Damn! Wrote a reply and got kicked off line again. Anyway, the gist was apologies, MPN11. Forgot the number and it wouldn't let me scroll down! The connection here is a little contrary. All changed now.

No probs, JSL.

As long as you work from LGW, you're a good person xxx

Why don't you two book a room?

It's an interesting thought. However, some of us try to stay reasonably adult and professional. :)

Ignorant or arrogant?
 

If you read the comments on the Guardian thread, there are some truly hilarious attempts by BASSAmentalists to try and spin things. Witness these two choice examples:

Life is different on the planet BASSA.

:zzz:

( Article here: BA strike 'inevitable', says union | Business | guardian.co.uk )

If only that were true. Then we wouldn't get bogged down by every little drama/tantrum that happens up the road and I could change my job title back from "Cabin Crew But I Didn't Strike" to plain old Cabin Crew! I wouldn't have to fear that any CV I sent out would be rejected purely for having the words BA and cabin crew in the same sentence and we might even end up being run by people that care about and understand the LGW operation and mixed flying. To be honest, having people that actually remember we exist for something other than strike breaking would be a bonus right now! (This in no way a criticism of the LGW managers. They do a great job in difficult circumstances and continually fight our corner but when it comes to the big stuff, their hands are tied.)

Before anyone jumps on me, I am perfectly aware that without the LHR operation we would probably not exist in any form at all but I can dream....

This really rang a bell for me, I hear my partner saying this all the time. She shares your pain.... keep well. :ok:

Spare a thought too for some of us crew at LHR that came to work. It is not all as black and white as some posters like to paint.

We are all being tarred with the same brush. I too, like Jetset Lady, long for the day when mentioning you are Brithish Airways cabin crew does not mean you the have to talk about the strike and explain that you didn't strike.

There is a perception hear that Gatwick = Good and Heathrow = Bad and that is not true. Just because some very misguided crew chose to strike does not mean that all crew at LHR are not good. Many crew are very dedicated at both LHR and LGW (strikers and non-strikers alike).

Unfortunately a minority led by a nutty union is getting alot of press and quite frankly ruinning it for crew at both airports. Lucky for you crew at Gatwick because you are not right in the middle of it, working with strikers and non-strikers mixed up together. I can tell you it is very hard at LHR right now whether you striked or did not strike. I just pray it does get sorted out soon.

Please rest assured that the majority of passengers have a great experience when flying out of either airport and regularily I get passengers saying to me, that they thought from all the press that their flight might have been bad but in fact it was great and give me a big thank you as they get off. Then I feel better about things and remember that, that's why I love my job so much.

Don't worry Betty Girl, I think that many of the public now know that the strike was a classic post 1970s strike by a small group who think that - just because it has been so, thus it shall be.

Given that an article in the BBC this week showed that many working folks think that the idea of retirement, as developed in the latter stages of the 20th Century, will not exist for them - there are enough realists out there.

Those that have been in a safe seat (pun intended) for 20+ years have no real idea what redundancy and unemployment at aged 45 feels like. Yes, it might have happened to their friends but, like divorce and other life changing events - until you have been in it - you have no idea.

It looks like this dispute is going to turn out OK for you that have worked and understood that the good times are over. Hopefully, we can all have some 'not so bad after all' times. ;)

Betty Girl writes......................................We loyal BA pax owe it to likes of BG & the majority of loyal CC to continue to BACK BA!
That's the most effective way to ensure that Bassa/ Unite fail totally in their quest to scupper this still great airline.

Betty Girl, there was no intention to cast aspersions on LHR crew. I was just demonstrating the contempt that BASSA hold for LGW; how they dare criticise when they sold them down the river is beyond me.

I fully support everyone who has refused to toe the BASSA line. You are heros (and heroines) one and all.

The sooner the obstinate few are removed from BASSA the better. If only they could start with Duncan Donut, who is well past his sell by date.

I am more inclined to remove the obstinate from BA rather than BASSA!
Myopic, militant intransigence coupled with a BA destructive mindset is no characteristic welcome in any employment, let alone an aircraft.

