BA CEO to be quizzed by Transport Committee - Sept 16th
Sep 16, 2020, 1:09 pm
#46
Original Poster
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Tobias-UK thanks. So...
Was this related or not related to the previous session that WW attended?
Are you saying that both this session and the WW session were unrelated and simply an exercise to hear what support is needed within aviation and BA/IAG?
Was this related or not related to the previous session that WW attended?
Are you saying that both this session and the WW session were unrelated and simply an exercise to hear what support is needed within aviation and BA/IAG?
Sep 16, 2020, 1:14 pm
#47
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My only hope and positive approach I have, is that this is helping our climate. Flying sadly doesn’t help, our climate and our survival, in its current form.
Sep 16, 2020, 1:16 pm
#48
Join Date: Jul 2011
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I try to be balanced in my thoughts, as I’m often known, outside of FT, to be quite blunt or forthcoming. Direct some may say.
Anyhow, my only reservation with this meeting was I felt the Chair was unbalanced in his approach. He repeated many times, the “positive, very welcomed” stance from Alex/BA regarding the hire/rehire. As if it was all ok now and well done. Pat on the back!
Yet I didn’t once hear Alex agree or confirm or be precise in saying that BA are not firing/rehiring. Yet the Chair continued to praise AC.
Then he decided to say “I’m a conservative“...why would you offer that when chairing a meeting. I was baffled by his approach.
AC answered as best he could. But I did think the committee were not as forthcoming as they could have been. It was very a political dance to fulfil the premise but I don’t think it’s achieved anything.
The cynic in me may even suggest it was a bit staged and the key conversations were already had leading up to this.
Or did I miss the punch line?
Anyhow, my only reservation with this meeting was I felt the Chair was unbalanced in his approach. He repeated many times, the “positive, very welcomed” stance from Alex/BA regarding the hire/rehire. As if it was all ok now and well done. Pat on the back!
Yet I didn’t once hear Alex agree or confirm or be precise in saying that BA are not firing/rehiring. Yet the Chair continued to praise AC.
Then he decided to say “I’m a conservative“...why would you offer that when chairing a meeting. I was baffled by his approach.
AC answered as best he could. But I did think the committee were not as forthcoming as they could have been. It was very a political dance to fulfil the premise but I don’t think it’s achieved anything.
The cynic in me may even suggest it was a bit staged and the key conversations were already had leading up to this.
Or did I miss the punch line?
I do think Hugh, the chair, misunderstood what Alex was saying and then went on to congratulate him many times for changing his stance, which he hasn’t. BA haven’t actually used ‘fire and rehire’ but they have made large changes to contracts and some pay and then made staff accept these changes or twisted the unions arm to accept them, so he hasn’t changed his stance as negotiations are rather one sided due to the Covid situation.
As I mentioned earlier, he was so so much better that WW, so that was positive, after the sessions with WW, no one was any the wiser.
Last edited by Littlegirl; Sep 16, 2020 at 1:37 pm
Sep 16, 2020, 1:33 pm
#49
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I think Alex did well and was more emotive/humane than WW. WW came across as very robotic at times, even if he was good at his job. There was a lot less anger and tension in the room than the previous one which was a positive.
I think AC can get a lot of stick at times. I’m not saying he’s perfect or the best CEO ever, but he’s not a bad boss at BA. I just hope he makes more appearances going forward and is open with staff.
I think AC can get a lot of stick at times. I’m not saying he’s perfect or the best CEO ever, but he’s not a bad boss at BA. I just hope he makes more appearances going forward and is open with staff.
Sep 16, 2020, 1:47 pm
#50
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Well, I am glad that at least in the second sentence you separated yourself, just the one passenger with specific needs, from BA passengers in plural whose needs are different from yours.
Sep 16, 2020, 5:48 pm
#51
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I do enjoy an ‘extrapolate the needs of millions of passengers from my own personal requirements and demand the airline does that’ type of post 🙂.
Sep 17, 2020, 12:30 am
#52
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Quite frankly a waste of time, anyone could have scripted that without anyone needing to talk:
- ba: we are fighting for survival, unless we have no rules to comply with and cash, you’ll be responsible for thousands of employees whom I love and who love me losing their job
- Parliament: please don’t fire anyone and of course we won’t let the pride of the British skies die though we don’t have much to offer bar words of support and not criticising your hr strategy or lack thereof.
- ba: we are fighting for survival, unless we have no rules to comply with and cash, you’ll be responsible for thousands of employees whom I love and who love me losing their job
- Parliament: please don’t fire anyone and of course we won’t let the pride of the British skies die though we don’t have much to offer bar words of support and not criticising your hr strategy or lack thereof.
Sep 17, 2020, 2:29 am
#53
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There are some now ex crew who still have hope of being reinstated (yes really) who will be disappointed by the outcome of this select committee appearance. It seems any hope of intervention have now gone.
Sep 17, 2020, 4:08 am
#54
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
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There was never any chance of Government intervention in this. There was no outcome, it was an investigatory hearing relating to the affects of the coronavirus on the aviation industry.
Sep 17, 2020, 5:15 am
#55
Join Date: Jul 2011
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They have opened a pool of staff for various areas of the business where those who would like to come back can join. I personally don’t know anyone that doesn’t realise that that will in the future and only when people start to fly again.