Posts Tagged ‘cabin crew’
Wednesday, September 21st, 2011
British Airways is hoping to put the troubles of the last few years behind it by launching a new ad campaign. The airline has used members of staff to illustrate its virtues and show that the long-running dispute between the carrier and its cabin crew is well and truly over.
A television commercial will air in Britain and America before it is shown in other key markets. It will first appear on BA’s Facebook page. The accompanying press campaign has been designed to show how experienced and how skilled BA employees are. A picture of a baby wrapped in a BA jacket shows that staff are trained to deal with all sorts of emergencies including the birth of a child.
Another illustrates how the airline is capable of carrying precious cargo with a picture of a donor heart. Commitment to customer service is stated in the carrier’s motto which is: To Fly. To Serve. The words appear on crew uniforms, the hats of pilots and on the airline’s coat of arms.
According to BA’s chief executive, Keith Williams, the new campaign shows that the airline is confidently looking towards the future. The last decade has been difficult for the airline industry because of strikes, natural disasters, political upheavals and a global financial meltdown.
BA’s head of brand engagement, Abigail Comber, said the new campaign had been put together to show viewers, staff and customers that there is still a great deal to be proud about when it comes to the British Airways brand.
Tags: BA, British Airways, cabin crew, facebook, Keith Williams
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Tuesday, September 6th, 2011
French film star Gerard Depardieu has made light of a recent incident where he was accused of urinating into a bottle on a flight out of Paris. The actor is featured in a remake of the situation dressed as the comic book character Obelix, who he is currently playing in the latest Asterix and Obelix film.
He is joined in the pastiche by Edouard Baer who plays Asterix in the films and who was on the flight with Depardieu when the incident took place. Both are seen to be settling back on a flight and reading newspapers while in full costume. As the plane begins to taxi to the runway, Obelix suddenly declares that he must have a wild boar.
Asterix and one of the flight attendants do their best to calm Obelix down. He refuses to comply explaining that he must immediately have a boar. Another passenger complains about the Gauls’ behaviour before Obelix disappears from his seat in search of his food.
The short film is a direct send up of Depardieu’s alleged behaviour on a flight to Dublin. A fellow passenger said that the actor refused to remain in his seat after asking if he could use the toilet. Cabin crew told him that he would have to stay seated until the plane was airborne but the Cyrano de Bergerac star refused and stood in the aisle urinating into a bottle.
Baer has since admitted that although Depardieu was using a bottle there may perhaps have been a little bit of overflow.
Tags: Asterix, cabin crew, Edouard Baer, Gerard Depardieu, Obelix
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Thursday, August 25th, 2011
British Airways is worried that the party lifestyle of some of its younger cabin crew members could end in it having to scrap services. Captains have been asked by senior management to do there best to ensure that crew staying overnight in a hotel behave in a respectable manner.
The airline has been receiving complaints of wild parties and disruptive behaviour by off duty BA staff from a number of hotels including its crew hotel in Nairobi. A memo has gone out to captains explaining that because this is the only hotel in the Kenyan capital which can be used by crew because of the security situation; if BA has its contract cancelled the airline might have to pull out of the route altogether.
Long-haul flights to and from Nairobi are currently worth millions of pounds to the airline. A source at BA explained that the problem was due to mixed fleet crews. These consist of young new recruits who are jetting to far off destinations and spending the night in luxury hotels. The fact that they are not being paid much does not necessarily matter as there is discounted alcohol on the aircraft.
Another source explained that when away from home cabin crew often kept themselves entertained by drinking cheap alcohol in expensive hotel rooms. He said that the rumours about who was sleeping with whom and who did what would be discussed on what airline staff refer to as Galley FM.
A spokesman for BA said the airline took all complaints extremely seriously and continued to remind crew of the high standards expected when they are overseas.
Tags: airline, BA, British Airways, cabin crew, Galley FM, hotel, luxury hotels
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Wednesday, August 24th, 2011
An American man flying with British Airways to London from Phoenix, Arizona has been arrested at Heathrow after a bout of drunken air rage. Tim Bradley, a mortgage consultant, had allegedly been drinking beer and wine for much of the trip which lasts for close to 10 hours. The 32-yer-old apparently became angry with cabin crew and other passengers after he was told that he had probably had enough and would not be served any more alcoholic drinks.
According to witnesses, Bradley started to stumble around the aircraft swearing and spitting. He then cornered the head steward in the plane’s galley and demanded to know why he was not allowed more to drink, according to onlookers.
