You forget that BA is very rare in that it has far higher than usual lengths of service amongst its staff. Crew are not the sole stalwarts of the company as you might assume. The majority of staff whether crew, Checkin-in, ramp, engineering, I.M, managment, ramp etc etc, have ALL given many years to the company and invested time, hard work and loyalty. 35, 45 years service are common across the business. The most recent joiner in my department has 12 years service. We all want a long term future for our company, so that it can give us an ongoing career.
I am not forgetting anything. Our customers spend the most time with us cabin crew and we are usually the faces they remember. I think you would see that most cabin crew are wanting a long term future within BA but it's not easy when they want to replace us with £11.000-a-year cabin crew members.
So, well done on 17 years, well done on being loyal and climbing the ladder as far as you have, I have much respect for that. But that is in the past now. It is you and your union who has thrown respect back in BA's face by cheering and insisting on no negotiation, and refusing to join the rest of us in contributing for the FUTURE. So don't be surprised if you don't feel that the rest of us are respecting you any more.
Don't worry. Many of us don't respect you either after what many ground staff have done and trained to become VCCs.