Having worked for BA for over 22 years, often long hours, unsociable hours and often away from my family, not to mention working at Christmas and other family occasions that others take for granted, I can assure you it can be a lonely and strange existence at times. It is obviously going to be very hard for any of you to understand the job or how any of us feel but I can tell you that a feeling of pride in your employer makes for a happy work force. Up until recently I have always had great pride and been proud to say I worked for BA but now I don't tell people I work for BA. All the pride I once had has been sucked out of me.
A very good example of a premium company that pays it's staff well and looks after them is John Lewis and as such their customer service is second to none. This is how BA has until recently been. Now of course JL has hundreds of people wanting to work for it and could easily just pay minimum wages but would it be the same company I wonder.
Just trust me when I tell you that no one likes Willie Walsh and he does not inspire any of his workforce to be the best. We are products of a previous chief executive Colin Marshall who inspired us all to be the best and it is his legacy of customer service that runs through many of us. This is all being eroded by Willie Walsh and it is a shame that we can't have the cost savings combined with an inspirational boss instead of someone that does not really care what his crew are like, as long as they are the cheapest!!
Now I expect many of you will disagree but that's life. Only time will tell.