So only pilots are responsible for the ultimate success of BA. Other staff are pretty much non existant at LGW. Not enough baggage handlers (pilots going to do it?) not enough checkin staff, not enough gate staff, not enough ramp staff, not enough pax bus drivers and those that are there are working their @rses off so you can do the flying, so unless you pilot folk plan on doing it all yourselves you'd better believe that someone else is going to have to do it and would like to be paid properly.
Admittedly nobody goes anywhere unless the pilot goes too but you don't do all this yourselves.
To imply that the rest of BA are all hangers on is pretty mean.
If you say your pay and conditions are not as good as any other pilots then I can accept that and believe you all should really be pushing for an improvement but don't start ripping into your fellow workers and imagine that it doesn't offend us.
All staff shouldn't be treated the same because we all have different jobs and different unions to represent us and each union goes to the company with a different agenda for it's members. If pilots haven't got a union with the balls to stand up for their rights then thats their problem.
To the best of my knowledge I haven't worked on a delayed flight at Gatwick because of a lack of pilots or cabin crew. I have had delayed flights because there are no bus drivers, tug drivers, baggage loaders, gate staff, checkin staff, dispatchers, engineers.
...and before anyone starts I never have had nor will have the desire to pilot an aeroplane (much prefer the helicopter idea but can't afford). I have never been rejected by any companies that any of you work for, I enjoy my job (still), I have no sour feelings towards anybody I just don't like it when other peoples contributions are treated with such derision. I work as a purser for BA my salary is approx 13K plus allowances, I get approx 9-11 days off a month...I'm not twenty one and just out of college, this is so that when you all start flaming me you won't have to guess what I do.
Finally I have to agree with zoru.