Nice post in the Telegraph.
Although not Cabin Crew, i do work for BA, and it is getting really bad where i work.
BA managers are not visible through-out most of the shift. Those at the bottom, who deliver the operation are just left to get on with coping under a snowballing work-load. Operations is known as the poor relation of other corporate parts of the airline. Not as glamorous and essential to BA as marketing, or sales, or finance departments.
Senior managers have never paid us a visit to see how we work, or experience the struggle we go through each day to try and deliver the operation. Instead they have their heads buried in the sand, sat in their calm offices, devising their next delusional plan, or issuing edicts about uniform standards, while they have afforded themselves the luxury of not having to wear a tie at work. Let those at the bottom wear the ties!
As the day progresses, the operation starts resembling bedlam, as people make mistakes, and colleagues start losing their temper and their sanity. People are employed of different grades and rates of pay, but employed to do the same work. The lowest paid are expected to work harder and be more flexible than those on more money. Go figure? Still others on old contracts/grades/higher pay, just sit around doing nothing, except watch their colleagues struggle to keep their heads above water. The staff that do care run around like headless chickens trying to deliver the unreasonable/impossible. Things miss their booked flight because we do not have the resources and time to deliver the kind of operation; those that take pride in their work, would like to give our customers.
Most, if not all, of BA�s outstations are handled by third parties/handling companies who couldn�t care less if they are meeting their contractually agreed service levels. Outstation failures just get passed to Heathrow/Gatwick to sort out.
Everything I learnt at school, college, and university about quality being important, getting things right first time, having a plan that closely matches what can be delivered; none of these things apply here.
No-one gets recognition for good work, whilst poor time keeping and operational mistakes are quickly brought to your attention and a reprimand swiftly issued.
Plenty of people care, but apparently none among those that take decisions, since none of them has the time, courage, or even inclination to see at first-hand how bad things are on the front-line.
Most people here are just plane fed-up, at how this great company with a future, is being flushed down the toilet by that aged old disease known as the British style of management. Lions led by donkeys springs to mind, without detracting anything from the much greater level of sacrifice being made by our servicemen and women.
You wanted to know how to solve BA�s problems part II? Please come spend an unannounced day with us in the operation. See for yourself how unorganised it really is, and how it resembles working for a bunch of amateurs; not the professional, blue-chip company that BA likes to portray itself as.
Where i work things are regressing not progressing.
Talk about running a viable business into the ground.