA flight 038 to Second Officer John Coward when it lost power. But he aided the crash-landing and hours later the pair were paraded as heroes in front of the world's media by triumphant BA Chief Executive Willie Walsh, who said: ‘The captain is one of our most experienced. We are very proud of him.’
Second Officer John Coward and the plane's third pilot soon returned to normal, fully-paid flying duties.
However, Captain Burkill took time off with post-traumatic stress - and within days learned that his salary had been halved from £120,000 to £60,000 through lost bonuses. Weeks of acrimony followed before his salary was increased to £90,000 through the reinstation of a flying bonus, but his away-from-home bonus, worth £30,000 a year, is still being withheld the newspaper reports.
And now he claims BA don't want him to fly again until the inquiry into the cause of the crash is completed. The Mirror quotes a 'BA source' adding: ‘Pete is disgusted at the way he has been treated. He was the hero of the hour and responsible for saving the plane. He even had a letter of personal thanks from the chief executive Willie Walsh.'
‘It beggars belief. They still won't pay him what he was earning when he was flying but it's their fault he can't fly because their report is still not finished. He hasn't been officially grounded because he hasn't had his licence revoked. But he's effectively grounded because he can't fly.
‘They even told him off when they found out he'd sent a couple of the flight's passengers thank-you cards for gifts they'd sent him for saving their lives. Their handling of the whole thing has been woeful.’
Captain Burkill has flown only once since the crash - from Heathrow to Houston on February 19 - but was devastated when two members of the cabin crew told him his actions during the incident had been criticised by a trainer on a course they had recently attended, the Mirror reports. They said they had been told Captain Burkill had ‘frozen’ the moment the Boeing lost power.
But air investigators say he in fact made a crucial wing-flap adjustment in the flight's last 25 seconds which saved the lives of everyone on board. Tests show his action gave the powerless plane a vital 27ft of extra lift - and that the plane cleared the airport's perimeter fence by just 7ft.
Mr Burkill has been ‘crushed’ by the rumours that he froze, according to the newspapers 'BA source'. He said: ‘Pete called his manager and demanded that everyone be told exactly what happened in the cockpit that day. He was told it would all be in the internal report and that he should stay at home until it was published. He's asked every week when it will be completed and keeps being told that it's imminent. Meanwhile he's at home getting more and more depressed. Communication is virtually non-existent. He hasn't spoken to anyone at BA for a month and it seems they consider that to be an acceptable situation.’
It is understood that BA's report into the crash will include high praise for Captain Burkill and that the Air Accident Investigation Board inquiry into the crash will exonerate him or any of the other pilots of any blame. However, the married dad-of-five is now considering emigrating to Dubai and has written to Richard Branson asking for a job at Virgin Atlantic.
A BA spokesman told the newspaper: ‘Captain Burkill is a highly valued member of staff and will continue to receive the full support of British Airways. He has not been grounded by the company or encouraged to stay at home. On the contrary the company has publicly supported the crew of BA38. Senior flight crew management and representatives from other areas of the airline have been in regular contact with Captain Burkill. This will continue to be the case.’