I have probably missed it somewhere in the previous pages but please clarify this: what is to stop Walsh announcing that on 1 Jan 2013, IAG will create a new airline BA Express plc, or whatever, that will begin operations with 20 x A320 acquired/leased from British Airways and recruitment for the aforementioned airline begins on 1 June 2012 Aircrew affected by the withdrawal of the A320s from the BA fleet will be given the opportunity to apply for positions in the new airline?
Legally there is nothing to stop IAG doing just this.
However, the record of concilliation from BALPA and its members is, over the past years, exemplary. The pilot cost base has changed constantly to bring it into line with modern standards as a relatively fixed accountable asset. Whilst it remains a well paid job the ability to attract the right people has cost savings attached in the form of lower training costs and higher retention.
IAG would have to judge very closely what the potential savings of a 'BA Express' formed against the backdrop of inevitable industrial action taken against seeing the terms and conditions of current BA employees losing hulls and routes would be.
The agreement to take BMI into BA makes it far more difficult for IAG to form BA Express in any other form. The lack of space at Heathrow, the lack of crews and the lack of slots would make it a very costly excercise. As a direct contributor to the terms of Mainline BA IAG could not 'lease' BA owned aircraft to BA Express, they would have to be flown by Mainline pilots iaw Scope. The direct impact on the future prospects of BA and the recently merged BMI crews (all crew members) would be directly affected by the formation of BA Express and there, I personally think, you would see an end to goodwill if IAG were so hell bent on renaging on previous dealings.
If this were to pass then IAG would need to consider the costs of the BA fleet being grounded. Through the auspices of BAPLA the BA pilot community has continued to accept the need for change, productivity and rationalisation. This has been done on a basis of continued negotiation and a very close working relationship. From the GMM that I attended I came away with a very clear impression that both IAG and BA want the integration (if they didn't why offer it?), they want a cohesive product to offer the public and they are critically aware that going back on these agreements will, in the eyes of the Pilots, the Law and the public, leave them in a difficult position.
So, in short, there is nothing to stop IAG forming BA Express, however, if they do, it could potentially be a very expensive startup as it would have a direct impact on the future earnings potential of mainline after we have given so much to help the company survive.
We have patience and a clear understanding of the business. But concilliation only goes so far and must be a two way excercise.