Air stewardess who miraculously survived record-breaking 33,000ft plunge after jet exploded in midair in 1972 dies aged 66
Vesna Vulovic survived the highest ever fall without a parachute by a human being after her plane exploded on January 26, 1972
10774
SHARES
2
COMMENTS
BYSOPHIE EVANS
15:15, 24 DEC 2016UPDATED17:40, 24 DEC 2016
NEWS
Vesna Vulovic, pictured in her air stewardess uniform, has died aged 66
Vesna Vulovic, pictured in her air stewardess uniform, has died aged 66
10774
SHARES
2
Get Daily updates directly to your inbox
Enter your email
+ Subscribe
An air stewardess who survived a record-breaking 33,000ft plunge after her plane exploded in mid-air has died aged 66.
Vesna Vulovic was working as a Yugoslav Airlines hostess in January 1972 when the Douglas DC-9 airliner she was on blew up.
ADVERTISING
inRead invented by Teads
Then 22, she plummeted tens of thousands of feet to the ground after the explosion, which was caused by a suspected bomb .
She was the sole survivor of the crash , which killed all of the 27 other passengers and crew members, the Daily Record reports.
More than four decades on, Vesna has been found dead by her friends in her apartment in Belgrade, according to Serbia's state TV.
Vesna entered the Guinness Book of Records for surviving the highest fall without a parachute
Vesna entered the Guinness Book of Records for surviving the highest fall without a parachute (Photo: Euro Pics)
The air stewardess was onboard a Douglas DC-9 airliner in January 1972 when it blew up
The air stewardess was onboard a Douglas DC-9 airliner in January 1972 when it blew up
The cause of death was not immediately known.
In the tragedy on January 26, 1972, JAT (Yugoslav Airlines) Flight 367 was travelling from Stockholm, Sweden, to Belgrade when it exploded.
The flight plan included two stops – Copenhagen and Zagreb.
As the plane was flying over Hermsdorf in eastern Germany it suddenly disappeared from the radar screens and all communications ceased.
READ MORE
Chapecoense sign first players on loan following tragic plane crash as Brazilian club begin to rebuild squad
An explosion in the front cargo area broke the plane apart at an altitude of 33,333ft, causing it to spin out of control.
It was suspected that a bomb was planted inside the jet during a scheduled stopover in Copenhagen, Denmark, but no arrests were ever made.
Vesna is pictured being transported to hospital after the horror crash
Vesna is pictured being transported to hospital after the horror crash
JAT (Yugoslav Airlines) Flight 367 was travelling from Stockholm, Sweden, to Belgrade when it exploded
JAT (Yugoslav Airlines) Flight 367 was travelling from Stockholm, Sweden, to Belgrade when it exploded
The plane, broken into two main pieces, crashed against the slopes of a mountain in the Czech Republic with Vesna the only survivor.
Vesna had fallen through the sky for more than 10kilometres and it took her three minutes to hit the ground.
A German man Bruno Henke found her lying half outside a part of the plane with another crew member's body on top of her and a serving cart pinned against her spine.
READ MORE
Horror photos show burning remains of Colombia plane as frantic rescue team search crash site for survivors
Henke had been a doctor in the German Army during World War Two and he used his medical skills to help stabilise her until help arrived.
It was not thought that she would survive though. Her skull was fractured as were both her legs and she had three crushed vertebrae, a broken pelvis and ribs.
But a few days later she awoke from her coma and asked for a cigarette.
Vesna, pictured left, suffered a fractured skull and other severe injuries in the incident
Vesna, pictured left, suffered a fractured skull and other severe injuries in the incident
It is believed she survived because she became trapped in the plane's tail cone and that stopped her being sucked out.
The fuselage then tumbled through pine branches and into a thick coating of snow, softening the impact and cushioning its descent down the hill.
Initially paralysed from the waist down Vesna eventually made a near-full recovery.
READ MORE
Colombia plane crash: Dramatic moment jet 'overshoots runway and crashes on takeoff killing five'
She continued to work for JAT and she even asked the company to let her fly again. However JAT refused and gave her a desk job at the airline HQ.
