BA Management (Split From T5 Thread)
Highly automated systems + a wide variety of passenger variability = failure.
For example - and not BA or T5 - paid extra for the legroom of an emergency row exit seat (Virgin) - stand in queue for automated check in........and the machine rejects me and tells me to visit customer service, where I find that they need to check I'm not totally incapacitated if I'm sitting in that seat.
...Or the time I checked in and in front of me was a family of four (incl. two babies) returning home from a bicycle tour, complete with bikes, bike trailers, luggage, baby gear et al. Took the poor girl half an hour.
...or the time at CDG where there was a 100m queue of undocumented Africans trying to get on a flight to Britain.
Minor problems really, but now repeat that experience in Hungarian, Swahili, Mandarin, etc.
There is no substitute for plenty of experienced and helpful staff, but narcissistic management (being unable to empathise with anything or anyone) don't understand much of the human experience at all, and what they do see, they don't like. So they treat their staff as a cost of doing business.
To put it another way, from the ruthless "de - staffing" that appears to be apparent in T5, it's pretty obvious that BA management, from the Board down, see their staff as a liability, NOT an asset of the business.
For example - and not BA or T5 - paid extra for the legroom of an emergency row exit seat (Virgin) - stand in queue for automated check in........and the machine rejects me and tells me to visit customer service, where I find that they need to check I'm not totally incapacitated if I'm sitting in that seat.
...Or the time I checked in and in front of me was a family of four (incl. two babies) returning home from a bicycle tour, complete with bikes, bike trailers, luggage, baby gear et al. Took the poor girl half an hour.
...or the time at CDG where there was a 100m queue of undocumented Africans trying to get on a flight to Britain.
Minor problems really, but now repeat that experience in Hungarian, Swahili, Mandarin, etc.
There is no substitute for plenty of experienced and helpful staff, but narcissistic management (being unable to empathise with anything or anyone) don't understand much of the human experience at all, and what they do see, they don't like. So they treat their staff as a cost of doing business.
To put it another way, from the ruthless "de - staffing" that appears to be apparent in T5, it's pretty obvious that BA management, from the Board down, see their staff as a liability, NOT an asset of the business.
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Wheres the proof
As is usual on the PPRUNE forum the BA trolls will request proof beyond reasonable doubt the BA treat their staff as a liability........Where is it SUNFISH, your experience counts for nothing!!!!! Wouldn't it be nice if someone had that illusive proof........Just a thought........................
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Just to add.................
Here in MAN BA seem to have a strange way of handling customers bags.
Most of our shuttle services are operated by A319 recently these aircraft have become containerised only, this is because T5 is a container only terminal so Aviance here have been told.
Hence when the 4 containers are full, any extra baggage is to be rushed onto the next A/C, as there is no facility for bulk.
In the last few days i have seen in excess of 30 bags being dumped because of this ludicrous practice.............not only does it inconvenience the punter it must be costing a fortune to rush it on to the destination.
Does this happen at all shuttle stations in the U.K.?
ZFW
Here in MAN BA seem to have a strange way of handling customers bags.
Most of our shuttle services are operated by A319 recently these aircraft have become containerised only, this is because T5 is a container only terminal so Aviance here have been told.
Hence when the 4 containers are full, any extra baggage is to be rushed onto the next A/C, as there is no facility for bulk.
In the last few days i have seen in excess of 30 bags being dumped because of this ludicrous practice.............not only does it inconvenience the punter it must be costing a fortune to rush it on to the destination.
Does this happen at all shuttle stations in the U.K.?
ZFW
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Just to add.................
Here in MAN BA seem to have a strange way of handling customers bags.
Most of our shuttle services are operated by A319 recently these aircraft have become containerised only, this is because T5 is a container only terminal so Aviance here have been told.
Hence when the 4 containers are full, any extra baggage is to be rushed onto the next A/C, as there is no facility for bulk.
In the last few days i have seen in excess of 30 bags being dumped because of this ludicrous practice.............not only does it inconvenience the punter it must be costing a fortune to rush it on to the destination.
Does this happen at all shuttle stations in the U.K.?
ZFW
So no facility to load H5 baggage ???
And more to the point.......
Only 4 AKHs on an A319 !!!
Here in MAN BA seem to have a strange way of handling customers bags.
Most of our shuttle services are operated by A319 recently these aircraft have become containerised only, this is because T5 is a container only terminal so Aviance here have been told.
Hence when the 4 containers are full, any extra baggage is to be rushed onto the next A/C, as there is no facility for bulk.
In the last few days i have seen in excess of 30 bags being dumped because of this ludicrous practice.............not only does it inconvenience the punter it must be costing a fortune to rush it on to the destination.
