BA faces lawsuit over pilot's behaviour

[Landflap]

Gosh, thought most airlines have a 'Terms & Conditions of Service' type of manual in addition to all the other regulations governing what we do and/or say while in the Company's time. DC3 suggests that a company cannot "control" what an employee does in his "downtime". Let us not confuse "downtime", with "layover" or "days off" etc. If on layover & on Company time then that company certainly can exercise "control" because the employee will be expected to behave in accordance with terms & conditions of service which will, almost certainly, dictate a level of appropriate behaviour. Yuck, I sound like a Lawyer ! By default, the company IS controling your behaviour. So, Wood should never have engaged in activity that might have brought the company into disrepute.Let us be clear here; while on company time. Do what you like on days off , down time etc if NOT on Company time.

For those who think that a guy who jumps into a Hotel bus with a back pack containing a Captain's uniform, changes into the uniform (where, in the back of the van, on the side of the road etc ?) , visits, regularly, in this fashion, schools etc and then returns in the van ( or are we suggesting it was the local school bus sent to collect him ?) and no-one notices or says anything , I say, bunkum ! Of course, it may not arouse suspicion of wrong doing. I did hundreds of trips where the crew stuck together & enjoyed very enjoyable times. By equal measure, there were those crew members who always did "their own thing" and we hardly ever saw them. But, there was always the odd chap and chapess who might behave in a slightly odd way who would attract attention.

[sudden twang]

Mr Wood was current as PIC on a multi engine type engaged in CAT. His employer/ passengers would have expected him to wear a captains uniform as its industry standard.
He wasn't therefore masquerading as a captain.
If he wasn't representing BA then he shouldn't/wouldn't wear a BA uniform.

[wiggy]

there was always the odd chap and chapess who might behave in a slightly odd way who would attract attention.

Define "odd"...

For example is it the crew members who miss beer call, claiming they don't drink? Perhaps it's those who tell a tale about not being around in the evening because they are "visiting relatives"? How odd are those who say they were in the gym at 2 in the morning? What about those who go birdwatching - should I be especially vigilant? I'm just asking because I've heard all of the above and lots more over the years and now wonder if I should have reported them? .......

Salem witch trials - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Hand Solo]

If he wasn't representing BA then he shouldn't/wouldn't wear a BA uniform.

It would appear fron the photos in the public domain he wasn't wearing a BA uniform.

[M.Mouse]

Mr Wood was current as PIC on a multi engine type engaged in CAT.

Er.....no he wasn't, he was a first officer not a captain.

Interestingly a good friend of mine knew him both in BA and in his previous life flying helicopters on the North Sea. His comment was that he just seemed a normal sort of guy i.e. no outward behaviour which might lead one to think he was a bit odd or suspicious.

A sorry tale all round really but like the woman Tania Head who claimed to be a survivor of 9/11 I cease to be surprised by the things some outwardly normal people get up to. It was ever thus.

[parabellum]

So, Wood should never have engaged in activity that might have brought the company into disrepute.

Yes and No, he wasn't acting for or on behalf of the company he was acting in his own name, as far as we know. Wearing a uniform with gold, not platinum, stripes, anyone seen the wings on the jacket or shirt? Can't convince myself about this, bottom line always used to be that if you mess about down route and attract the attention of the authorities then expect trouble from management when you get back.

[racedo]

Pay attention, racedo. He wasn't doing "any BA Charitable work". That has been made clear here, several times. Furthermore, an employer cannot control what people do in their down-time, whether they got somewhere on their employers aircraft, bus or bicycle

Wrong as evidenced by
"
At Easter 2002, he was among 20 crew members from two BA flights who volunteered to spend the holiday period with the Kenyan youngsters, showering the orphanage with presents, medicines and donations raised at home.
He told the UK news agency the Press Association, which covered the trip: ‘We play, sing, organise activities and generally entertain them. We become very close to the children.’


Airline staff do not all gather together and randomly turn up at an orphanage with orphanage being unaware of what is happening.


Has BA policies in place to ensure staff are vetted accessing children abroad ?
If not why not ?

[wiggy]

racedo

Can't speak for the specifics of the incident you describe but:

"Airline staff do not all gather together and randomly turn up at an orphanage with orphanage being unaware of what is happening"

I beg to differ because actually that's almost what does happen on occasions. Someone will have visited orphanage X before in their spare time, maybe on a previous trip. Next time they pitch up for a trip to said destination carrying a bag of goodies gathered from friends, neighbours and other crew members and usually mention that they are planning to visit said orphanage during the trip and asks if anyone wants to tag along to help out. There are usually volunteers

Has BA policies in place to ensure staff are vetted accessing children abroad ?
If not why not

Seeing as I suspect BA crews aren't the only ones helping out at orphanages downroute you'd better demand all airlines put in place suitable vetting...and you need to be aware that by doing so you'd kill of a lot of the practical help that the establishments currently get from airline crew members. IMHO rather than introducing vetting I suspect if pushed BA and other airlines will simply try to ban crewmembers from doing all such work downroute.

