Originally Posted by Leanne
...in the era of rising fuel costs they wish to maintain exec salaries - not to mention a healthy annual bonus - so the way to acheive the aim is understaffing,undertraining,high turnover...
Interesting point.
As long as shareholders demand ever-higher profits and returns on their investment, the improvements on last year's margin will have to come from somewhere.
People aren't complaining as much when BA post a record profit, though, are they?
I know it's more complicated than this, but in our current state of "kleptocracy" (where, for instance, runaway compensation for "talented" top execs is the exception rather than the rule), the only way to shareholders to vote is by finding a new board to set things right. You think BA have problems - you should see UA (Tilton got
$20 million for bringing that sad excuse for an airline out of bankruptcy).
The only way for customers to vote is with their feet. And, unfortunately, not enough are doing so to make any material difference.
It may sound harsh, but BA as a company (
not the legions of wonderful employees) don't care about you, or me. BA care about the money they can make from us and the millions like us. If BA can still make money by employing sub-standard call centre employees and levying audacious, price-gouging "surcharges" -- and assume that we will take it on the chin (which we probably will...), then they will continue to do so, plain and simple.
The market likes the outcome, and designates Willie Walsh and others as their chief decisionmakers. When Willie decides to make unpopular changes, it is because shareholders (indirectly) have entrusted him with the authority to do so.
Which is it going to be? Have your cake, or eat it?