She never regained memory of the accident or her rescue. In an interview in 2008 she said she could only recall greeting passengers before take-off from the airport in Denmark and then waking up in the hospital with her mother at her side.
The plane crashed against the slopes of a mountain in the Czech Republic, with Vesna the only survivor
The plane crashed against the slopes of a mountain in the Czech Republic, with Vesna the only survivor
She became an instant national hero. Marshall Tito, Yugoslavia's ruler, gave her a welcoming reception, the highest honour you could get in the country at the time.
She had songs dedicated to her and was often a guest on prime-time TV shows.
Vesna became a fashionable name for babies as it was assumed it brought good luck.
The peak moment of her international fame came in 1985 when The Guinness Book of Records invited her to London.
She was awarded with the 'highest fall survived without a parachute' record and Paul McCartney, Vesna’s idol as a youngster, gave her the prize.
She went on to use her celebrity status to help political causes, protesting against Slobodan Milošević's rule in the 1990s and later campaigning for liberal forces in elections.
Vesna always considered herself a survivor but no more than the rest of the Serb people.
Before her death she said: “We Serbians are true survivors. We survived communism, Tito, the war, poverty, NATO bombings, sanctions and Milošević.
"We only want a normal life. I just want a normal life."
Tuesday 27 December 2016
Thursday 22 December 2016
British Airways chief's sky-high pay hits turbulence as it's revealed Willie Walsh gets paid 147 times the average employee at airline group
By Laura Chesters For The Daily Mail
PUBLISHED: 22:22, 17 June 2015 | UPDATED: 22:22, 17 June 2015
e-mail
464
shares
22
View comments
Jackpot: Willie Walsh is in line to receive £6.4million in pay and perks
+1
Jackpot: Willie Walsh is in line to receive £6.4million in pay and perks
A row over the pay of British Airways boss Willie Walsh and a plan to give free flights to former board members has blown up after it was revealed the Irishman gets paid 147 times the average employee at the airline group.
Willie Walsh is in line to receive £6.4million in pay and perks which is 623 per cent of his base salary for his work last year at International Consolidated Airlines Group, the owner of BA and Spanish airline Iberia.
Shareholder adviser Pirc labelled Walsh’s pay ‘excessive’ and called on shareholders to vote against the rewards at the annual general meeting today in Madrid.
Pirc criticised IAG’s policy on future payouts because the total potential jackpots are 500 per cent of salary.
It said a three-year period to measure Walsh’s performance to qualify for the ‘long-term incentive plan’ – where he receives shares in the company – was not long-term enough. Walsh’s share award will net him £3.64million which is based on a period since 2012.
A proposal to give former non-executive directors the right to fly for nothing was also met with disapproval.
Deborah Hargreaves, boss of the independent think-tank the High Pay Centre, said: ‘We think [long term incentive plans] should be phased out. Bonuses should be paid in cash only. Awards based on share price do not always reflect the work of the chief executive. For example, quantitative easing [the Bank of England’s money-printing programme] has lifted share prices.’
RELATED ARTICLES
Previous
1
Next
International Consolidated Airlines Group Share Price | This is Money
Surging Berkeley Group shares build up founder Tony...
SHARE THIS ARTICLE
Share
IAG spokeswoman Laura Goodes said Walsh’s bonus is based on the strong performance of the group in 2014 when he returned Spanish airline Iberia to profit after six years of losses. The share award covers a period where IAG’s shares have risen more than 220 per cent.
A resolution to introduce free flights for non-executive directors has been brought in to align former BA non-executives with others on the board. IAG shares fell 8.5p to 493.5p.
÷ Europe’s five largest airlines are forming a trade body to lobby for change in European regulation.
The bosses of easyJet, IAG, Air France-KLM, Lufthansa and Ryanair have set aside rivalries to team up to call for reduced taxes and limits on strikes to boost competition and reduce prices for travellers.
