I'd like to add a measured response to this thread, which is largely negative, but I'm sure it won't ring true with all that read it. However, here goes...
I like British Airways, they are MY favourite airline and I choose to fly with them over the low-costs because experience has shown me that they offer a great service. It might not be to everybody's liking, but on a planet with 5 billion people we have 5 billion different opinions and 5 billion different personalities so I don't think we'll ever find something that EVERYBODY likes. This might be a passenger perspective but I honestly believe the same principle applies behind the scenes in the airline, if not all the airlines.
This thread is full of arguments, slander and cutting remarks and I think it's a shame that BA gets such an enormous bashing from all angles on this forum. Why do people seem to think that BA needs to be accused of this and that and HAVE to do this and that.... with an enormous workforce the company will NEVER keep everybody happy. FACT. Tell me a company where everybody is happy and would not change a thing?
It seems odd to me that some pilots can come on this forum and tell us all how awful they think the company is.. but will still gladly accept the paycheck at the end of the month. The company is far from perfect but they are still offering good, exciting jobs. If you personally feel the situation is terrible, get up tomorrow, sit down at the computer and type your resignation letter. Hand it in after your day's work, fulfill your contractually obliged number of flights and then enter the wild job market of today which is horribly saturated not only with eager young low-hours pilots, but also highly experienced guys and girls who have sadly been laid off from other carriers (GOOD LUCK to all you guys looking for jobs right now!)
Someone said on this thread that they couldn't go to a low-cost carrier because of the pension they would be leaving behind.. what kind of an 'excuse' is that? That argument says that it's all about money, but that's not what life is about. If people want more money, then why not go and work for another carrier who offers higher salaries in the short-term? If money is all that is important then why not quit flying and go into IT or fund managing? They pay well, and you wouldn't have to put up with 'poor rostering' etc.
BA offers a unique kind of career to men and women from all over the world. For pilots you can join and fly modern jets from the A319 to the 777, fly all over the world AND be paid to do it. Does the thrill of the job really not shine through for some people anymore? If not, just go (no pun intended).
Salaries around the world will vary, that's life. Doctors in the UK and the USA get paid vastly different salaries, but the US system is very different to ours. Oh, and that reminds me.. is the USA's road to entering a major international airline not considerably more onerous than that in the UK? It is for some... couple of thousand hours before a regional will look at you, couple more before you get a sniff of a major? Arguing that British pilots should get paid the same as US guys is silly really. British pilots should get paid what the employer wants to pay them, that's how business works. Again, if you don't like it, don't enter the profession.
As for striking.. well this is something that really stirs my emotions. Striking is a terrible thing to do as far as I am concerned. Sure you grab attention for a short while, but THINK about the knock on effects: the passengers you can trouble and inconvenience if a flight is cancelled, the money you could cost the airline and the damage to an airline's reputation that could be caused. If you damage a company's repuation so much that no-one wants to use them anymore that company could cease to exist... and woop, there go your jobs.
Instead of getting angry on these forums why not put pen to paper and write to the relevant people in your company and suggest ways for them to save money, or ways for things to be improved. I am a firm believer that some of the best ideas for company management come from the workers themselves.. not the graduate managers who have degrees in business studies but have never, and do not, work down on the company floor.
You could write and say, Dear Advertising Dept: why don't you launch a nationwide campaign advertising your amazing low fares which start at £63 return between (say) Glasgow and Heathrow. Let people know that they can get exactly where they want to go for almost no money! Or why not invite business people to try the new BA Club World service for half the price of the usual ticket, for a limited time? Or how about asking
PR/Media students at university to prepare projects on how to improve profitability on a loss-making route? So many ideas, these not relating to the things you guys need changed in flight ops... why not try it?
British Airways should still be the symbol of national pride it once was. It is in all our interests for the company to carry on and succeed. For me, I will still be able to fly home to my family feeling safe in the hands of some of the best trained pilots and cabin crew in the world. For you, ladies and gentlemen, British Airways will still employ the 3000 fight crew who would otherwise be sending out CVs.. hoping to find a job.
Some food for thought I hope. Replies would be welcome but I'd rather people didn't snipe if there are any inaccuracies. This is just my opinion. Share with me yours?