Regarding BA's 'record loss', the BBC's Business Editor had this to say about it:
"So it's difficult to avoid the impression that at least part of BA's agony, its descent in just 12 months from record profits to record losses, was of its own making"
BBC - Peston's Picks: BA: Loaded down
BA had a record profit of over £900m in 2007 - 08 and in June that year oil peaked at U$154 a barrel. Walsh and co did not keep any money over for a rainy day, but chose to show the full profit in order to trigger the 10% Operating Profit bonuses.
You guys fell for it and were marshalled into volunteering to serve drinks by one rep in particular, whose libel action by the way, failed.
I have to correct a misnomer here. BASSA offered to reduce the crew complement by one, with the CSD taking the role of Premium Purser. It would not have been possible to merge new contract staff as efficiently with Legacy. For instance on some destinations Legacy get a double night, where MF only get one. Also BA wanted to start a new culture in BA unpolluted by Legacy crew. The fact they wear hats is an indication of this aspiration.
Walsh was out to smash not just BASSA, but all unions in BA. That is why the BA/BASSA dispute was historic and Professor Keith Ewing wrote a book about it. I doubt he would waste anytime writing about BALPA's failed attempt to halt OpenSkies.
Legacy Fleet has actually grown with the assimilation of BMI cabin crew, very few of whom took the £10,000 bribe to go to and join Mixed Fleet. Those BMI crew will be able to transfer into WW in the near future. I think that is called 'growth'.
Unlike BA's pilots who seem to enjoy giving their cash and conditions away, Legacy Crew have a future minimum pay guarantee.
MF are being swopped around various routes bascially just to confuse the customers. They have LAX for the moment, but like SAN and PHX, Legacy will fly there again. It is unlikely however MF will get ATL back for well documented reasons. BA may have "the CSD's in the cabins", but when the AVOD breaks down as it does virtually every sector, it doesn't get fixed as quickly as before.
Regarding VCC's, many in Waterside did not have a choice. BA's pilots did, and as GS Alpha states, none of you considered the consequences of your actions when the dispute was over. By the way, it wasn't just a few F/O's who volunteered, it was hundreds. Why? Many of you actually made a load of money out of operating as cabin crew. £400 a sector wasn't it?
Heathrow terminal staff who volunteered have threatened to strike, if maxed out hours MF crew are redeployed to check in or other ground duties, where they may lose overtime opportunities. Gatwick ground staff VCC's are seeing their jobs (170 customer service and 400 ramp workers) jobs outsourced. Obviously if they had the spare time to be VCC's, they were overstaffed.
Back on topic, giving 15 commands away on the 767 fleet has not disadvantaged BA F/O's. Can someone explain that to me please, as many F/O's do not understand it either.