[Anonymous]

[MrMichael]

Looks like Willie Walsh is getting it bang on, what a brilliant chap he is.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-33729695

Now I sit back and wait for the fireworks……….

[AnthonyDunn]

@ MrMichael – 31/07/2015 07:59 BST

As you may recall, I am not exactly a leading member of the WW fan-club. IAG is clearly reaping the rewards of being faster in cutting almost everyone’s salaries – with the notable exception of the BigMan himself (“don’t do as I do, just do as I say…!”) – than have been most other non-Chapter 11/European legacy carriers. This latest improvement in results, apparently, owes itself to the drop in fuel prices whilst fares have hardly budged; windfall gains.

What actually beggars belief is that one WW, having slagged off the UK for its alleged lack of a civil aviation policy – evidenced by its failure to increase runway capacity in London and the South-East since the end of WW2 – now has the effrontery to criticise building a third runway at LHR (!). He cites the costs of this as being excessive. So what would you have the UK do then Willie?

This man has some brass neck.

[transtraxman]

In my view he has almost got his third runway available…at Dublin.
Therefore, he would be loath to accept more competition at LHR which is what a third runway would mean.

[sparkyflier]

+ 1 Anthony Dunn & transtraxman. See my comment here at the bottom of the BT news article:-

http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/101921/willie-walsh-slams-too-expensive-heathrow-expan

[Tallinnman]

@AD

Of course he wants another runway, just doesn’t want to pay for it from his future bonuses or have any competing airlines use it!

[MrMichael]

AnthonyDunn, your right about the staff and costs, I think exchange rates have been kind to IAG too.

[sparkyflier]

To save clicking on the link this is what I said..

“Walsh simply does not want more competition that having more slots available for other airlines would give, it would change their business plan. He wants IAG hubs in Madrid, Dublin and arguably Doha to be the 3rd runways. He is saying this for purely anti-competitive reasons”.

[Kimi_CDG]

I agree with sparkflyer and transtraxman. No need to pay for a 3rd runaway when you can use your new friends’.

Is it not what happened in France at the end of the previous century? There has been plans to build a 3rd airport near Paris to accomodate the traffic growth.
They were all dropped after the AF/KLM merger in 2004. Some of AF long-haul routes were axed and passengers now have to fly via Shipol.

[Ah,Mr.Bond]

All major airlines have been jumping on the bandwagon of announcing major profit rises.
It is purely down to the cost of fuel now, the mega saving of which are rarely passed down to the passenger.
It has little to do with anything else

[Stowage222]

Yet still BA’s Keith Williams is moaning about ‘legacy costs’ which WILL be tackled. More staff cost cuts ahead I fear.

[openfly]

@AhMrBond In BAs case they cannot possibly use lower fuel costs for their improved profits. After all, we have been told by BA that they fwd bought their fuel and can’t possibly reduce or get rid of the fuel surcharge….!! Cynical..me??!!

[BigDog.]

I agree with most of the comments. It is an outrageous travesty that when companies benefit from windfalls the execs take a sizable bonus yet the execs are financially protected when converse external factors adversely impact performance.

[KarlMarx]

Stowage222 – 01/08/2015 08:38 BST

It appears the cost cutting is starting with LGW cabin managers and pursers, with salary reductions claimed to be up to £10,000 for some senior crew and some head count reduction.

[Author]

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