And the latest:
Unite fears BA suffering an identity crisis over
moves to introduce low-cost carrier charges
Unite, the UK’s largest aviation union
and the largest union representing
workers at British Airways, is today
(Saturday) accusing BA's management
of suffering an identity crisis. It comes
as the airline's management
announces that it will charge for seat
reservations, a move Unite believes
tarnishes the carrier's image further
and is another misguided attempt to
mimic the low-cost airlines.
Unite warns hefty charges - around £60 to book an
aisle or window seat - for passengers already paying
premium prices wishing to select seats on-line or sit
together as families will drive customers away from BA.
Steve Turner, Unite national officer for civil avi-
ation, described the announcement as “complete
madness from a management team rapidly losing its
way and undermining the proud standing of British
Airways as the UK’s national flag carrier”.
“Unite is becoming increasingly frustrated with BA
and its attempts to address change in the industry
by adopting the practices of low cost carriers.
Clearly, the management are suffering an identity
crisis. But BA’s market is not low cost, it will never
successfully compete in the low cost market and it
should not aspire to be a low-cost operator.
"BA's management is failing to recognise the extent of
anger felt by customers already annoyed by additional
charges made by low cost carriers. Customers
‘upgrading' to BA do not expect to see add-on
charges for seat allocation, baggage check in, meals
and drinks.
"This is a mistake and a continuation of a misguided
trend in BA that is undermining the airline's standing
both at home and globally. Desperate measures, practices
and tactics adopted by BA’s senior management team
and board are taking our airline in the wrong direction.
Even the Prime Minister opted to use another carrier to
fly to the G20 in the US, and not British Airways, the UK’s
national carrier and the only one with the union jack on
its tail."
Unite is becoming increasingly frustrated with
the slow pace of dialogue with, and the erratic
strategy adopted by, BA's management over
measures to cut costs during the economic
downturn. Unite has repeatedly warned that
continued attacks on employee terms and the
business itself, coupled with unilateral changes
to working practices, is devastating morale
and will bring further instability to the airline
as it struggles to meet the challenges of the
recession.
Despite these frustrations, Unite is continuing to
work to find a mutually acceptable way forward in
on-going negotiations with the company.
ENDS
Looks like Unite think they are running BA now!