One passenger said Bradley then returned to his seat holding what appeared to be a shard of glass. Other passengers started to get more worried after Bradley reportedly threatened to use the glass to stab the pilots of the airliner. The consultant was removed from the Boeing 747 after it landed at Heathrow early on Saturday afternoon and placed under arrest.
He has been charged with common assault and being drunk while on a plane. On Monday he appeared in front of Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court after which he was told that he would be remanded in custody. Bradley is due to face Isleworth Crown Court on 23 September when he will be sentenced.
A British Airways spokesman declined to comment in detail on the case but said the airline would not tolerate its passengers or staff being abused.
Tags: air rage, Boeing 747, British Airways, cabin crew, drunk, Heathrow, pilots
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Thursday, June 23rd, 2011
The majority of British Airways cabin crew have voted in favour of accepting a peace-deal from the airline which will end nearly two year’s of dispute. Trade union Unite and BA announced that they had come to an agreement in May which was then subject to a vote by the flag carrier’s staff.
The long running fight began after BA announced staffing and pay cuts. It soon escalated into a battle for the restoration of travel perks confiscated from those involved in strike action. A total of 22 days of walkouts last year is estimated to have cost the airline £150 million.
Under the new deal staff will get up to a 7.5 per cent pay rise over two years. This year they will receive a rise of up to 4 per cent and next year they will get up to 3.5 per cent. The agreement is linked to productivity changes. All those who had their travel perks taken away are to have them restored.
Unite’s general secretary, Len McCluskey has called the agreement honourable adding that Unite had always maintained that a resolution would be achieved through negotiation rather than conflict. He went on to say that as 92 per cent of workers had voted in favour of the deal the airline could now move on to build a bright future.
It is widely agreed that changes at the top of both BA and Unite helped to facilitate better relations between the airline and the union. BA is still to make an official statement.
Tags: airline, BA, British Airways, cabin crew, Len McCluskey, Unite
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Monday, June 13th, 2011
International Airlines Group boss, Willie Walsh, has expressed an interest in taking over bmi if owners Lufthansa are ready to negotiate. Since moving to the top job at IAG from British Airways after the flag carrier merged with Iberia, Mr Walsh has been on the look out for possible mergers or acquisitions. Speaking in Singapore during a summit of the International Air Transport Association, he said he could confirm that IAG is interested in the carrier, but it was really up to Lufthansa.
One of the reasons IAG is interested in bmi is its landing and take-off slots at Heathrow where Walsh’s airline is based. As well as bmi, Mr Walsh also said he was pursuing a tie-up with Japan Airlines within the Oneworld Alliance. Anti-trust regulators have just confirmed approval for a similar deal between Lufthansa and All Nippon Airways.
British Airways also said it planned to work on rebuilding consumer confidence in its brand after an 18-month fight with its cabin crew. This included a total of 22-days of industrial action which is said to have cost the carrier around £150 million.
Relations between the airline and the Unite union appeared to thaw considerably following Mr Walsh’s departure and the arrival of Keith Williams to the chief executive role. Mr Williams said that he had since spent a great deal of time with BA’s cabin crew.
He added that it was now time to show BA’s loyal customers that the troubles are over and that rather than looking to the past the airline was committed to moving forward.
Tags: All Nippon Airways, bmi. Lufthansa, British Airways, cabin crew, IAG, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Keith Williams, Willie Walsh
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Monday, May 30th, 2011
British Airways passengers will be crossing their fingers that the longest running industrial dispute at the airline could soon be over. Ballot papers will be sent out to the cabin crew along with a letter from the Unite union’s general secretary, Len McCluskey, recommending a yes vote for the latest deal being offered by BA. The troubles began 18 months ago when cabin crew voted to walk out over pay and staffing issues.
Willie Walsh, the then chief executive, decided to punish those involved by initiating disciplinary action and removing travel perks. This quickly became the focus of the dispute and the latest agreement, put together by the airline’s current boss, Keith Williams, and Unite leader, Len McCluskey, promises to restore the privileges and take the disciplinary cases to Acas.
Cabin crew meeting at Heathrow earlier in the month voted in favour of putting the deal to Unite’s members. The closing date is 22 June. Mr McCluskey said he did not think either side could claim a victory and that the real winner was simple common sense. A positive vote will see the threat of action by crew over the busy summer period lifted.