The sooner these people are totally identified and moved on the better for the airline,management and loyal employees who have made significant efforts to keep the brand alive

ChicoG,
I haven't taken any of yours or anyone elses post to heart and I do understand why people would want to praise Gatwick crew because they do do a great job.

I just wanted people, who maybe haven't flown BA for a while, to know that you can have a great flight out of Heathrow too and all the good crew, that they flew with on their past flights, are still there.

Many thanks for all the support you passengers have shown us non-strikers. Strangely I had some of my best flights ever during the strikes!!!and saw lots of loyal Gold card holders on all of my flights. Thanks all of you for keeping the faith.

Boxkite,
whilst I can understand your perspective, and do not necessarily disagree, (and, as a manager, have had to carry out the sort of action that you suggest), I'll revert to my oft-repeated comment. This has been going on for 40 years at BA. The behaviour from some BA CC is how BA managers have taught them to behave. If you've only ever worked for BA - and have seen how to behave over many years, then you know nothing else, and customers shouldn't be surprised if past behaviour is repeated
Whilst Betty, Eddy and some others at lhr use applied common sense, generally BA managers get the TUs that the managers past behaviour have deserved.

naturally, I exclude the sensible real-world CC down at lgw.

Sigh...how did I know that post was coming!

Betty Girl,

I was merely commenting on a quote in the paper stating that LGW crew are not "proper" BA. There are bad and good crew at both bases and most people are fully aware of that but this particular quote was about crew at Gatwick. Just Gatwick. Not Gatwick and Heathrow. Gatwick alone!

2 strikers on current trip. We've talked. We've agreed to disagree. We've got on with the job and each other. That's the way it usually works at LGW and I'm damned if I'm going to apologise for it. Ironically, it appears that most of the "kids", as BASSA seems to think we all are, working at LGW are more mature than some of the so called adults elsewhere.

I am not really sure why you are having a go at me Jetset Lady.

I haven't critisised you at all, infact I agreed with you and I also said what great crews there were at Gatwick.

I worked out of Gatwick from 1988 to 1993 so I know exactly how Gatwick crew feel about being the second cousin down the road.

I was just worried that some SLF might have got the feeling that Heathrow crew didn't care anymore and most of us care very much.

I think only about 150 crew striked at Gatwick so I really think you can have NO idea at all what it is like working at Heathrow at the momment.

When I said lucky for you I meant it literally, yes you are very lucky, it is very hard because striker or non striker, you cannot even discuss the strike at work because it is such a sensitive issue. It is just a dark cloud hanging over us and YES we would love to be able to air our views and then get over it but that is not possible up here. It is impossible to even mention it unless you are completely sure a crew member holds your views.

I think that maybe that's why I post on here to help me get some of my feelings out.

JSL,

You've taken the words out of my mouth. I was just about to reply to BettyGirl about the situation at LGW. I've flown with strikers here at LGW myself and we didn't have an issue with each other. We respect each other's decision and got on with service and the job in hand. We've had no problems socialising together either.

I think the key factor here is respect. Both sides should have respect for each other's decision - at both bases, simple as that.

I'll leave it now, before I get modded (is that a real word?)

Sorry, Betty Girl. It's not intended. Just chalk me up as an over tired, slightly crabby purser that seems to have spent many hours defending a much loved base. I know you have it tough up the road and I don't envy you a bit for what you are currently going through. It is undeniably easier down here in that department for the reasons that both I and MIDLGW have mentioned but we do still have our problems. It's just that many of ours are not strike related and therefore, currently appear to be of little or no importance to those that reside in Waterside. It's a bitter pill to swallow sometimes.

MIDLGW
Well that's really great for you both.

Can't quite understand why having a go at me because life is so wonderful at Gatwick helps anyone.

But very glad for you that it is all so civilised down there!
Added-
Posted this before reading Jetsets new post. Thanks Jetset I did wonder if it was because you were tired.