Goodbye to all our remaining USA based ground staff
Jul 14, 2017, 7:37 pm
#63
Join Date: Jul 2006
Programs: BA something, Luftwaffe SEN, CX Gold, Pilsbury Doughboy Fanclub, and lots of Amex cards
Posts: 1,906
Some of the JFK staff are the best airline staff I have ever encountered anywhere.
On many occasions they have saved my a** by a) going well above and beyond, by b) knowing exactly what they can and can't do and c) how to do it.
The race to the bottom continues..
On many occasions they have saved my a** by a) going well above and beyond, by b) knowing exactly what they can and can't do and c) how to do it.
The race to the bottom continues..
Jul 14, 2017, 11:57 pm
#64
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: USA
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 524
Very sad news. Was very impressed by the BA staff. They also handle the JAL flight. I was travelling with a baby and the BA staff was super helpful, from check-in to helping us during the boarding process.
Both BOS and JFK are very large stations for BA and i am very surprised by this change.
Both BOS and JFK are very large stations for BA and i am very surprised by this change.
Jul 15, 2017, 12:10 am
#65
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: KSA
Programs: BA LTG, UA Gold, EK Silver, Hilton LT Diamond, Marriott LT Titanium, IHG Plat
Posts: 1,242
Hard to knock BA on this, it's what's happening everywhere. In the industry I work in there is widespread replacement of those with many years of experience (read expensive) with much more junior (read low cost) staff. If a senior person leaves they re-advertise at a grade or two below for the same role and much lower wages. Sure the quality of work goes down, customer's get peed off, but if everyone is doing it then the new lower standard prevails.
Some call it efficiency, some the effects of globalisation, some blame the old who already have a stash and restrict the youth from getting a house, a car etc etc
Life is generally tough and nothing lasts forever. I wish the old BA staff well (particularly the lounge manager in SFO) but as one door closes another opens and he may well find a way better job than the one he now has (had).
Some call it efficiency, some the effects of globalisation, some blame the old who already have a stash and restrict the youth from getting a house, a car etc etc
Life is generally tough and nothing lasts forever. I wish the old BA staff well (particularly the lounge manager in SFO) but as one door closes another opens and he may well find a way better job than the one he now has (had).
Jul 15, 2017, 1:20 am
#66
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 750
Shame to see people lose their jobs but not unexpected in todays competitive airline industry.
Contracted in staff won't necessarily mean a drop in standards. The majority of the general public would rather have affordable fares rather than subsidise services they'll rarely if ever need.
Contracted in staff won't necessarily mean a drop in standards. The majority of the general public would rather have affordable fares rather than subsidise services they'll rarely if ever need.
Over the years I've met some truly superb BA ground staff especially at ORD and LAX and, especially as one gets to know them over a period of years, they only get better at what they do. The new contract people will be in and out, high turnover, moved from one station to another, probably miserably paid and worse treated, and not really care too much to uphold the reputation of BA.
Jul 15, 2017, 1:40 am
#67
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NCL
Programs: UA 1MM/*G. DL Gold for one more year.
Posts: 5,305
Hard to knock BA on this, it's what's happening everywhere. In the industry I work in there is widespread replacement of those with many years of experience (read expensive) with much more junior (read low cost) staff. If a senior person leaves they re-advertise at a grade or two below for the same role and much lower wages. Sure the quality of work goes down, customer's get peed off, but if everyone is doing it then the new lower standard prevails.
Some call it efficiency, some the effects of globalisation, some blame the old who already have a stash and restrict the youth from getting a house, a car etc etc
Life is generally tough and nothing lasts forever. I wish the old BA staff well (particularly the lounge manager in SFO) but as one door closes another opens and he may well find a way better job than the one he now has (had).
Some call it efficiency, some the effects of globalisation, some blame the old who already have a stash and restrict the youth from getting a house, a car etc etc
Life is generally tough and nothing lasts forever. I wish the old BA staff well (particularly the lounge manager in SFO) but as one door closes another opens and he may well find a way better job than the one he now has (had).
Jul 15, 2017, 4:42 am
#69
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SFO, LON
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, Bonvoy Tit, Hilton Dia etc etc
Posts: 2,354
Quite. It's as strong a signal of where BA wants to go as any you could give, frankly.
Jul 15, 2017, 6:13 am
#70
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: AA, UA, GE
Posts: 5,123
UA pre-merger was much the same way, now much of their staff is outsourced, even in the US.
Jul 15, 2017, 7:38 am
#71
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NCL
Programs: UA 1MM/*G. DL Gold for one more year.
Posts: 5,305
With all the post merger moves made at AA, I would not count on that for much longer. AA is already outsourcing at least some of the US domestic customer service staff at airports.
UA pre-merger was much the same way, now much of their staff is outsourced, even in the US.
UA pre-merger was much the same way, now much of their staff is outsourced, even in the US.
Jul 15, 2017, 8:03 am
#73
Join Date: May 2014
Location: DMV
Posts: 2,092
Hard to knock BA on this, it's what's happening everywhere. In the industry I work in there is widespread replacement of those with many years of experience (read expensive) with much more junior (read low cost) staff. If a senior person leaves they re-advertise at a grade or two below for the same role and much lower wages. Sure the quality of work goes down, customer's get peed off, but if everyone is doing it then the new lower standard prevails.
Some call it efficiency, some the effects of globalisation, some blame the old who already have a stash and restrict the youth from getting a house, a car etc etc
Life is generally tough and nothing lasts forever. I wish the old BA staff well (particularly the lounge manager in SFO) but as one door closes another opens and he may well find a way better job than the one he now has (had).
Some call it efficiency, some the effects of globalisation, some blame the old who already have a stash and restrict the youth from getting a house, a car etc etc
Life is generally tough and nothing lasts forever. I wish the old BA staff well (particularly the lounge manager in SFO) but as one door closes another opens and he may well find a way better job than the one he now has (had).
Jul 15, 2017, 8:21 am
#74
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: AA, UA, GE
Posts: 5,123
UA outsourced most if not all their ex-US airport staff. UA's NRT operations hub has been all but disbanded.
I believe a similar change is or has happened at UA's HKG operations as well.
UA has outsourced check in and gate operations at many of its smaller domestic destinations.
Recently on an AA flight out of ORD, I noticed mostly contract based service representatives at the check in counters.
Jul 15, 2017, 8:29 am
#75
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,210