British Airways Centenary Becomes A PR Nightmare
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Strikes rarely bring good things - especially when the public does not see the employee's problem.
Paxing All Over The World
Striking may appeal to many and be seen as the way forward. In my 40 years of observing British life (as an adult) I can only think of two or three occaisions when it has. They were to do with equal pay and equality of opportunites. But bear in mind, that those issues are still not resolved. Since British Mgmt sees it as a do-or-die issue, expect no way forward.
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Striking may appeal to many and be seen as the way forward. In my 40 years of observing British life (as an adult) I can only think of two or three occaisions when it has. They were to do with equal pay and equality of opportunites. But bear in mind, that those issues are still not resolved. Since British Mgmt sees it as a do-or-die issue, expect no way forward.
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Heathrow Slots Owned in Perpetuity ?
[QUOTE=Geriaviator;10567592]Sad to see the decline of what was once a world leader. Surprised that nobody seems to recall that BA owns half the slots at Heathrow simply because they were once reserved for domestic flights -- essential to Scottish business, even more to both parts of Ireland where the train is not an option...…}
Yes. I am sad to see BA Managers getting bonuses for a profit that they have done nothing to create.
Yes. I am sad to see BA Managers getting bonuses for a profit that they have done nothing to create.
Paxing All Over The World
cessnaxpilot
Not at all. I am saying that mgmt have only themselves to blame for this mess. Sadly, striking will not improve the mess. Mgmt failed but everyone loses.
Are you saying it’s best to just comply with management in their desire to lower costs and reward management and the shareholders? Don’t advocate for yourself for a competitive wage? And by “competitive”, I mean for your industry and qualifications on a market basis.
Did anyone watch last night's Channel 5 programme on BA. I thought it was really interesting. What I didn't like was the Y seats being replaced from 9 a breast to 10 a breast. They look just like the short haul seats on Easy. Do they actually recline?
All that fiddling around with cabin service reminded me of my training at Cranebank. We learnt how to use a spoon and fork properly and serve from a trolley, not moan about a stiff paif of tongs! Poor thing couldn't even pick up a tart with them!
All that fiddling around with cabin service reminded me of my training at Cranebank. We learnt how to use a spoon and fork properly and serve from a trolley, not moan about a stiff paif of tongs! Poor thing couldn't even pick up a tart with them!
Anyway - latest I heard on BBC News this morning is that BA Pilots/BALPA are planning a "super strike" in October to bring BA to its knees, something that will cost the airline "at least 400 million pounds" IIRC.
Is this really a sane way for any union / member of staff to carry on ? Could BA go out of business and IAG build up Iberia instead, totally unconcerned that some BA staff wipe out the company in its nominal 100th year?
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BA management are girding up for a fight. They are notifying pax due to fly at the end of the month of cancellations scheduled more than 14 days ahead to avoid compensation payments in the event of a 27 September strike so it looks like they are in no mood for compromise and are expecting further disruption. So it is hardly surprising that the pilots are not backing down either. I don't know why BA can't offer the staff shares, or similar, and a voice on the board so they can participate in the success of the airline and be involved in its future. I was a frequent BOAC flyer in the old days (got the badge etc) and it is really sad to see this situation.
Pegase Driver
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For most of my career I regarded the UK aviation system being CAA or BA or its safety culture and what they represented with admiration. How can they in a few years only go down where they are now ?
Perhaps it is time for the idea of a national airline to go. The economic competition from low cost carriers is making the full service/national airlines marginal, especially as they usually have sub scale integrated operations including training, maintenance etc.
The example of the shipping industry is a relevant guide, the national carriers did not survive, but rather were replaced by the likes of a Maersk or a Carnival Cruises, specialized and ruthlessly efficient global players with only two or three surviving competitors.
If BA management shares that perception, they will be looking to reposition the enterprise accordingly, irrespective of the short term disruption. The core BA asset from that perspective is the preponderant London slot ownership, rather than the existing staff.
The example of the shipping industry is a relevant guide, the national carriers did not survive, but rather were replaced by the likes of a Maersk or a Carnival Cruises, specialized and ruthlessly efficient global players with only two or three surviving competitors.
If BA management shares that perception, they will be looking to reposition the enterprise accordingly, irrespective of the short term disruption. The core BA asset from that perspective is the preponderant London slot ownership, rather than the existing staff.
Can I also ask if you are of the opinion that retaining "BA management" whilst "repositioning the enterprise" would guarantee ( as much as that is ever possible) the future of the enterprise itself?
I see that IAG have just been advised by the EU that it isn’t being classed as an EU owned airline. I also noticed that its European competitors led by LH and AF were putting pressure on the Brussels to do something about it, which could be a breakup of IAG.
What that would mean for future industrial relations is anyone’s guess. Would make it easier for BA to issue shares to its staff for profit share though.
What that would mean for future industrial relations is anyone’s guess. Would make it easier for BA to issue shares to its staff for profit share though.
Last edited by hunterboy; 14th Sep 2019 at 09:23. Reason: punctuation
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Maybe the survival of BA doesn't matter to managers
The example of the shipping industry is a relevant guide, the national carriers did not survive, but rather were replaced by the likes of a Maersk or a Carnival Cruises, specialized and ruthlessly efficient global players with only two or three surviving competitors.
If BA management shares that perception, they will be looking to reposition the enterprise accordingly, irrespective of the short term disruption.
If BA management shares that perception, they will be looking to reposition the enterprise accordingly, irrespective of the short term disruption.
Last edited by oscarisapc; 14th Sep 2019 at 09:23. Reason: change impossible to difficult last line
The enterprise, in this view, rests on the effective ownership of air access to London, still the global financial hub. The restructured entity would control that asset still, no matter what the name.
Last edited by etudiant; 14th Sep 2019 at 11:27.
The navel gazing by some here has only one logical outcome. No company is too important or too large to fail, as those employed by Pan-Am discovered.
If by ownership of air access to London you mean the London slots, these are not owned but allocated. They can just as easily be re-allocated. If BA, by strikes, management incompetence, whatever, is unable or unwilling to provide a dependable use of those slots then they should be re-allocated. The slots are not there to provide life long employment to anyone.
The navel gazing by some here has only one logical outcome. No company is too important or too large to fail, as those employed by Pan-Am discovered.
The navel gazing by some here has only one logical outcome. No company is too important or too large to fail, as those employed by Pan-Am discovered.
I do not know what process is used to allocate them, but it was very contentious iirc last time when some were reallocated, possibly after the Pan Am demise. Obviously the government has ultimate authority, but presumably there is compensation if slots are removed by decree.
So they are a huge BA/IAG asset right now which should remain intact even if BA/IAG gets massively restructured, as long as the enterprise continues to maintain the current usage level. That leaves plenty of room for massive personnel and policy changes.
etudiant, like so much that is coming under the spotlight these days, the concept that slots are an asset that can be bought and sold along with the operator that they are allocated to needs revisiting. BA has absorbed many airlines into its own operation (including many that preceded it as we are reminded by its so called centenary). Many of those operators held London slots that then became added to those already allocated to BA). Does BA therefore own these slots that they paid good money for when buying otherwise worthless airlines (I speak as Devil's advocate of course)? The answer legally is no. The answer politically? Anybody's guess, but I suggest that those advocating those slots be denied at their whim to the travelling public need to take into account the possibility of being hoist by their own petard.