Willie Walsh is the man to head BA
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http://uk.news.yahoo.com/050308/325/fdx8w.html
Tuesday March 8, 12:33 PM
BA names new chief
LONDON (Reuters) - British Airways has appointed former Aer Lingus boss Willie Walsh as its new chief executive, Europe's second-largest airline says.
BA said in a statement on Tuesday the current CEO Rod Eddington, 55, would retire at the end of September this year.
Walsh, 43, who left the top job at Aer Lingus earlier this year, will start as chief executive designate on May 3.
"Many commentators have rightly said that Rod Eddington will be a hard act to follow, but I am completely confident that in Willie we have captured the very best person for the job," BA Chairman Martin Broughton said.
Sources confirmed on Monday that Eddington planned to return to his native Australia later this year.
Outspoken Eddington has slashed costs and cut 13,000 jobs during his tenure at BA and is credited with ensuring the airline survived a slump in global travel following the September 2001 attacks on the United States.
Walsh had been touted in the media as a potential candidate to succeed Eddington, but the market had not been expecting an appointment to be announced so soon.
BA shares rose 2.2 percent to 282-1/2 pence at 1220 GMT (12:20 p.m. British time).
Tuesday March 8, 12:33 PM
BA names new chief
LONDON (Reuters) - British Airways has appointed former Aer Lingus boss Willie Walsh as its new chief executive, Europe's second-largest airline says.
BA said in a statement on Tuesday the current CEO Rod Eddington, 55, would retire at the end of September this year.
Walsh, 43, who left the top job at Aer Lingus earlier this year, will start as chief executive designate on May 3.
"Many commentators have rightly said that Rod Eddington will be a hard act to follow, but I am completely confident that in Willie we have captured the very best person for the job," BA Chairman Martin Broughton said.
Sources confirmed on Monday that Eddington planned to return to his native Australia later this year.
Outspoken Eddington has slashed costs and cut 13,000 jobs during his tenure at BA and is credited with ensuring the airline survived a slump in global travel following the September 2001 attacks on the United States.
Walsh had been touted in the media as a potential candidate to succeed Eddington, but the market had not been expecting an appointment to be announced so soon.
BA shares rose 2.2 percent to 282-1/2 pence at 1220 GMT (12:20 p.m. British time).
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from RTE's website
Walsh named as new British Airways CEO
March 08, 2005 12:36
The former Aer Lingus boss Willie Walsh has been named as the new Chief Executive of British Airways.
BA, Europe's second largest airline, said in a statement that its current chief Rod Eddington, 55, would retire at the end of September this year.
Walsh, 43, who left the top job at Aer Lingus earlier this year, will start as chief executive designate on May 3.
'Many commentators have rightly said that Rod Eddington will be a hard act to follow, but I am completely confident that in Willie we have captured the very best person for the job,' BA Chairman Martin Broughton said.
Sources confirmed yesterday that Eddington planned to return to his native Australia later this year.
Outspoken Eddington has slashed costs and cut 13,000 jobs during his tenure at BA and is credited with ensuring the airline survived a slump in global travel following the September 2001 attacks on the US.
Walsh had been touted in the media as a potential candidate to succeed Eddington, but the market had not been expecting an appointment to be announced so soon.
There had been some speculation that Willie Walsh, along with Aer Lingus' former chief operations officer Seamus Kearney and the airline's finance director Brian Dunne were planning to establish a new airline themselves. The three announced their retirement from the national carrier in November.
March 08, 2005 12:36
The former Aer Lingus boss Willie Walsh has been named as the new Chief Executive of British Airways.
BA, Europe's second largest airline, said in a statement that its current chief Rod Eddington, 55, would retire at the end of September this year.
Walsh, 43, who left the top job at Aer Lingus earlier this year, will start as chief executive designate on May 3.
'Many commentators have rightly said that Rod Eddington will be a hard act to follow, but I am completely confident that in Willie we have captured the very best person for the job,' BA Chairman Martin Broughton said.
Sources confirmed yesterday that Eddington planned to return to his native Australia later this year.
Outspoken Eddington has slashed costs and cut 13,000 jobs during his tenure at BA and is credited with ensuring the airline survived a slump in global travel following the September 2001 attacks on the US.
Walsh had been touted in the media as a potential candidate to succeed Eddington, but the market had not been expecting an appointment to be announced so soon.
There had been some speculation that Willie Walsh, along with Aer Lingus' former chief operations officer Seamus Kearney and the airline's finance director Brian Dunne were planning to establish a new airline themselves. The three announced their retirement from the national carrier in November.
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Be aware BA staff and especially the untouchables whom Rod didnt take out. WW and his gestapo hench people will knife and dispose of you. Ruthless would be an understatement. He emptied head office in AL and he'll do the same again on a grander scale.
