BA staff walkout @ LHR

[Paterbrat]

Pprune is a place where we congregate to observe, to chat and hopefully to learn something of interest or value to us. In this particular thread those contributors interested or concerned by the action have voiced various opinions and I with them. Recently a couple of things have caught my attention. One was an offer as a regular pax which arrived in my office box.

"BA have trialled this to good effect. People have turned up at 0045 for a 0130 departure. The baggage labels and the boarding passes are already printed, and thus families will need to spend very little time sitting around the airport or being in queues. Staff will need the passengers names, nationality, telephone number (Mobile if possible), number of bags to be checked in, and to where.The staff will then advise back at what time the 'TUTO' customers need to turn up at the airport."

Now this to me is an attractive offer. I do not like the long lines and delays entailed to which I am regularly subjected to as a pax particularly because in my other capacity I get through pretty quick and get to sit in the best seat in the house, and the one that gets all the view. One of these long lines is at the check in counter.

The second thing that has just caught my eye was an aviation related report about a major US carrier that is struggling with the rest to survive which has embarked on a program to help passengers cut waiting time, reduce frustration, add flexibility and empower them in seat changes and checking in. It has already begun implimenting the technology that will enable pax to check themselves in. Tickets can now be bought online and smart terminals at the airport enable the pax to check themselves in at the airport . LaGuardia has these smart terminals and pax are getting familiar with and liking them. 14 million pax have used 670 of them to date and more are coming.

When all companies are looking increasingly harder at ways to improve efficiancy, cut costs, be more competative in these tight financial times, the pain and cost of a strike to both BA 's pocket and reputation is something that cannot be ignored. It is struggling to survive along with the rest of us.

There was an oil embargo once which demonstrated vulnerability to the oil producers, it spurred a massive search for alternative areas. The result was not quite what the users of the origional oil weapon had intended and their weapon was neutralised. The witholding of services may well spur efforts to do without those services and find alternative ways of achieving the required results. It may not be quite the result that the striking check in staff would have wanted or like.