Read more: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-3128798/British-Airways-chief-s-sky-high-pay-hits-turbulence-s-revealed-Willie-Walsh-gets-paid-147-times-average-employee-airline-group.html#ixzz4TbOtepkB
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
By Laura Chesters For The Daily Mail
PUBLISHED: 22:22, 17 June 2015 | UPDATED: 22:22, 17 June 2015
464
shares
22
View comments
Jackpot: Willie Walsh is in line to receive £6.4million in pay and perks
+1
Jackpot: Willie Walsh is in line to receive £6.4million in pay and perks
A row over the pay of British Airways boss Willie Walsh and a plan to give free flights to former board members has blown up after it was revealed the Irishman gets paid 147 times the average employee at the airline group.
Willie Walsh is in line to receive £6.4million in pay and perks which is 623 per cent of his base salary for his work last year at International Consolidated Airlines Group, the owner of BA and Spanish airline Iberia.
Shareholder adviser Pirc labelled Walsh’s pay ‘excessive’ and called on shareholders to vote against the rewards at the annual general meeting today in Madrid.
Pirc criticised IAG’s policy on future payouts because the total potential jackpots are 500 per cent of salary.
It said a three-year period to measure Walsh’s performance to qualify for the ‘long-term incentive plan’ – where he receives shares in the company – was not long-term enough. Walsh’s share award will net him £3.64million which is based on a period since 2012.
A proposal to give former non-executive directors the right to fly for nothing was also met with disapproval.
Deborah Hargreaves, boss of the independent think-tank the High Pay Centre, said: ‘We think [long term incentive plans] should be phased out. Bonuses should be paid in cash only. Awards based on share price do not always reflect the work of the chief executive. For example, quantitative easing [the Bank of England’s money-printing programme] has lifted share prices.’
RELATED ARTICLES
Previous
1
Next
International Consolidated Airlines Group Share Price | This is Money
Surging Berkeley Group shares build up founder Tony...
SHARE THIS ARTICLE
Share
IAG spokeswoman Laura Goodes said Walsh’s bonus is based on the strong performance of the group in 2014 when he returned Spanish airline Iberia to profit after six years of losses. The share award covers a period where IAG’s shares have risen more than 220 per cent.
A resolution to introduce free flights for non-executive directors has been brought in to align former BA non-executives with others on the board. IAG shares fell 8.5p to 493.5p.
÷ Europe’s five largest airlines are forming a trade body to lobby for change in European regulation.
The bosses of easyJet, IAG, Air France-KLM, Lufthansa and Ryanair have set aside rivalries to team up to call for reduced taxes and limits on strikes to boost competition and reduce prices for travellers.
Read more: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-3128798/British-Airways-chief-s-sky-high-pay-hits-turbulence-s-revealed-Willie-Walsh-gets-paid-147-times-average-employee-airline-group.html#ixzz4TbOtepkB
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Sunday 4 December 2016
CREW SUE BA
CABIN CREW 'POISONED' Former BA flight attendant ‘poisoned by cabin fumes’ as 74 staff sue UK airlines over toxic air
Angry Trudie Dadd, 56, said she suffered ‘unbelievable fatigue’ and problems with her memory, stomach, brain and feet after being exposed to fumes during 20 year career
BY GEORGE SANDEMAN 4th December 2016, 11:47 am
Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
0W
COMMENT
A FORMER flight attendant has said she suffered serious health problems after being “poisoned” by toxic fumes while working for British Airways.
Trudie Dadd, 56, said she had suffered “unbelievable fatigue” as a result and has also had problems with her memory and stomach.
British Airways ALAMY
2
A former British Airways flight attendant is suing the airline after she suffered ‘unbelievable fatigue’ because of exposure to toxic fumes in the cabin
A veteran of 20 years with BA, she also claimed to have experienced episodes of confusion and numbness in her feet after being exposed to the fumes twice in 12 months.
The Sunday Times reports that four UK airlines are being sued by 74 cabin crew workers who said they were also exposed to contaminated air while working.
They are being represented by Unite, the trade union, with more than 60 of the cases involving individuals working for BA – the other airlines being sued are Virgin Atlantic, easyJet and Jet2.
