To be frank, I was really moved by a very very long conversation with a training CSD on a flight last week. She was completely distraught by the whole situation being pulled on one side by BASSA and the other side by BA the company she loved. Everytime she talked of her stress she clasped her heart and talked of the painful stress this was all causing. Without exageration this was causing her physical harm.

The issue to me isn't about all the things we discuss here but it's about several issues emnating from the extraordinary heritage of this group of CC and the skills they have and passion they have and were appropriate to BA but may be less so for the current age. They have skin in BA is not just pay and rations it's highly emotive. In the pop business I'd call them "Artistes" because they are very emotive about what it is they do. I believe that they actually see themselves as permanent custodians of the BA heritage and WW as temporary.

On the other side we have WW's driving unemotive personality. I think CC feel that they have been dealt with by WW rudely and in a disrespectful and unapreciative way. And they are right. I think he is an excellent driving manager but he is managing a feeling workfoce - and he is doing that bit badly.

I could of course be absolutely wrong but I think it's this that is at the heart of the issue.