[beamender99]

Some more info

British Airways 'Paedophile Ring' Feared after Pilot's Suicide - IBTimes UK

[sharksandwich]

Stand by for the Witch Hunt.....and the protestations of innocence.

[Yellow Pen]

Wrong as evidenced by
"
At Easter 2002, he was among 20 crew members from two BA flights who volunteered to spend the holiday period with the Kenyan youngsters, showering the orphanage with presents, medicines and donations raised at home.
He told the UK news agency the Press Association, which covered the trip: ‘We play, sing, organise activities and generally entertain them. We become very close to the children.’

There's nothing in there that says he was working on behalf of, or representing, BA in his charity work. Sure he may have roped in some crew to volunteer over Easter, but they were volunteers just like him and didn't represent any sort of official BA charity presence. There's a lot of people on this thread trying to claim that this was some sort of BA sanctioned or sponsored charity activity. It wasn't. It was simply an individual doing his own thing and occasionally getting a few volunteers along from his crew for some legitimate charity work. The fact that he chose to 'big himself up' as a BA pilot is not BA's responsibility, any more than the fact that your average ex-Harrier pilot will let you know of the fact within minutes is the responsibility of the RAF!

As to the IBTimes article, in's interesting that lawyers are investigating claims that other BA staff were involved, but not the police. Hmmm.

[sudden twang]

M Mouse
Er.....no he wasn't, he was a first officer not a captain.

Er ....... Yes he was. Re read carefully exactly what I wrote. He was a Senior First Officer as well!

[wiggy]

S.T.

His employer/ passengers would have expected him to wear a captains uniform as its industry standard.

Senior First Officers in BA certainly are not be expected to wear a captain's uniform.......( or was I incorrectly dressed for over 15 years )

[sudden twang]

Wiggy
Mr Wood was a capt on a multi eng gas turbine powered aircraft. He wore a captains uniform. A black one with gold stripes. I have no idea what the wings badge looked like.
When flying a BA 767 he wore a blue uniform with 3 platinum stripes.
So you now know what you can do with your whilst I

[Yellow Pen]

Is any of that actually relevant? I doubt Ugandan slum kids or Nairobi orphanage workers know the difference or care. He probably dressed as Father Christmas one year, which presumably means the lawyer will be looking to sue Santa for his failure to protect them.

[M.Mouse]

Mr Wood was a capt on a multi eng gas turbine powered aircraft.

Which airline employed him as such?

[racedo]

There's nothing in there that says he was working on behalf of, or representing, BA in his charity work. Sure he may have roped in some crew to volunteer over Easter, but they were volunteers just like him and didn't represent any sort of official BA charity presence. There's a lot of people on this thread trying to claim that this was some sort of BA sanctioned or sponsored charity activity. It wasn't. It was simply an individual doing his own thing and occasionally getting a few volunteers along from his crew for some legitimate charity work.

Right and Press Association just randomly turn up at orphanages just in case a wandering flight crew happen by ??

[Yellow Pen]

No Press Association turn up at orphanages if somebody tells them there's something worth seeing there. Your huge assumption is that it was BA who told them that. Now what individual might have an interest in promoting an African orphanage? Hmmm.

I'd hazard a guess that Press Association turn up at quite a few events of this nature throughout the year, most of them with absolutely no connection to BA whatsoever. How could that be?

[racedo]

Seeing as I suspect BA crews aren't the only ones helping out at orphanages downroute you'd better demand all airlines put in place suitable vetting...and you need to be aware that by doing so you'd kill of a lot of the practical help that the establishments currently get from airline crew members. IMHO rather than introducing vetting I suspect if pushed BA and other airlines will simply try to ban crewmembers from doing all such work downroute.

Uk law will NOT allow anybody work with kids in UK unless they have CRB checks done.

Walking class of kids from school to swimming pool along with teachers requires any mum or dad to get a CRB check done, if kids are at 2 different schools then you required to get it done for both schools plus aiding scouts plus football clubs etc all require individual checks.

Fact is BA knew a member of its staff who was arrested and charged previously in relation to a child abuse allegation was present with other members of staff on a reported event. BA has its own media watch team that would have had details of who was involved in 2002. BA did not disassociate itself with 2002 activity it appears.

BA staff who volunteer to help in UK for school activities (and there are many thousands of BA staff doing this ) have to obtain CRB checks in advance but somehow requiring members of its staff to have the checks done when they volunteering overseas would stop the volunteering ? Doubt it very much.

Frankly the BA staff I have spoken to in the last week would welcome checks because it is their names that is getting tarnished and they want scumbags like this weeded out.

[qwertyuiop]

All UK pilots are CRB checked!