[FormerlyDoS]

“I think that you are knowingly and deliberately being tendentious”

Not at all. I am quoting a fact.

And I don’t care to try to explain the motivation of Spanish protestors, they are irrelevant to the fact that IAG is a Spanish company.

I think you will find that British Airways Plc is no longer registered at Companies House, but has been closed/converted. They are a number of private limited companies with similar names, but as far as I am aware, all are owned by IAG.

As to stock exchange listing, companies can choose to be listed wherever they wish and many are listed in more than one bourse.

[TominScotland]

Things are rarely black and white in this area of IR and company performance and we can all trawl up examples to counter each other’s points – the IR issues faced by Cathay over recent years to counter examples from SIA and Thai, for example. No one mentions Chinese airlines in this context – I wonder why?

Emirates have a great no- strike record – hardly surprising given that probably 95% of their employees are migrant workers (or expats if you prefer) and are on short-term contracts with zilch rights!!

AnthonyDunn is correct in his comments about the silence prevailing over turmoil at LH and other airlines. I did raise this as a separate post and challenged the anti-BA fraternity to comment – unsurprisingly, none did!!

[FormerlyDoS]

You’ll find I commented, if you look back.

And it was not complimentary.

[TominScotland]

Formerly (if I may be so familiar) I don’t see you as one of the ideologically motivated anti-BA morons – your reviews are always fair

[FormerlyDoS]

Tom

Thanks, I do appreciate your comment. I find your reviews the same and they’re always interesting.

[BigDog.]

In response to Anthony and Tom….

I agree with Marcus that a strike is a failure of management, mainly wrt communication and engagement. Am also of the view airlines, specifically long-haul ones are atypical wrt IR and need to be managed as such.

(Speaking to a LH CC recently, he noted that in 20 years he had only flown with 6 of his original 18 classmates and had only been rostered once with his long term house mate. Basically flying crew habitually work with relative strangers and form atypical work bonds. Being so disparate, they see their union as their only form of protection).

It is lazy/incompetent management who allow the relationship with their own workforce to be predominantly through the union. However, for a direct relationship to work it must be underpinned by trust.

As to other airlines IR and strikes, as FDOS points out we are mostly UK based and are able to get far more information pertaining to the workings of BA than LH, AF etc who have also suffered strikes.

When they do occur, the hard part is not winning the war (the strike), but winning the peace afterwards.

I have not read/seen examples within LH/AF etc where the leadership effectively co-ordinated a vitriolic campaign deliberately intended to alienate its own workforce creating huge lasting schisms throughout the company.

I see BA’s leadership during the strike as being appalling and has had/ will continue to have a long-term detrimental impact. I am not aware of similar crass behaviour by the LH/AF leadership.

So Anthony/Tom as a counter challenge, can you please enlighten me as to any major European company which has employed such divisive and damaging tactics in the history of modern IR, inside or outside the airline industry.

As a footnote, several years ago I had to lead team through a huge 75% downsize, a strike would have been fatal for the remaining elements. We worked extremely hard to get the union on board. We avoided a devastating run on the book and successfully restructured. It can be done.

[BeckyBoop]

Nah its probably more the fact most UK employees generally have a crap work ethic hence why more companies either offshore or employ migrant workers. Strangely UK transport companies tend to be the worst are railway workers they demand high salary for doing sod all.

[AnthonyDunn]

@ BigDog. – 30/03/2013 11:13 GMT

Hmmm. A good question. If my direct experience is anything to go by then the hands down winner has to be French railways, education and car production – if the frequency, longevity and disruption causedby strike action is anything to go by. They knock any IR issues at BA into a cocked hat.

It is genuinely grating though to read the sensible and even-handed contributions on BT from sundry BA C/C who are clearly both interested in and committed to what they do – only then to learn that they would be reluctant to express such thoughts or opinions to their line managers… That is the most shocking indictment I can think of.

However, no-one has really come anywhere near answering the question why kick, kick and kick BA again but then do nothing of the sort to their overseas competitors. I continue to maintain that there are no few on this forum (and in wider British society) that have monumental chips on their shoulders about their own country, the companies based here and the products and services they produce. Nothing that anyone has produced so far counters that contention for which I did, at least, provide some substantiation.

[FormerlyDoS]

“However, no-one has really come anywhere near answering the question why kick, kick and kick BA again but then do nothing of the sort to their overseas competitors. I continue to maintain that there are no few on this forum (and in wider British society) that have monumental chips on their shoulders about their own country, the companies based here and the products and services they produce. Nothing that anyone has produced so far counters that contention for which I did, at least, provide some substantiation.”

I got your point a while ago.

It’s becoming boring, now.

[VintageKrug]

Good points, Anthony.

I’d be interested to see evidence of the unsubstantiated allegations that BA Management conceived, managed and sponsored a “vitriolic campaign deliberately intended to alienate its own workforce creating huge lasting schisms throughout the company”.

[SimonS1]

I haven’t a clue about the internal side of things. BA is not a bad airline but there are a number of reasons why I generally don’t use them. These are all fact based and nothing to do with kicking BA.

1. Living near LGW there are often more convenient options that don’t involve a hike up to LHR. Most of my trips are to Middle East and onwards (EK) but on short hops Easyjet have a decent network.

2. I believe EK has a better hard product, and are normally more competitive on price. For short hops with a briefcase EZY have good timekeeping and a modern fleet.

3. LGW often copes much better in bad weather leaving me more likely to get where I want to go.

If BA beefed up their operation at Gatwick, got rid of the antique 737s etc I would certainly consider them.

On a separate note the owners of Gatwick are clearly investing heavily, I have noticed a step change in service at points like security, several floor walkers proactively helping customers etc.

[VintageKrug]

LGW has improved markedly since GIP took over; just goes to show that there is more than just the capacity issue to blame at LHR, particularly at security.

The 737s are for the chop very soon, being replaced by airbuses from LHR. Think that’s starting this summer.

[FormerlyDoS]

“For short hops with a briefcase EZY have good timekeeping and a modern fleet.”

One can also take a return flight on an earlier than scheduled service, FoC, with easyJet.

A big selling point for business folk over BA’s hefty change fees and fare differences in the same scenario.

Not bashing, just a fact.

[FormerlyDoS]

SimonS1

Just wondered if you have cashed in any Skywards miles for easyJet flights, yet?

[BeckyBoop]

Willie Walsh Interview

http://www.iagshares.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=240949&p=vid_walsh

[Author]

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