The gap between BA and Unite's own proposals was not £10m. Unite wanted all of the savings to be paid back. BA wanted permanent structural change which is what the airline needs to survive.

Under WW's tenure, a lot has been achieved with the unions through negotiations behind closed doors (T5 working practices, pensions, cost savings). BASSA has been the one exception and its failings have been well documented. If anything, the company has been too patient in the face of some extremly petulant behaviour and it should have brought this to a head 12 months ago.