Are the Turkeys about to vote for Xmas ?

ruggedtoast

I fear the worst for BA. The airline industry is in dire straits anyway but BA is a stricken giant. It seems like the titanic going under, the crew frantically hurling deck chairs into the sea to try and reduce weight.

Normally in Europe the government would step in and shore up a national carrier, but unless BA start a sideline offering 125% mortgages to the unemployed, Brown is not going to be interested.

I imagine a foreign takeover is on the way - with the non performing parts underwritten by the British taxpayer of course. Thats about Labours style.

Spartacus_Mills

ruggedtoast wrote: »

I fear the worst for BA. The airline industry is in dire straits anyway but BA is a stricken giant. It seems like the titanic going under, the crew frantically hurling deck chairs into the sea to try and reduce weight.

Normally in Europe the government would step in and shore up a national carrier, but unless BA start a sideline offering 125% mortgages to the unemployed, Brown is not going to be interested.

I imagine a foreign takeover is on the way - with the non performing parts underwritten by the British taxpayer of course. Thats about Labours style.

Could the government throw money at it anyway ? I mean under EU competition regulations ?

I also fear the worst for BA, I see a slimmed down version of BA with alot of work transferred to Spain with the Iberia merger and the UK side being downsized as they recruit from Spain for new cabin staff and pilots to cut costs.

abaxas

Spartacus_Mills wrote: »

There is also nothing to stop them changing the terms and the contracts offered for all new employees and not impacting the current employees to protect the future.

Or simply not ever giving pay rises.

An employee does not have a right to a rise.

Spartacus_Mills

abaxas wrote: »

Or simply not ever giving pay rises.

An employee does not have a right to a rise.

Very true, as our friends in the public sector are going to find out over the next few years and as has been the case in the private sector.

JasonLVC

Spartacus_Mills wrote: »

I also fear the worst for BA, I see a slimmed down version of BA with alot of work transferred to Spain with the Iberia merger and the UK side being downsized as they recruit from Spain for new cabin staff and pilots to cut costs.

How ironic then that Iberia is, like BA, a deeply in debt, ineffcient airline that has a union stranglehold to prevent anything in terms of competitiveness. Iberia was close to cvollapse due to the unions preventing anything in the way of management flexibility.

So it makes perfect sense for two union ham-strung loss making airlines to merge into one gigantic, union ham-strung loss making airline.

The quicker they both cease to exist the better. With BA gone, yes there will be job losses, but there'll also be no-more 5th runway at Heathrow, no more empty flights just to keep landing spots and hopefully airports will be squeezed on profits to actually provide passengers with good service.

Spartacus_Mills

JasonLVC wrote: »

How ironic then that Iberia is, like BA, a deeply in debt, ineffcient airline that has a union stranglehold to prevent anything in terms of competitiveness. Iberia was close to cvollapse due to the unions preventing anything in the way of management flexibility.

So it makes perfect sense for two union ham-strung loss making airlines to merge into one gigantic, union ham-strung loss making airline.

The quicker they both cease to exist the better. With BA gone, yes there will be job losses, but there'll also be no-more 5th runway at Heathrow, no more empty flights just to keep landing spots and hopefully airports will be squeezed on profits to actually provide passengers with good service.

Sounds fine to me. Bring it on.

ruggedtoast

Spartacus_Mills wrote: »

Could the government throw money at it anyway ? I mean under EU competition regulations ?

I also fear the worst for BA, I see a slimmed down version of BA with alot of work transferred to Spain with the Iberia merger and the UK side being downsized as they recruit from Spain for new cabin staff and pilots to cut costs.

I'm not sure but if the French managed to designate Danone, a yogurt manufacturer, a national champion I dont see why not.

The Greeks have been keeping Olympic on life support for ages. If theres no will to do it it wont happen though.

They'll be sold off like a Cadbury's flake.

purch

I cannot see any justification for this strike

Of course you don't.

Sitting on the outside, with absolutely no knowledge of the circumstances or the situation.

Just rant away, gives us all something to laugh at !!!!

1984ReturnsForReal_2

purch wrote: »

Of course you don't.

Sitting on the outside, with absolutely no knowledge of the circumstances or the situation.

Just rant away, gives us all something to laugh at !!!!

Spartacus just moves home when his council tax is over charged.

Or if Sky mistakenly takes an additional £100 from his account ontop of his normal payments he just switches to Virgin.. Sod the £100 they are a business & it all fair...


Me thinks Spartacus lives on another planet or doesnt realise that there agreed pay increase were won on the back of a concessions. So the workers now have to forfeit the pay & give the concession & loose out two fold.

Ahhhhh but it ok in business to back out of deals whenever it suits one party... Ummmmmm. Not..


As for a dodgy fuel deal that costs hundreds of jobs.....

lemonjelly

They're gonna strike!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8411214.stm