Does this happen at all shuttle stations in the U.K.?
ZFW
So no facility to load H5 baggage ???
And more to the point.......
Only 4 AKHs on an A319 !!!
After reading the Telegraph article Bill of the Hamptons posted, the proximate cause of this T5 mess is now obvious.
BAA built a shopping mall disguised as an airport terminal - and produced a result that is a failure in both roles.
Why didn't BA see this coming? It's an old business axiom that you cannot be all things to all men - you need to focus on your core business and discard the rest. That's why the fashionable business conglomerates were such a failure in the 1970's.
BAA cannot run shopping malls and airports at the same time because over time, resources and energy are going to be focussed on the "wrong" projects.
BAA built a shopping mall disguised as an airport terminal - and produced a result that is a failure in both roles.
Why didn't BA see this coming? It's an old business axiom that you cannot be all things to all men - you need to focus on your core business and discard the rest. That's why the fashionable business conglomerates were such a failure in the 1970's.
BAA cannot run shopping malls and airports at the same time because over time, resources and energy are going to be focussed on the "wrong" projects.
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Can someone confrim that BA are operting a system described above where the aircraft pallets are not capable of lifting a standard load of passenger bags due to the complete inability of the shiny new palatial mall at Heathrow to deal with loose bags.....IS THIS FOR REAL ? If this is the case I would like confirmation because this will be BA and I parting company for good.
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Only 4 AKHs on an A319 !!!
Finnair and Swissair have these on their A319. Not very big but better than leaving bags behind.
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Amongst BA staff this was always an issue that had been anticipated when the A319 orders were placed and a large A320 order was canx. At the time we were responding to the anticipated downturn in traffic. The limitations of this aircrafts effect far more routes than just the shuttle. However, it might well be that another downturn in traffic is about to take place any day soon. Containerising the aircraft was mandatory for the move to T5 and is also a preference at many EU airports.
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Looking for a "new" Willie
In todays Observer.
BA lines up successor for Walsh
Headhunters asked to find potential replacement
* Tim Webb, industrial editor
* The Observer,
* Sunday May 11 2008
* Article history
About this article
Close
This article appeared in the Observer on Sunday May 11 2008 on p1 of the Business news & features section. It was last updated at 00:06 on May 11 2008.
British airways has appointed leading headhunter Whitehead Mann to find a possible successor for under-fire boss Willie Walsh. The airline has mandated the firm to fill the position of chief operations officer, newly created in the wake of the Terminal 5 fiasco.
But BA, which is expected to issue a profits warning when it announces full-year results this week, has told Whitehead Mann to recruit someone who could be considered as a candidate to succeed Walsh.
Carol Leonard, a partner at Whitehead Mann, confirmed that BA had appointed the firm in the past three weeks. 'BA hopes that this person could join the board in one or two years and be considered as a potential successor [to Walsh]. This person has got to prove themselves as a contender to take over.'
She said their first priority was to find a chief operating officer and that any succession would take place in 'five years plus'. But asked whether this would remain the case if the problems at Terminal 5 continued and the new recruit impressed the BA board, she declined to comment.
In a statement, BA said this weekend: 'The process of appointing a chief operating officer is ongoing and we are using a variety of ways to find the best candidate. We are looking for a person who has a wide range of operational experience and customer service knowledge. They must be at a very senior level already within their organisation and have proven leadership skills. The person will report directly to Willie Walsh and have in excess of 20,000 people in their department.'
The news that BA is looking for someone to be groomed as a possible successor to Walsh is likely to increase the pressure on the former pilot.
One day after the shambolic opening of Terminal 5, when asked if he would resign, he told a reporter that the 'buck stops with me'.
Two weeks later BA announced that David Noyes, director of customer service, as well as Gareth Kirkwood, director of operations, were leaving the company. The new chief operations officer will replace them.
This week shareholders are also bracing themselves for disappointment over BA's dividend plans. BA has not paid a dividend since 2001 but last summer said it would have a dividend policy in place by the end of March 2008.
Richard Marwood, of Axa Investment Managers, a top 10 BA shareholder, said: 'It would be disappointing if they didn't pay a final - dividends are very important - but not entirely surprising given the pressure they are under with the current fuel costs.'
Most attention at Friday's results will be on the airline's guidance for the current year. Collins Stewart estimates earnings this year of just £350m, compared with a £819m forecast for the year just ended.
Analysts also warn that this year operating margins could be as low as 3 per cent because of surging fuel costs, against last year's target of 10 per cent. Joe Gill from Goodbody Stockbrokers said: 'Airlines are in a worse situation than after the terrorist attacks of 11 September.'
