Sky News business editor Michael Wilson

Balpa’s scathing attack on British Airways is fairly severe even by the pilots’ union's traditional standards, and illustrates, rightly or wrongly a company in more than crisis.

Just in case you didn’t know, it’s now 11 days since Terminal Five’s disastrous debut and the problems continue, with thousands of items of baggage still astray and more flight cancellations.

In a letter to leading shareholders, the CBI and senior government ministers, Balpa says that there is ‘something very wrong at the heart of this company.’

That’s certainly true, and the responsibility begins and ends with the chief executive Willie Walsh.

A number of names are being suggested as his replacement, including his predecessor Rod Eddington. But any discussion about Walsh's demise misses the point.

Terminal 5's travails, as appalling as they are, are going to be solved by those who have been, for better or worse, operating the systems since the whole sorry mess started.

There's little point in putting someone new, someone who'd need to learn all the detail at this stage.

This is a crisis on a daily basis, £16m million lost and counting. Never mind the misery of the passengers, BA's investors are looking at the prospect of their first dividend lost way off the radar screen as the corporate losses increase.

So I'm not sure what the point of Balpa's latest public attack actually is. Jim McAuslan, Balpa's general secretary says 'It is with great sorrow and acute embarrassment the BA pilots have winessed the unhappy shambles that the opening of T5 has become.

BA pilots have reacted in the right way by once again going the extra mile to solve problems... and extend their working duties to maximum legal limits in order to minimise the suffering of our passengers and protect the company they love and the uniform they wear.'

Oh dear. The poor loves. The company they love? You bet they do. You get to fly away from these cold shores, to say, South Africa, and then, due to the 'maximum legal limits', get to spend three nights at a luxury hotel, before you are allowed to pilot your plane back to London. And then have a similar time off when you get back.

Oh, and there's a bed next to the cockpit in case you feel like a little mid-flight nap.

Now pilots are only human, and I'm sure what will also be concerning them is the fact the losses from the T5 fiasco are eating away at the staff benefits they were about to receive.

They are also keenly aware of the chill winds of competition on BA's most lucrative routes.

So their scathing attack is a bit more of a yelp, than a constructive blueprint for solving Terminal 5's problems.

Writing to the Financial Times, the CBI, leading shareholders and senior government ministers is a waste of time.

Not one of them has the faintest idea how to get a bag off a plane. Neither do many of us.

No, I'm afraid the task is still this: Pilots, please continue to fly nicely, look authoritative and keep being nice to the customers. Management - get it sorted. Yesterday.

Comments

[Dennis, Cramlington Northumberland 9 Apr 2008 22:30:40]

This is all very well, chaps, and chap-esses, but who is going to pick these bloody bags up and put them on the right planes?

We can sort the rest periods and hotels out later.

Its all very well defending being safe - we all agree with that concept - but what's the point, if nobody is going to get on the planes luvvies?

And there does seem to be rather a lot funerals about suddenly....

When is an Airline owner a mill-owner, and when are airline workers luddites? I'm sure that all that Management want is to be able to compete and stay alive. Help them. They, and you need it. Find out what or who is really sending coal bags to Gateshead.

Michael, a bit like your regular Northern Rock sensationalism, you appear to have gone for the 'easy answer' once again I'm afraid.

And these Balpa boys & girls will nail you for it. See you on Easyjet.

[Geoff 9 Apr 2008 18:34:11]

Stephanie

The difference between me and you? We, as pilots, do not seek to critise you or rant about how easy your job is. I used to be an engineer and people had a blank reaction to my job. As a pilot, people either want to do the job or shout "simple, button-pushing, money for old rope". We didn't just start moaning about how hard our life is, we were simply reacting to an ill-informed article that scoffed at basic flight safety. You know, the basic flight safety that keeps your loved ones safe every time they fly. I don't know what you do but I'd never have the audacity to make uninformed judgements on a job I knew nothing about. However, that seems the norm where pilots are concerned. Maybe we are overpaid, underworked luvvies. In which case I suggest you leave your current post, put £60k and 18months into getting a licence (during which time you face the small problem of no income) and then apply for a job. I mean, who wouldn't? It's Easy Street!

[London 9 Apr 2008 09:35:05]

Naomi Campbell is a scape goat in all this...was on a flight last week from gatwick to geneva, 50+ passengers lost their bags on the BA flight and before the flight took off the pilot told us the bags had been lost but may follow us. Passengers wanted to get off the plane but were held back by BA staff!!

