Real World
In amongst all the bottom lip trembling and foot stamping, some people seem to have overlooked the harsh truth of the real world where the client is King. A helicopter support contract is just another commercial contract, no different in essence from the cleaning company that cleans the offices or catering company that does school meals. The client defines the task and the supplier offers a service. The client will assume that the workers will bend over backwards to give the best possible service, it is up to management to work out an effective compromise between numbers and coverage within the bounds of a sensible bid. There is unlikely to be a clause to consider Captain A`s little Johnny who has just gone to a new school and has made lots of nice new friends.
BP`s actions are not new, oil companies have been seeking best value for money since they began operations, it is part of the business that many of us have chosen to be in.