BA lines up successor for Walsh
Headhunters asked to find potential replacement
* Tim Webb, industrial editor
* The Observer,
* Sunday May 11 2008
* Article history
About this article
Close
This article appeared in the Observer on Sunday May 11 2008 on p1 of the Business news & features section. It was last updated at 00:06 on May 11 2008.
British airways has appointed leading headhunter Whitehead Mann to find a possible successor for under-fire boss Willie Walsh. The airline has mandated the firm to fill the position of chief operations officer, newly created in the wake of the Terminal 5 fiasco.
But BA, which is expected to issue a profits warning when it announces full-year results this week, has told Whitehead Mann to recruit someone who could be considered as a candidate to succeed Walsh.
Carol Leonard, a partner at Whitehead Mann, confirmed that BA had appointed the firm in the past three weeks. 'BA hopes that this person could join the board in one or two years and be considered as a potential successor [to Walsh]. This person has got to prove themselves as a contender to take over.'
She said their first priority was to find a chief operating officer and that any succession would take place in 'five years plus'. But asked whether this would remain the case if the problems at Terminal 5 continued and the new recruit impressed the BA board, she declined to comment.
In a statement, BA said this weekend: 'The process of appointing a chief operating officer is ongoing and we are using a variety of ways to find the best candidate. We are looking for a person who has a wide range of operational experience and customer service knowledge. They must be at a very senior level already within their organisation and have proven leadership skills. The person will report directly to Willie Walsh and have in excess of 20,000 people in their department.'
The news that BA is looking for someone to be groomed as a possible successor to Walsh is likely to increase the pressure on the former pilot.
One day after the shambolic opening of Terminal 5, when asked if he would resign, he told a reporter that the 'buck stops with me'.
Two weeks later BA announced that David Noyes, director of customer service, as well as Gareth Kirkwood, director of operations, were leaving the company. The new chief operations officer will replace them.
This week shareholders are also bracing themselves for disappointment over BA's dividend plans. BA has not paid a dividend since 2001 but last summer said it would have a dividend policy in place by the end of March 2008.
Richard Marwood, of Axa Investment Managers, a top 10 BA shareholder, said: 'It would be disappointing if they didn't pay a final - dividends are very important - but not entirely surprising given the pressure they are under with the current fuel costs.'
Most attention at Friday's results will be on the airline's guidance for the current year. Collins Stewart estimates earnings this year of just £350m, compared with a £819m forecast for the year just ended.
Analysts also warn that this year operating margins could be as low as 3 per cent because of surging fuel costs, against last year's target of 10 per cent. Joe Gill from Goodbody Stockbrokers said: 'Airlines are in a worse situation than after the terrorist attacks of 11 September.'
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Why would Rod want to come back?
With his excellent pension, free firm First Class travel for life, I am sure he is very happy where he is.
They could start a little club. Bob and Rod as founder members with application form in the post for Willie......
With his excellent pension, free firm First Class travel for life, I am sure he is very happy where he is.
They could start a little club. Bob and Rod as founder members with application form in the post for Willie......
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The perfect team:
Chairman - Sir Alan Sugar (would take absolutely no crap whether it be from BAA or his favourite British newspaper - The Daily Mail!
)
CEO - Jeremy Clarkson (The most straigh-forward talking man in the country. Gets the job done and a huge patriot. He wouldn't let BA down!)
COO - Roy Hodgson (Getting Fulham Football Club out of that sh*thole was a stroke of genius - next step - get T5 sorted!)
Three men who would make BA and T5 the best people to be with!
Chairman - Sir Alan Sugar (would take absolutely no crap whether it be from BAA or his favourite British newspaper - The Daily Mail!
)CEO - Jeremy Clarkson (The most straigh-forward talking man in the country. Gets the job done and a huge patriot. He wouldn't let BA down!)
COO - Roy Hodgson (Getting Fulham Football Club out of that sh*thole was a stroke of genius - next step - get T5 sorted!)
Three men who would make BA and T5 the best people to be with!
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Jeremy is not that daft! This is the most poisoned of any chalices yet offered.
However, Sir Alan would be a great move - I can imagine him talking to manager after manager:
"You're Fired"!
Think of the charisma boost, the publicity boost, the ability boost. Problem would be the challenge, which he probably doesn't need, and if risk assessed properly would be a no-brainer to turn down.
However, Sir Alan would be a great move - I can imagine him talking to manager after manager:
"You're Fired"!
Think of the charisma boost, the publicity boost, the ability boost. Problem would be the challenge, which he probably doesn't need, and if risk assessed properly would be a no-brainer to turn down.