He's not a peoples person and back slapping management lunchs will be culled. This guy is soley cost driven and I can see mega strikes happening in BA as he culls away the fat.
A mega embaressment to the irish inept government. They still havent replaced WW and AL are just an airline in a vacum.
WW wanted to buy out AL. In time he'll achieve his dream as I reckon through BA he'll buy a majority stake hold in AL and AL will eventually become a feeder to BA and its long haul ops.
WW must be chuckling at Bertie Ahern now. Also MO'L I'd say is pleased WW is out of his hair as I reckon of all the CX's out there MO'L was wary of WW.
A massive win for BA.......A dreadful embarrasment for the Irish goverment which high lights their dismal dealings with aviation.
He's not a peoples person and back slapping management lunchs will be culled. This guy is soley cost driven and I can see mega strikes happening in BA as he culls away the fat.
A mega embaressment to the irish inept government. They still havent replaced WW and AL are just an airline in a vacum.
WW wanted to buy out AL. In time he'll achieve his dream as I reckon through BA he'll buy a majority stake hold in AL and AL will eventually become a feeder to BA and its long haul ops.
WW must be chuckling at Bertie Ahern now. Also MO'L I'd say is pleased WW is out of his hair as I reckon of all the CX's out there MO'L was wary of WW.
A massive win for BA.......A dreadful embarrasment for the Irish goverment which high lights their dismal dealings with aviation.
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aaaarrrrgggghhhh!!
I for one do not welcome our penny pinching overlords! [ob simpson ref]
That's the end of upgrades to WT+ for me I guess... Skyteam and Star will be delighted.
So are the shareholders going to front up now and ask if BA's brand is going to go down the toilet like EI's? It will also be interesting to know what the Irish Govt's reaction is, since one option for EI's future was BA taking a stake.
I for one do not welcome our penny pinching overlords! [ob simpson ref]
That's the end of upgrades to WT+ for me I guess... Skyteam and Star will be delighted.
So are the shareholders going to front up now and ask if BA's brand is going to go down the toilet like EI's? It will also be interesting to know what the Irish Govt's reaction is, since one option for EI's future was BA taking a stake.
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I can't see WW being too pre-occupied with wanting to buy a stake in Lingus, at least not in the beginning of his new career. I for one hope he does well in his new position, although i'll bet M O'Leary is keeping a close eye on this 
S.C.
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Dear oh dear, the two biggest airlines operating in the UK controlled by Irishmen???
WTF is the world coming to!
What must Lord King and Colin Marshall think.........
WTF is the world coming to!
What must Lord King and Colin Marshall think.........
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Completely agree with Bearcat here; this is a huge embarrassment to the Irish govt which as you say, only highlights their lack of interest in aviation. That said, I think the incoming CEO (interviews being held next week) will be holding out for some pretty cast iron assurances re funding and US access.
One possibility, as a result of Open Skies, is that BA could set up a long haul operation in Ireland ... once the stopover is out of the way.
Isn't it interesting, though, that even though WW is to take over BA, the biggest threat to EI's success on long haul routes is not BA, but the Irish govt; doesn't that just make you very cheesed off.
Personally, I hope Bertie's handling of the whole EI issue will come back and hit him in the face; sadly, it looks like it was all just a big gamble which worked; EI was sacrificed to the unions, as part of Bertie's socialist principles and now it looks like he'll walk in next time.
Interesting too, to see that the union's influence extends to the new terminal as well; they're intent on building the new terminal on the site of the old hangars, even though its growth will be restrained by its proximity to the new parallel runway; they are apparently willing to reject the idea of a terminal on McEvaddy's Huntstown land, "because they don't want to see a private individual profiting from a state infrastructural project". This has "union" written all over it.
One possibility, as a result of Open Skies, is that BA could set up a long haul operation in Ireland ... once the stopover is out of the way.
Isn't it interesting, though, that even though WW is to take over BA, the biggest threat to EI's success on long haul routes is not BA, but the Irish govt; doesn't that just make you very cheesed off.
Personally, I hope Bertie's handling of the whole EI issue will come back and hit him in the face; sadly, it looks like it was all just a big gamble which worked; EI was sacrificed to the unions, as part of Bertie's socialist principles and now it looks like he'll walk in next time.
Interesting too, to see that the union's influence extends to the new terminal as well; they're intent on building the new terminal on the site of the old hangars, even though its growth will be restrained by its proximity to the new parallel runway; they are apparently willing to reject the idea of a terminal on McEvaddy's Huntstown land, "because they don't want to see a private individual profiting from a state infrastructural project". This has "union" written all over it.
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Judging by the bio that WW gets anywhere he appears on the net there are some VERY difficult times ahead for BA staff. I don't think there is very much compassion there! I wish all at BA lots of luck because you are going to need it!