Time for the resignation of BA's CEO
Sep 7, 2018, 7:43 am
#1
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,246
Time for the resignation of BA's CEO
First there was a May bank holiday IT failure which cost far too much and now a major security breach, give him his P cuarenta y cinco ASAP.
BoB and not enough planes stupidity seems to have been trumped.
BoB and not enough planes stupidity seems to have been trumped.
Sep 7, 2018, 7:53 am
#4
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2018
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 10
A "major security breach" would be something that threatened the health, safety, lives of passengers, workers, etc. by allowing planes or terminals to be tampered with, people to evade security controls, etc. Theft of payment data is no such thing in the context of an airline. And frankly, occurs all the time these days.
Sep 7, 2018, 8:00 am
#5
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: USA
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 812
A "major security breach" would be something that threatened the health, safety, lives of passengers, workers, etc. by allowing planes or terminals to be tampered with, people to evade security controls, etc. Theft of payment data is no such thing in the context of an airline. And frankly, occurs all the time these days.
Sep 7, 2018, 8:00 am
#6
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 34
A "major security breach" would be something that threatened the health, safety, lives of passengers, workers, etc. by allowing planes or terminals to be tampered with, people to evade security controls, etc. Theft of payment data is no such thing in the context of an airline. And frankly, occurs all the time these days.
Erm, this is the kind of attitude which allows CEO's not to bother with such issues. When stuff like this happens, heads should roll. That will then ensure it is sufficiently pushed far enough up the agenda for CEO's to start taking action to secure their systems.
Yes it happens a lot, but that does not excuse it. Planes used to crash a lot more than they do now, but a concerted effort to improve such statistic ensured it got better. Can a plane still crash?, of course (though far less likely). In the same vein continued effort to improve systems is needed to reduce the regularity with which such breaches happen. They wont be eliminated completed, the the frequency of occurrence needs to reduce.
Last edited by spanglysteve; Sep 7, 2018 at 8:07 am
Sep 7, 2018, 8:05 am
#7
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: London, United Kingdom
Programs: British Airways Gold
Posts: 2,636
I don't think it's right to make comments like "say adios" in reference to Alex. The fact that he is Spanish is irrelevant. He should be evaluated on his performance like anyone else and if found lacking then the board or senior management of IAG as appropriate should replace him.
Sep 7, 2018, 8:14 am
#8
Join Date: May 2006
Location: 5 miles from EMA
Programs: BD, BAEC Pleb, VS Pleb, Accor Pleb, HHonors Gold, Big White Season Pass
Posts: 5,904
A "major security breach" would be something that threatened the health, safety, lives of passengers, workers, etc. by allowing planes or terminals to be tampered with, people to evade security controls, etc. Theft of payment data is no such thing in the context of an airline. And frankly, occurs all the time these days.
It’s been a huge inconvenience to a lot of people and other businesses.
Sep 7, 2018, 8:18 am
#9
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: OSL
Posts: 2,643
The buck has to stop somewhere. Far too many people blame others to shield themselves when they’re ultimately responsible. Blaming an IT worker for an outsourced business is weak; the fall lies squarely at the outsourcing business and the person responsible for the purchase agreement. Person responsible for purchase agreement incompetent - then you go up the chain. And so on. Unfortunately the most senior is ultimately responsible (hint: usually it comes with better pay, benefits etc) for the direction and decisions made by a company.
This is is the second IT error of BA in a year and a bit. How many of BAs transaction these days are via online methods (80-90%)? And of those sold via the BA website 70-80? That means 50-70% of all BA purchases would be from its website. For BA not to have the absolutely highest level of security when you’re talking multi billion of transactions with unsophisticated users is worrysome. And the major source of revenues. And who is ultimately responsible? Well, AC of course.
If he cant ensure people can buy its product safely he has failed and should go. If they can’t travel because he has failed to ensure back-up for critical IT infrastructure he should go. It is clear he does not understand the consequences of certain parts of his business. That means I would question what else does he not understand?
This is is the second IT error of BA in a year and a bit. How many of BAs transaction these days are via online methods (80-90%)? And of those sold via the BA website 70-80? That means 50-70% of all BA purchases would be from its website. For BA not to have the absolutely highest level of security when you’re talking multi billion of transactions with unsophisticated users is worrysome. And the major source of revenues. And who is ultimately responsible? Well, AC of course.
If he cant ensure people can buy its product safely he has failed and should go. If they can’t travel because he has failed to ensure back-up for critical IT infrastructure he should go. It is clear he does not understand the consequences of certain parts of his business. That means I would question what else does he not understand?
Sep 7, 2018, 8:19 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
Judging by the reactions on the main thread, a lot of affected people have been causing themselves inconvenience by overreacting, in particular when they have ignored advice from their own card company or bank to do nothing.
Sep 7, 2018, 8:27 am
#11
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,797
A "major security breach" would be something that threatened the health, safety, lives of passengers, workers, etc. by allowing planes or terminals to be tampered with, people to evade security controls, etc. Theft of payment data is no such thing in the context of an airline. And frankly, occurs all the time these days.
Sep 7, 2018, 8:31 am
#12
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,801
No it doesn't. Data breaches happen all the time. A prolonged interception of credit card data including CVVs!!! is rare, especially in this scale, and will be fetching a nice price on the darknet
Sep 7, 2018, 8:43 am
#13
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,246
Sep 7, 2018, 8:58 am
#14
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: LHR
Programs: BAEC Gold, SkyTeam Elite Plus, Sixt Gold
Posts: 418
I think he is surviving because he is delivering the P&L that IAG wants to see. The problem is that he is doing that at the expense of ground and onboard experience as well as IT security and quality.
I am not sure that IAG board sees the risk of this approach. I am sure it will work in the short term, as BA owns the nice slots and LHR is a key European hub, but they should not test the passengers' patient this much.
I do think that the man needs a proper PR and crisis management course though. His public appeareances are grotesque at best.
I am not sure that IAG board sees the risk of this approach. I am sure it will work in the short term, as BA owns the nice slots and LHR is a key European hub, but they should not test the passengers' patient this much.
I do think that the man needs a proper PR and crisis management course though. His public appeareances are grotesque at best.
Sep 7, 2018, 9:06 am
#15
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,246