Fresh hope of a deal between BA and Unite came after changes at the top of both organisations. Willie Walsh, now boss of International Airlines Group, the parent company of BA, has been replaced by Keith Williams and Len McCluskey has taken over from Derek Simpson and Tony Woodley at Unite.
McCluskey described the change in management at BA as a change in psyche.
Tags: Acas, BA, British Airways, cabin crew, Keith Williams, Len McCluskey, Unite, Willie Walsh
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Thursday, May 12th, 2011
British Airways passengers could soon breathe a sigh of relief as the disruptive battle between the airline and its cabin crew may finally be at an end. BA and Unite union bosses have reportedly agreed on a deal which they will be recommending to staff later today. It is believed that the airline may finally have backed down on the sticky issue of travel perks and agreed to return them to union members.
One of the longest running industrial disputes in recent history began 18 months ago when BA decided to implement cost cutting measures and reduce crew on some services. Following initial walkouts BA announced that striking staff would be relieved of their travel concessions, a move which resulted in deadlock between the two parties.
Late last year, a glimmer of hope that the fighting was finally at an end came when former chief executive of BA, Willie Walsh, and former Unite leader, Tony Woodley, agreed terms at the negotiating table. However, hard liners at BASSA, the Unite arm representing stewards and stewardesses, refused to accept the deal.
Since then, Mr Walsh has been replaced by Keith Williams and Len McCluskey now heads Unite. Although cabin crew recently voted to stage further walkouts, Unite has been cautious about officially announcing strike dates and BA has been willing to extend the time in which these dates legally have to be announced.
This has led many to believe that, at last, both the airline and the union believe they can come to a mutually beneficial solution to the problem.
Tags: airline, BA, BASSA, British Airways, cabin crew, Keith Williams, Len McCluskey, Unite, Willie Walsh
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Thursday, April 14th, 2011
The ongoing conflict between British Airways and the union representing it cabin crew could soon be over as a clinical psychologist is brought in to help. The Unite union has until the weekend to let BA know whether there will be disruption over the Easter weekend. Last month, crew members voted for a fourth time to walk out if the airline did not offer to concede to demands.
Mark Hamlin, who claims to specialise in fragility of trust, has reportedly met with senior members of the airline and union bosses. He said that he was involved with helping Unite, BA and cabin crew representatives construct a more effective working relationship. He added that he hoped that in doing this the wider issues surrounding the conflict would be resolved.
It is thought that a resolution is more likely now that former BA boss Willie Walsh has been removed from the equation. Keith Williams replaced him as chief executive at the beginning of the year and has expressed a wish for a good working relationship with the airline’s cabin crew.
Unite has until the weekend to inform BA of any strike action and also has to give seven days notice. Unfortunately for the carrier’s customers this could result in disruption over the Easter weekend.
Last year there were 22 days of strike action. BA claims that contingency plans it has in place mean that even if cabin crew do walk out nearly all of its scheduled services will continue to run as normal.
Tags: airline, BA, British Airways, cabin crew, Easter, Keith Williams, strike, Unite, Willie Walsh
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011
Emirates said it plans to increase the number of cabin crew it employs around the world by 4,000 between 2011 and 2012. The airline has announced that it already employs more than 12,000 stewardesses and stewards and that the most recent recruitment drive is part of wider expansion plans.
The carrier currently flies a fleet of 152 planes and has a further 200 aircraft on order with various manufacturers. Currently flying a fleet of 15 Airbus A380s, Emirates has announced orders for another 75 double-decker superjumbos. The aircraft is the largest passenger plane currently taking to the skies.
Emirates is looking to recruit more German speaking staff to its ranks while at the ITB in Berlin. It will be at the world’s largest travel fair until 13 March where it has its giant globe stand. Visitors to the fair will be able to experience what it is like to travel on an Emirates A380 because there are replicas of the Onboard Lounge and the airline’s new Onboard Shower and Spa.
Tim Clarke, Emirates’ president, said the rotating stand was now more impressive than ever. He added that it was something to be admired and that it brought some of the best of what the A380 had to offer passengers to the heart of Berlin.
Emirates fist started flying the superjumbo in 2008 and since then some four million passengers had experienced the ultra-quiet jet. The fleet is supported by a cabin crew staff of 2,000 and 300 pilots. The airline flies to 111 destinations around the world.
Tags: a380, Airbus, airline, cabin crew, Emirates, ITB, superjumbo, Tim Clarke
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