[Aogan, London 9 Apr 2008 01:40:08]

Sir,

journalistic integrity, opinion based on facts, unbiased reporting. These are the standards that all journalists should strive to achieve.

Your poorly researched, factually inaccurate rant brings shame upon yourself and the organisation you work for. I would be genuinely embarrassed to be in any way associated with this sort of journalism. You do a great disservice to your profession sir.

[Nicky, South Yorkshire 8 Apr 2008 21:49:18]

We watch Sky news every morning over breakfast and have the Sky News web page as my homepage on my laptop. I am usually happy with the articles I see and read reported. However, this article is a joke.

I always believed that a responsible journalist got off his backside and actually interviewed both sides to ensure an accurate and impartial news piece? This article reads more like a PA piece for BA than a responsibly researched report.

I know people that work for BA, including a pilot. I know how frustrated they are, watching the company they love being systematically eaten from within, like a piece of wood with termites. The blank wall they run against when trying to complain that adequate preparations weren't made for a disabled passenger or other such concerns for passenger safety and comfort.

The BA staff aren't some bunch of whining layabouts. They are intelligent people who see that their company is being mis-managed by a bunch of people that are useless at people management and really haven't got a clue about anything other than making sure they and their share holders receive nice big pay packets. They (the management)are acting like hospital managers refusing to listen to the advice of nurses and doctors regarding day to day ward management. Only idiots would ignore the comments and advice of people that are actually "in the field". They are closeted away in their offices and haven't got a clue how to maximise their employees, their services and facilities. They make huge and far-reaching decisions without ever fully understanding the consequences of those decisions.

I agree that they should temporarily close T5 until the luggage problem is sorted BUT they should also start to listen to their staff, who have often considerably more experience than they do, the staff that knows what really goes on at ground level, before customers start voting with their feet and use other airlines.

This is a company that has far more problems than the fiasco at T5. The chaos at T5 is merely a symptom of the far bigger problems and mismanagement that this company is experiencing.

I would like to end by shaking my head at the sheer ignorance of Mr Wilsons comments about pilots. Pilots who earn their money, with the long and unsociable hours that they work, the frequent separations from loved ones and important familial events, the responsibilty for hundreds of lives every time they fly etc. Our pilot friend has said in the past that sometimes he works so much that he'll go to bed and when he wakes, he asks himself what time is it (is it morning or evening?) and what country am I in? He has had to endure time differences of more than 40 hours in one month. Imagine the fatigue that would place on your body clock. When our friend started working for BA he was overjoyed as he had wanted to be a pilot from childhood. Then, we have watched him gradually become more unhappy and dis-illusioned as the company he loves is destroyed by poor management. All he wants to do is the job that he was trained for and keep the customers happy and safe. Unfortunately the management at BA don't seem to share these desires.

[stephanie Hereford 8 Apr 2008 20:45:50]

Wow! Well, Michael, you really have set the cat among the pigeons this time!!
As I read it, your comment was merely that being a pilot is just a job like any other. Pilots chose their career and have handsome salaries and perks commensurate with their skill and responsibilities. If the company who pays their salaries is in trouble then their jobs may be on the line. Same applies everywhere. And those pilots who suggest that any criticism from Mr W is due to his failure as a pilot or jealosy show your small-minded insecurities. Pilots are not the only professionals who have to work in excess of 12 hour shifts, take responsibility for human lives, be away from home in the course of duty, miss weddings funerals or birthdays or be expected to turn up for work at a moment's notice - in the real world many of us do exactly that... for a fraction of their pay.
The vitriolic reaction to a critical piece of journalism might just prove the 'poor loves' to be just that!!

[sunny smith,london 8 Apr 2008 17:56:32]

Sir,

I'm afraid you report is typical of the British attitude to people in successful and desirable job. Only in this country do people publicly and even privately put down hard working individuals. When people at home find out what I do (pilot for another airline) the usual reaction is "that's not fair, I want to get paid to do that" or "oh a button pusher eh?". Around the world the reaction is very different. Even engineers in this country are treated with the same level of contempt (I know because I used to be one, having studied 4 years for a Masters Degree) where as in Germany they are highly respected.

