Thursday 29 January 2015

It all comes out in the end!!!

REWIND: Willie Walsh's Aer Lingus planned to force workers into quitting

A leaked report indicated that the (now) IAG head planned to make work unbearable for some Aer Lingus employees

Photocall file photo

Joseph Conroy

16:30 Monday 26 January 2015

During Willie Walsh's time in charge of Aer Lingus, a report was leaked that outlined a 12-point plan that was intended to make workers' jobs unbearable - and to nudge them towards taking voluntary redundancy packages.

The plans included the introduction of tacky uniforms for cabin crew, tedious training programmes for pilots, and the changing of shift patterns to intentionally annoy workers.

Sources told the Irish Independent that cabin crews' traditional uniforms would be replaced by ugly jumpsuits and t-shirts.

When operating as Aer Lingus chief executive, Willie Walsh oversaw the transformation of the company, bringing in a low-cost model to compete with rivals like Ryanair.

The document was called the 'Business Plan - HR (Human Resources) strategy 2004' - and ran to 40 pages. It featured a total of 12 "environmental push factors" to be introduced to encourage workers to leave their jobs.

Aer Lingus confirmed that the document was genuine, but a spokesperson said that it was a "discussion" paper - and that none of the outlined practices were ever used by management in the company.

The journalists who saw the guidelines reported that it seemed to be a final report - not a draft or discussion paper.

The number one 'push factor' to encourage workers to take up voluntary redundancy were 200 "taps on the shoulders" for supervisor-grade employees - they were to be taken aside and told that they had no future with the airline.

Other measures would see transport services between the terminal and airport car-parks being cut, and the end of flexible work schedules for cabin crew.

This report came to light in January 2005, the same month that Mr Walsh left the airline.

Monday 19 January 2015

BA AGAIN AND AGAIN>>>>> SHOCKING!!!

Filth Class! Horrified TV news presenter films 'disgusting' grimy conditions on board first class British Airways flight to St Lucia

TV news presenter so disgusted with cleanliness he filmed the evidence
Former BBC staff had saved for 'trip of a lifetime' to St Lucia
First class tickets to Caribbean sell for nearly £9,000 in peak season
Purser on board agreed the cleanliness was 'pretty bad'

By RAY MASSEY FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 18:30, 19 January 2015 | UPDATED: 21:54, 19 January 2015

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It is hardly what you expect when splashing out up to £9,000 on first class flights to the Caribbean.

But after treating himself to the 'trip of a lifetime', TV news presenter Owen Thomas was horrified to find dirt and grime caked around his first class seat.

Videoing the evidence, the former BBC anchorman posted the evidence on Twitter, dubbing the the service 'Filth Class'.

When the footrest that forms part of the seat is pulled down, it reveals an area calked in dirt and grime

Narrating the short 30-second video, the presenter explains: 'So this is BA first class and it is abs filthy. You see the marks on here, most of these you can just actually scrape off.

'You see the stains down here. It's when you open your seat that the real horror begins

'This is first class. This is British Airways First Class. It's disgusting.'

The former BBC anchorman and reporter flew off to St Lucia with a companion on Saturday in First Class seats that retail on BA's website for nearly £9,000 each in peak-season January.

BA were today advertising seats for this month at £8,798. But he was so disgusted that he posted on Twitter: 'Be shocked. This is what @BritishAirways FIRST CLASS is really like, as we experienced yesterday. Unbelievable.'

On YouTube, his video was posted under the headline: 'British Airways First Class – Filth Class' he wrote: 'This is what first class in BA is really like. London to St Lucia on 17th January 2015.

The TV presenter told Mailonline that he and his business executive partner flew out of Gatwick on Saturday morning for a luxury 10-day break.

‘My partner, Kai and I took this trip after a stressful couple of years where we’ve both been working in different countries. We’re not part of the jet-set. We saved for this once in a lifetime opportunity and I’m really appalled that BA could treat us, or anybody else, with such contempt.’

He added: ‘This is nothing short of corporate greed. They took our money - lots of it - and clearly can’t give a damn about their customers, whether they’re in first or economy.’

After being contacted by MailOnline BA apologised for the poor state of the First Class bay and admitted they had 'fallen short of our usual high standards'.

Hinting that part of the fare was paid for in Air Miles points, Mr Thomas said of his travelling companion: 'After two years apart we had points and deserved this as a mega treat. Never again.'

Owen Thomas posted the footage on YouTube showing how the area around the seat appeared not to have been cleaned

The surfaces next to the window seat appear to have been splashed but not wiped down after, causing stains

Another nearby traveller who posted under @hotelrepublic a photograph of their own grubby First Class seat said: 'I was sitting next to @OwenThomasTV seat 2a and my seat wasn't much cleaner.

Health hazard. 'The purser agreed that it was 'pretty bad' and asked us to fill in a form.' Alex Deane said simply: 'Yuck.' Sky broadcaster Stephen Dixon joined in the chorus of comment tweeting: 'To be fair, you should just travel standard like the rest of us.'

TV journalist David Ingles tweeted: 'They would have to pay me to consider getting anywhere near that.

Rob Russell said :'I really hope the staff did something about that – looks awful. 'I love British Airways but sometimes they really let themselves down.'

British Airways said: 'We have contacted our customer to apologise. We are very sorry that on this occasion we have fallen short of our usual high standards.

'We pride ourselves on delivering a relaxing and pleasant experience in First, and are taking immediate action to address this issue.'

British Airways confirmed Mr Thomas was flying aboard the BA2159 from Gatwick on Saturday.

BA also said flights to St Lucia in First Class start from £2,700 return and said the £8,798 price it is currently quoting on its official ba.com website for January was ‘misleading’ because it would only be for ‘someone booking at the last minute’.

Former BBC journalist Owen Thomas joined financial media firm Bloomberg in 2011 and has become a specialist in economics and business journalism.

His website says his career in news started more than twenty years ago. He began while still a student at Aston University, reporting for the BBC's local radio station.

His first big break came on the third day of a placement at the BBC's Business Unit when he jumped into the presenter's chair after the duty anchor didn't show up.

He travelled the globe as a reporter and presenter on BBC Radio 1's Newsbeat for many years before being lured back into television and London Tonight.

The news presenter was on board a BA2159 aircraft when he filmed the conditions in the First Class cabin

To paradise, but with a rocky start: The presenter was on his way to the Caribbean island of St Lucia (above) when he noticed the grime on board his five-star flight

BA AGAIN AND AGAIN>>>>> SHOCKING!!!

Filth Class! Horrified TV news presenter films 'disgusting' grimy conditions on board first class British Airways flight to St Lucia

TV news presenter so disgusted with cleanliness he filmed the evidence
Former BBC staff had saved for 'trip of a lifetime' to St Lucia
First class tickets to Caribbean sell for nearly £9,000 in peak season
Purser on board agreed the cleanliness was 'pretty bad'