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Cruz speaks: "this is worse than 9/11"

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Old Mar 13, 2020, 7:46 am
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Cruz speaks: "this is worse than 9/11"

"It is a crisis of global proportions like no other we have known."

"Please do not underestimate the seriousness of this for our company," he added.

Mr Cruz also said jobs would be lost "perhaps for a short period, perhaps longer term" and that the company was in discussions with trade unions.

Aircraft would be grounded in a way that the airline has never had to do before, he went on.

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavir...-boss-11957065
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Old Mar 13, 2020, 7:48 am
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It was only a matter of time. Thoughts go out to the staff affected by this.
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Old Mar 13, 2020, 8:21 am
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"Some of us have worked in aviation through the global financial crisis, the Sars outbreak and 9/11. What is happening right now as a result of Covid-19 is more serious than any of these events.”

Mr Cruz said that, while BA was more financially resilient than ever before and had a robust balance sheet, it was “under immense pressure”
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Old Mar 13, 2020, 8:24 am
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Originally Posted by HFHFFlyer
"It is a crisis of global proportions like no other we have known."

"Please do not underestimate the seriousness of this for our company," he added.

Mr Cruz also said jobs would be lost "perhaps for a short period, perhaps longer term" and that the company was in discussions with trade unions.

Aircraft would be grounded in a way that the airline has never had to do before, he went on.

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavir...-boss-11957065
= Woe is me. What will happen to my next bonus. Time to go.
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Old Mar 13, 2020, 8:26 am
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https://www.ft.com/content/f402d0e0-...d-df28cc3c6a68

“As a result, we are suspending routes and will be parking aircraft in a way that we have never had to do before. Please do not underestimate the seriousness of this for our company.”
So now the question is what routes will be cut, what aircraft will be grounded and will deliveries be delayed?

This is a worrying time but I’m now glad they gave us Recaro seats and BOB, it may just save BA!
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Old Mar 13, 2020, 8:33 am
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This is worse for passengers, for sure. At least during 9/11, airlines gave money back to people who couldn't fly.
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Old Mar 13, 2020, 8:36 am
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Granted it's only a press release, but there is a total lack of empathy in there.
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Old Mar 13, 2020, 8:38 am
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Originally Posted by BAeuro
So now the question is what routes will be cut, what aircraft will be grounded and will deliveries be delayed?

This is a worrying time but I’m now glad they gave us Recaro seats and BOB, it may just save BA!
I expect the LOI for the 737 Max is now worthless.
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Old Mar 13, 2020, 8:43 am
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Who is still flying atm?

Hard to get a feel from flyertalk

Really thoughr we should have had a worldwide shut down a month ago to take stock

Now individual countries are calling the shots

Is there not some commercial sense in downing tools and waiting

Did not Ryanair used to park up loads of planes when commercial demand was down
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Old Mar 13, 2020, 8:44 am
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Originally Posted by alvinlwh
I expect the LOI for the 737 Max is now worthless.
I think the MAX will never fly again now covid is the final nail in it
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Old Mar 13, 2020, 8:45 am
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He's focused on the bottom line and I'm kind of OK with that if he's thinking about his staff rather than his shareholders, however on previous performance its more likely the latter.

Certainly doesn't seem to feel any empathy for PX, I understand the need to protect the business but in the face of what other airlines are doing BA seem to lag behind on the flexibility aspect, doing the bare minimum.

I wonder what damage that will do longer term, if many of BAs frequent flyers believe these type of situations will happen more often not less, and we're offered a status match from those airlines with more flexible policies right now, how many would leave the BA family.
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Old Mar 13, 2020, 8:47 am
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Originally Posted by allturnleft

Really thoughr we should have had a worldwide shut down a month ago to take stock
This is what I thought too - close everything for a couple weeks / month, everyone stays at home and the Virus blows over. i was at BA when the Financial Crisis struck in 2008 / 2009 and it was not a pretty sight, so I feel sorry for the BA employees (and all the other airlines suffering similar situations) and can only hope this will be a short impact.
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Old Mar 13, 2020, 8:48 am
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Originally Posted by allturnleft
Who is still flying atm?

Hard to get a feel from flyertalk

Really thoughr we should have had a worldwide shut down a month ago to take stock
I flew LHR-EDI (7.55) on Thursday morning and EDI-LGW (6.10) this morning. Here are my observations:

LHR-EDI: roughly 60-70% loading I would say. Heathrow was, however, very quiet during what should have been the morning busy period.

LGW - EDI: pretty much a full flight.

I imagine however that domestic travel is faring a lot better than overseas.
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Old Mar 13, 2020, 8:48 am
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Originally Posted by allturnleft
Who is still flying atm?

Hard to get a feel from flyertalk

Really thoughr we should have had a worldwide shut down a month ago to take stock

Now individual countries are calling the shots

Is there not some commercial sense in downing tools and waiting

Did not Ryanair used to park up loads of planes when commercial demand was down
8 return flights with BA booked at the moment, have pushed the majority out once and will likely be doing a further push out due to extended Corp travel restrictions.

Right now I imagine it's mainly business customer but as this gets to Easter, May or even summer holidays and leisure traffic drops it could get a whole lot worse for BA.
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Old Mar 13, 2020, 9:03 am
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Transcript (PDF download):

https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-con...uz-message.jpg

This is being widely circulated on Twitter, for clarity it was not sent personally to me by any employee.
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