If you think you can do these "poor loves" job may I suggest you contact one of the big airlines and pay for a few hours in a full motion flight simulator (which we use every six months to resit out licence exam) with a professional "love". Then offer to go away on a trip (as a shadow), sleep, eat and 'work' when they work.... then comment!

You have no idea!

Did you get paid for this article? Mabey your boss should ask for his money back!!

[Willie , Ireland 8 Apr 2008 17:27:59]

Pprune, cut and paste journalism at best - Michael Wilson you must be proud of yourself!

[Steve heathrow 8 Apr 2008 16:46:16]

Sir
These 'poor loves' as you flippantly refer to them are highly trained individuals who regularly ignore industrial limits and push themselves to legal limits. These are put in force due to safety reasons alone. They are hugely embarassed (as are all BA frontline staff) with the way the current management are running the company into the ground. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and you sir are welcome to yours, but do you not think one based on a knowledge of facts and safety consequences would make you better informed. Otherwise it is no different than Fayed screaming 'murder' with no facts. Many journalists work hard and do justice to their stories with facts, you sir embarass your harder working colleagues.
Regards

[Elizabeth Davies Cape Town 8 Apr 2008 15:45:53]

I suggest that the Marks and Spencers boss head up BA, he turned M&S around, bet he would get it sorted

[michael wilson 8 Apr 2008 14:17:56]

I agree , by and large, with Elizabeth, and wasn't impugning the undoubted skills of BA's pilots. No doubt they do feel aggrieved by the terminal turmoil, but no-one has answered my question - what was the purpose of the Balpa letter in the first place ? Who, among its addressees is going to solve T5's problems?
T5's future is in the hands, for better or worse, of BA's management. Let's hope, for the future of British Airways, and its customers, that it's solved very quickly.

Michael Wilson

[Laura 8 Apr 2008 14:12:24]

I have always thought of Sky as the "Sun" of the News world and Mr Wilson's article (if you can call it that)proves my point. If he had the slightest idea about a pilot's life or indeed their families he would not be spouting such inaccurate nonsense. I agree with the comments above that he must have failed his pilot selection or has some other inadequacy issues. When Mr Wilson has something important, pertinent or indeed intelligent to say he may gain some readers but until then I think it's back to Journalism School for him. Get your facts straight Sky or you will become more of a laughing stock than you already are.

[Francis-Littlehampton 8 Apr 2008 11:41:54]

So Mr Wilson is ranting about the so called "perks" that BA pilots have on trips down route like a hotel room , time to rest adequately after 11 hours plus flights , that without counting the time to work , what does he want ? us to stay in a tent on the airport waiting for the next scheduled departure...have a nap and go....I think Mr wilson needs to grow up and stop whining and appear to have inside knowledge of subjects he writes about.
Mr Wilson , I am sure is provided with perks at SKY like most of his colleagues , flying CLUB WORLD on BA or equivalent on other carriers..and enjoy the service provided..and stays in well appointed hotels.
Every time I see Mr Wilson on the screen it makes me cringe as he has always reported BA's problems in a biased manner , very reminiscent of BA management rhetoric.
Mr wilson has obviously a problem with BA , jealous may be closeted "pilot" surely a failed one....

[Mike, Teddington 8 Apr 2008 11:16:21]

Michael Wilson, you have no idea what a pilot's job involves so please refrain from such inaccurate journalism.

[Graham. Staines. UK 8 Apr 2008 10:48:32]

Dear Michael Wilson

Do you wish to ba a BA manager? You really should apply, as you would fit in perfectly.

As a BA staff member, I applaud BALPA for what they say. You seem to infer that those of us actually doing the work at BA should simply put-up and shut-up. Fine, we'll do that and can then watch alongside every one of our long-suffering customers as the service levels crumble even further.

If ever you find yourself sitting on an aircraft, tantilisingly close to your arrival gate but waiting for guidance to be switched-on, or for someone to move the jetty or drive the steps, or if you are unfortunate enough to depend on a wheelchair to take you off of the sircraft, don't expect too much, or that things will get better. We have been highlighting the shortcomings of our operation to our managers on a daily basis ... but they have a pie-chart that shows that everything is just fine. In fact, things are so fine that they can cut more from the budget and expect it to get even better.

To be fair, we are occassionally asked for our views, but haven't yet learnt to give the correct replies.

