The Airport Dog at Benbecula.

[aztruck]

A chum of mine was employed as a consultant to the world's favourite etc. etc. some years ago.
Whilst investigating the byzantine management architecture (his words) he told me the story of the Airport Dog, the cost of which was shared by BA and BAA, and the function of which was to scare birds.....hmm.
It was claimed that Ba's accounting system was so all encompassing that it was possible to trace the cost of the tin of dog food back to the hound of Benbecula.
Does the Dog still exist,is he/she still on the payroll and is he/she Management or Ground Crew?
....And does anyone know the price of half a can of BA dog food?

[Kalium Chloride]

A "Chum" of yours? Sure you don't mean "Pal" ?

:D

[mainfrog2]

The food only cost 50p per can but the procedures and management hierachy meant it cost £5.50 to put in the bowl.

[The Guvnor]

Is the hound a CAA approved Postholder? And which union does s/he belong to - or is s/he classed as management? :eek: :D :eek:

Perhaps this is where the expression to "throw your manager a bone" comes from?

[Bally Heck]

A wizard wheeze because Benbeculiar is operated by Highlands and Island Airports and may be owned by the MOD. (Not sure about that one)

[Spoonbill]

Yes - the airport dog was a fine servant, and provided the staff with many a wee dram over the Christmas period, damn fine stuff it was too :D :p (Bottles to the airport manager?! - oh never mind :rolleyes: :)
Benbecula is owned by HIA, (the MOD own the 300m starter extension on runway 24 as they built it :) )

[ 12 December 2001: Message edited by: Spoonbill ]

[snooky]

Senior Manager Scottish Island pets decided that the waste on dog food was unacceptable (after consultation with dog food cost analysts department at a weekend meeting in Bermuda).

The dog food was therefore replaced by a deli bag (in consultation with the senior management at deli bags- Scottish islands and a full cost analysis by their department).

Obviously other cost cutting was necessary to pay for these in depth reviews, so the Benbecula route was franchised and overall the exercise was almost cost neutral (apart from the cost of the stream and the plants in the senior managers' offices).

Extra management are now being recruited to ensure that waste on dog food does not reoccur, and flight crew will forego their usual extra week of pay in November until these savings are in place.

[HugMonster]

A while ago I understood that Stansted Airport Ltd. had a flock of sheep to keep the grass down (away from operating areas). It was therefore the only major airport anywhere to have a shepherd on its staff. Is this still the case?

[In trim]

I was in an AOC (Airline Operators Committee) meeting in Rotterdam last year when the Airport Director walked in with the newest member of staff on his arm.....a bird of prey. The proposal was to hire a full time falconer, and the bird of prey, for some environmentally friendly bird control!

[Ace Rimmer]

Would that be big Roland? top bloke

[TightSlot]

What breed of dog was/is it? (just curious)

[sparnell]

I think it was a beagle or maybe a pup!

[Katy]

Beagle Terrier of course

(or was that a high wing, single-engined monoplane)

[TimS]

'Air'dale ???

[Wycombe]

Is that den of iniquity the "Dark Island" still going strong?

[Spoonbill]

:D Ahh....... The Dark Island.... that place made my head hurt on more occassions than I'd care to remember.... :)

[buck-rogers]

TVR Cars has a dog on the staff payroll with an expense account. Ned, A German Pointer, has a bad habbit of sniffing out the shop floor staff packed lunches and eating them because cheese and ham butties taste beter than the canned stuff. Replacement lunches can be put down on Ned's company account.

The Automotive Dog at Blackpool. :D

[moggie]

Leeds/Bradford (I think)have had a bird of prey on the payroll for years to help control birds on the airport. I believe they also tried dressing a bloke up in a big Owl suit to scare the poor little sparrows to death, and it worked!

Of course it may not have been Leeds, it was a few years ago now and I am getting old and loosing my marbles.

[sickBocks]

I heard that the dog has since been promoted and is now a Senior Performance Manager at Waterside.

sB

[In trim]

Ace Rimmer,

Yes, it was Roland. Top bloke, but a little 'off the wall' at times.

In trim.

[nickp]

Berlin Templehof had a shepherd and flock of sheep for years. He was a real character, complete with crook and large cape.

[deeps]

Used to be a shepherd, flock of sheep and dogs on the airfield at La Rochelle when I was instructing there. Shepherd was a waste of space (spent all his time reading his Bible) but the dogs knew exactly when their flock was in mortal danger. Good heads up for me as instructor, as well.

[2 six 4]

Things at Benbeculiar have been so bad since Sept 11th they have called in the Official Retreiver.

:eek: :D :eek:

[Pom Pax]

The old Kalgoorlie Airport had a large white cat, his collar had a tag with his name "Concorde" and address and Ansett's phone number. Must have been the only departure lounge with a cat flap in the air side door. When the airport relocated he was the only member of staff not to move, opting to take his pension in a regular supply of cans.

[Dan Winterland]

Queens Regulations for the Royal Air Force still have details on how to claim money to feed cats for rodent control.

[tired]

That doesn't surprise me...... :D

[aztruck]

I would like to apply for the job. As an equal opportunity employer BA should have no problem with dog discrimination clauses, and I have no problem crawling around on my hands and knees looking for birds.
I'm line trained and respond well to Commands, and can woof in morse.
Failing that, can I apply as a tin of dog food?
(I will be the one under the table wagging his tail at the Gatbash)

[PilotsPal]

aztruck - you have been castrated, haven't you? Entire male dogs can be such a nuisance.

[Jetscream 32]

The dog is nowhere to be seen, but last week we had a delayed departure due to 2 of them on the runway, then the following day the same happened to us @ Stornoway, me thinks the dogs barking network works better than ours!

The Dark Island, still going and still the only place to be seen in that hip place called the Outer Hebrides.

Hang on to your hats! :D :D :D :p

[dingducky]

aztruck do you like to be eaten by dogs? <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="wink.gif" border="0"> :) <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

[flt_lt_w_mitty]

There was a rumour that the dog was related to a Wolf or to some Dutch breed but that has been denied.

In any case, the BA 'Future Size and Shape' team have already identified this as a 'must-go' item, and the 10 strong management team to handle the budgetary implications of this are being recruited right now. They deny they are barking up the wrong tree (not many of those on Benbeculiar!).

I heard the poor animal had gone awol. The airport police there are looking for a lead.

[talkingsuit]

What do ya mean a beagle or pup...the man just said that it was a falcon.

[Anti Skid On]

I saw a pack of strays running across the apron at Porlamar in Venezuela - then someone let them into the terminal!

On the subject of mad places, here in NZ Gisborne has a railway line that runs across the runway - and on finals not only do you need 3 greens for gear down and locked, but a green signal that there is no train coming. Apparently the bridge up the line collapsed and there hasn't been any trains for years, but still most odd!

[Tcas climb]

If it's not a Border Collie, it's just a dog.

My Border Collie is smarter than your honor student.

It's hard to be humble, when you own a Border Collie.

Border Collies the worlds smartest dog.

Border Collies often imitated....Never duplicated.

I'd rather be working with my Border Collie.

What kind of dogs I have?? Well.....