| Yesterday British Airways Cabin Staff announced | | | | pension fund deficits or escalating operating costs, |
| formally what everyone in the UK airline was | | | | so everyone must suffer some of the pain to pull |
| expecting, but dreading: that they were going to | | | | the business model into a shape where the airline |
| take strike action over Christmas 2009 in | | | | can initially survive and subsequently prosper. |
| response to BA’s management demands for | | | | So, assuming the strike goes ahead, who are the |
| cuts and changes in working practices. This article | | | | winners? Not British Airways - which customer in |
| examines the prospect of highly damaging flight | | | | their right mind would trust BA not to disrupt their |
| cancellations and programme disruptions from an | | | | next less important flight when they have just |
| industry insider perspective. | | | | cancelled the one where family, relatives and |
| <h2>British Airways: from the world’s | | | | children are involved? Not the cabin staff |
| favourite airline to national embarrassment?< | | | | themselves - a smaller, brand-damaged BA will |
| h2> | | | | mean fewer flights, less jobs, and a more difficult |
| The UK airline industry is reeling in response to | | | | post-recession growth trajectory and |
| yesterday’s announcement that the British | | | | consequently less opportunity for the career |
| Airways cabin staff will go out on strike for 12 | | | | seeking steward or stewardess. As suggested |
| days over the peak Christmas 2009 travel period. | | | | above even the competing carriers who may pick |
| There is total agreement that this action will | | | | up some short term passengers on routes which |
| severely damage the airline’s reputation – | | | | fail to operate will need to be aware that in the |
| again – and even those alternative airlines | | | | post recession economy passengers will inevitably |
| which stand to gain from passengers switching | | | | be looking for proof that an airline will not fail to |
| onto their competing services do not believe that | | | | supply the flight it promises. |
| the disruption to the plans of up to one million | | | | Possibly <a rel="nofollow" |
| travellers, at the most emotional time of year, | | | | onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(' |
| can be good for the industry. | | | | outgoing/article_exit_link');" href=” flight |
| As with any dispute, there is blame on both sides. | | | | booking agencies</a> will gain potential |
| British Airways have little goodwill in the bank with | | | | passengers who look beyond the obvious choices |
| the loyal staff who day in and day out face their | | | | offered by an airline’s own web site and |
| customers on every flight. A succession of | | | | search for more information about each airline as |
| grievances and disputes stretch back over a | | | | well as a larger choice of alternative flights. |
| number of Chief Executives, and for many cabin | | | | Whatever happens next it is clear that if the |
| staff this battle isn’t just about changes in | | | | proposed “12 days of Christmas strike” |
| working conditions, it’s about how the airline | | | | from 22 December 2009 goes ahead, it will join |
| treats the vital staff who present the official face | | | | the peak summer 2005 catering staff strike and |
| of the airline to every passenger at the point of | | | | the Terminal 5 lost baggage disaster in leaving BA |
| travel. | | | | with a mountain to climb before it can ever again |
| From the British Airways perspective, | | | | claim to anyone’s favourite airline. |
| “goodwill in the bank” doesn’t pay | | | | |