Those in The City and elsewhere can deride or ignore the BALPA letter, but they will do so at their own peril if they ever intend to fly with BA as they will risk a simple "we told you so" retort to any complaint they may have.

[Elizabeth Davies Cape Town 8 Apr 2008 10:00:41]

I have to say that in the past few years I have flown exclusively British Airways.
The crew and pilots are the best in the world, they are the people who fly the flag with pride, keep up the good work.

[Derek Suckling, Toronto 8 Apr 2008 07:17:04]

Sir,

I can only assume that Sky has attempted to follow the advice of that Richard fella from CNN in his "how to blag an upgrade" approach to flying.

Watching Mr Randells attempts to ingratiate himself a second time to Mr Walsh was cringeworthy. Did one question asked but not answered get "paxmaned"? No it didnt.

Now we have this ill informed piece of journalistic tripe.

For every 5 day South Africa there are 10 trips, operated 2 man to Chicago, Philadelphia and New York. After a 7-8 hour flight time with a 5 hour time change there is the obligatory scrum of an arrival in frequent bad weather (Snowiest winter in 50 years, Most thunderstorms in 20 years last summer).

Perhaps the professionalism of the "poor luvvies" is best considered when you consider the actions of Peter Burkhill and the crew of BA38.

Faced with a crippled airliner and sprawl of conurbation below there are now 130+ people here today to tell the story of the landing whom owe their lives to the professional training and operating standards of a BA flight crew.

That real world event shows up your remarks as being utterly contemptuous.

[Elizabeth Davies Cape Town 8 Apr 2008 06:04:07]

The best thing to do is close the terminal until they have the problem fixed, go back to the old terminals for their operations.
Next hire a warehouse for the baggage and hire a furniture company to return all UK luggage to it's owners. Overseas luggage return on next flights to the passenger's country. Sorted.
The way to solve problems is to take firm control of the situation, not let it compound itself.
Who are the people organising this chaos, they need to be fired!

[Craig, Ireland 8 Apr 2008 01:40:09]

A copy as sent to Sky news...

Dear Sky

I am writing about an article that one of your journalists wrote recently that shocked me to be so unfactual, unfair and ridiculous that I couldn't believe it could come from an institution and reliable source like Sky.

I refer to the article about British Airways Pilots written by Michael Wilson. I would ask that you would read his piece and also read the many responses it has generated online about this mans interpretation of a pilots life. I can only assume Mr Wilson is a failed pilot, student or jealous of their lifestyle as his aticle was extremely inaccurate for a 'professional journalist'.

I quote...

"Oh dear. The poor loves. The company they love? You bet they do. You get to fly away from these cold shores, to say, South Africa, and then, due to the 'maximum legal limits', get to spend three nights at a luxury hotel, before you are allowed to pilot your plane back to London. And then have a similar time off when you get back."

Please!! Keep your jealousy to one side and understand the commitment, training, and responsibility a profesional pilot has. We may get 3 days off, but you, Mr Journalist who is at home every night with your partner and family. Do you think every BA pilot should spend every night away from home?? Do you think he/she enjoys being away from their children. Im so sorry the pilots get luxury hotels. Maybe you think it more appropriate that these professionals stay in youth hostels??? Do you not realise how pathetic your argument is?

"Oh, and there's a bed next to the cockpit in case you feel like a little mid-flight nap."

Seriously, that must be a joke??? Please Sky read what you are paying for here. A man that thinks pilots are overpaid for daring to take a sleep during a long night flight.

Do you really expect pilots to fly for 14 hours over night and then handle an approach and landing?? Maybe those beds aren't so bad?? Maybe Mr Wilson you just did a night flight yourself before you wrote this dross!!!

Quote...

"Now pilots are only human, and I'm sure what will also be concerning them is the fact the losses from the T5 fiasco are eating away at the staff benefits they were about to receive."

Is this journalist on works experience?? Any professional person, who works for a large company would be concerned for their own job when the management is so clearly messing up. What exactly does this moron have again British Airways Pilots? Sorry that Balpa stated the obvious but would you prefer this company continue in destroying itself?

Quote...

"Not one of them has the faintest idea how to get a bag off a plane. Neither do many of us."

