The book, a terrific read, raises more questions than it answers.
My lasting impression will be one that the Burkill's treatment by his employer was an utter disgrace.
Why was the Captain isolated from his crew in the immediate aftermath?
Why all the immediate questioning after the end of a very long traumatic day?
How can any organisation promote getting its staff drunk as a solution to dealing with shock?
Why was he kept from the ones that he cared about for so long?
Why was there no moral, humanitarian and immediate financial support given to his wife and family?
Couldn't his employer even provide him with some clothing at the end of the day?
Why couldn't the internal report be produced in a more timely manner and when it was, why were the findings concealed from all but the management?
The company's disinterest or inability to deal with the rumours.
etc. etc. etc.
There seems to be a huge warning sign to this company's aircrew here - avoid accidents at all costs, because your employer is not going to do the right thing by you after the event.
I'm left bemused. Did Capt. Burkill and his F/O achieve the same outcome as Capt. Sullenberger and his F/O? Perhaps, by virtue of the later timescale, that statement should be reversed - but the US Air crew would not have been keen on Peter's treatment, would they.
If that is indeed the case and passengers and friends and families from both accidents are able to make the most of the lives that they are now lucky enough to have to-gether - then why are the different situations that these two pilots find themselves in like chalk from cheese?
Is this a European/British psyche versus the American? We know how good the British media are at shooting the good guys off pedestals!
Having gone through a clearly horrendous time, how long would it take and with what psychological support would the average person be able to make sound decisions about the shape their future should take? Even one that had shown the ultimate professionalism in the cockpit.
Yet again, the uninformed point the finger at his (their) decision making with little understanding of the pressures on them at probably a very emotional and vulnerable time.
We would like to think that passengers and their Friends & Family are well catered for post accident by the world's leading airlines.
Have some overlooked their crew's needs?
The accident happened at the airline's base - Heathrow. One can but contemplate their fete had the aircraft come down on another continent and the nights that his wife might have had to cope all alone having been instructed by B.A. to leave the sanctity of her own home.
BALPA ......on second thoughts, if all you'll need is a curry and a stiff drink, keep paying your dues.
Hopefully this whole fiasco will become an academic case study for an esteemed psychologist/psychiatrist and lessons can be learned and safeguards enshrined.
Last edited by GK430; 9th Apr 2010 at 07:57.