I wont rise to that pathetic comment. Most BA pilots have full respect for the baggage handlers employed by BA and understand that they as a group have been pushed beyond reasonable limits like many groups within BA. Please Mr Pen Pusher don't embarrass yourself by claiming a BA pilots don't understand how their aircraft is loaded.... Its actually a legal requirment!!

Im truly ashamed by this level of sky reporting. I look forward to hearing your response on this...

Regards

[Jimbo 8 Apr 2008 00:35:17]

Oh dear. Yet another Sky journalist in BAs back pocket perhaps ? Just like your friend Jeff Randall doing private lobbying work for Walsh against BALPA.

Please research your incorrect articles before you waste peoples time with twaddle like this

Good luck with your English GCSE in June.

[Pete, Hounslow 7 Apr 2008 22:17:13]

There is a reason I avoid Sky like the plague, viewing it as 'popcorn' journalism and as unbalanced as the Daily Mail. But wow! You can write as badly as you can show on the screen! Your appalling levels of accuracy, fuelled by jealousy (?) or just ignorance does your employer no favours - and that from a pretty low expectation!
Go back to writing for Ad-mag...

[FD, UK. 7 Apr 2008 21:44:02]

Just to correct a few inaccuracies:

1. The "BED" on a 777 is a 3 inch thick mattress on a board in a cupboard next to the club galley with all the banging and crashing that catering for 60 passengers involves.

2. You only get a "BED" on flights with a flying time of over 9 hours. That means a time on duty including briefings and preflight checks etc. of some 12 hours, not including the journey to work.

3.Some of the longest flights are up to 14-15 hours with the 'legal ' potential to extend that by up to another 3 hours. Again not including the ancillary duties. At the end of that time you are expected to land 300 tonnes of metal and flesh whatever the weather in some of the least advanced countries of the world. And don't screw it up because YOU are the legal scapegoat should anything go wrong.

4. How many weekends, childrens birthdays, christmas's, bank holidays, weddings (and Funerals) not to mention more minor social engagements have you had to miss recently due to being on the other side of the planet?

5. Have you not been able to get home as a loved one dies
recently for the same reasons as above?

6. Can your office call you on a day off and FORCE you to come to work regardless of the fact you may be going on a family holiday or enjoying any of the scenarios above.

7. Ask any physician about the cumulative effects of flying longhaul on the human body and then the stress of having to pass one the most stringent medical examinations in the world every year until you retire.

I could go on but you have wasted too much of my time already. You see I should be at home with my family on my DAY off, but am stuck in a hotel downroute due to the disruption and will be at work again some 16 hours after I land (NOT 3 days later as you suggest).
Khalid, please feel free to study, qualify for (and requalify every 6 months),and then do my job.. good luck to you. Great teamwork!
Your quote Khalid; "T5 is and will continue to be a success" is endemic of the problem BA has. It's no good keeping on telling people it all works and we are the best when things like this are happening. We have to actually perform for our customers. Just saying it doesn't make it so.
P.S. The autopilot is there because we have all proven we can FLY an aircraft already (some of us were even in the Red Arrows). It is a tool we use to make our customers as safe as we possibly can. I can't see any of our passengers complaining about that, can you?

[Anthony, Bath 7 Apr 2008 20:54:01]

Your glib approach to reporting the mess of T5, belies your fondness of the same inept brand of management which caused the T5 collapse in the first place. Set aside your thinly veiled jelously of those (pilots) whos' profession does not involve screwing down colleagues for their own financial gain, you describe yourself beautifully as the tired and talentless hack you obviously are.

[mike Thrower 7 Apr 2008 20:49:49]

As a 'luvvie' pilot who has loaded and unloaded bags during re-deployment you have clearly demonstrated a complete lack of knowledge of our working environment and the Law. WHEN you have done your homework, only then are you fit to call yourself a Journalist... after 32 years in my job, which has been done diligently and without attacking other professions about which I know little, I and many of my colleagues are trying to say that there is something very wrong with the set-up in BA, the fact that you choose to ignore this reflacts only on you sir

[Mark, Manchester 7 Apr 2008 20:24:08]

It would seem that the heady days when proper journalists with some sort of integrity investigated Watergate are sadly long gone.
Sky News has obviously employed a windsock, his opinions simply follow the prevailing breeze.
Kindly investigate the issues properly and then make comment. If you actually care about one of the best known uk brands around and want to be proud of our heritage you would really take a long hard look at the unions concerns.
Muppet!