RELATED STORIES
AIRPORT DRAMA British Airways flight surrounded by fire engines at Heathrow after 'technical fault' forces it to land
TERMINAL SITUATION British Airways passengers face Heathrow 'chaos' after check-in system fails AGAIN
‘SHOW ME THE F***ING MONEY!’ Greedy British Airways bosses joke about crude slogan on advert as passengers face cramped seats
A FLIGHT DISGRACE Fury after jet perv who groped British Airways stewardess 'let off' with £13 fine
'JET CABIN FUMES CAN BE TOXIC' British Airways safety chief reveals vapours have ability to 'incapacitate' flyers
READY FOR TAKE OFF British Airways stewardess strips to her bikini to reveal incredible six-pack for bodybuilding competitions on her days off
TAKING OFF British Airways Black Friday sale launches TODAY with up to 49% off flights to New York, Dubai and Toronto
Leaked figures showed that there were at least 292 incidents of fumes or smoke inside aircraft operated by British carriers between June 2014 and May 2015.
Howard Beckett, who works for Unite, said: “It is a health issue which the airline industry has been aware of for some time and is so serious that our members are likening it to the impact of asbestos on the building industry.”
Trudie, from Berkshire, left BA in September and explained the difficulties she suffered after being exposed to the fumes, which she said smelled like bad feet mixed with nail polish remover, in April last year.
British Airways ALAMY
2
As well as BA three other British airlines are being sued by 74 workers
She said: “Over the next few months my health really started to deteriorate badly … I couldn’t remember simple things [like] people’s names … I was in a fog, I just wasn’t functioning.”
Trudie, who had dreamed of being a flight attendant since she was a little girl, had to spend two weeks ill in bed after being exposed to similar fumes the year before.
Following her difficulties last year, she had private health tests done and was recommended not to fly for six months so she could get her health back.
Trudie reported the toxic fume incidents to BA but wasn’t asked about it afterwards and slammed the airline for not recognising the issue. She said: “In their eyes it doesn’t happen.”
She added: “I have had to leave a job that I loved — a job I wanted to do since the age of 10. I am very angry that I have had to take that decision.”
In a statement BA said it would not operate an aircraft “if we believed it posed a health or safety risk to our customers or crew”.
The national carrier added: “We always encourage our colleagues to report any potential safety incidents to allow us to investigate them, and all reports are shared with the CAA.”
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368.
h
Smoke billows from BA Jet at Las Vegas Airport
Angry Trudie Dadd, 56, said she suffered ‘unbelievable fatigue’ and problems with her memory, stomach, brain and feet after being exposed to fumes during 20 year career
BY GEORGE SANDEMAN 4th December 2016, 11:47 am
Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
0W
COMMENT
A FORMER flight attendant has said she suffered serious health problems after being “poisoned” by toxic fumes while working for British Airways.
Trudie Dadd, 56, said she had suffered “unbelievable fatigue” as a result and has also had problems with her memory and stomach.
British Airways ALAMY
2
A former British Airways flight attendant is suing the airline after she suffered ‘unbelievable fatigue’ because of exposure to toxic fumes in the cabin
A veteran of 20 years with BA, she also claimed to have experienced episodes of confusion and numbness in her feet after being exposed to the fumes twice in 12 months.
The Sunday Times reports that four UK airlines are being sued by 74 cabin crew workers who said they were also exposed to contaminated air while working.
They are being represented by Unite, the trade union, with more than 60 of the cases involving individuals working for BA – the other airlines being sued are Virgin Atlantic, easyJet and Jet2.
RELATED STORIES
AIRPORT DRAMA British Airways flight surrounded by fire engines at Heathrow after 'technical fault' forces it to land
TERMINAL SITUATION British Airways passengers face Heathrow 'chaos' after check-in system fails AGAIN
‘SHOW ME THE F***ING MONEY!’ Greedy British Airways bosses joke about crude slogan on advert as passengers face cramped seats
A FLIGHT DISGRACE Fury after jet perv who groped British Airways stewardess 'let off' with £13 fine
'JET CABIN FUMES CAN BE TOXIC' British Airways safety chief reveals vapours have ability to 'incapacitate' flyers
READY FOR TAKE OFF British Airways stewardess strips to her bikini to reveal incredible six-pack for bodybuilding competitions on her days off
TAKING OFF British Airways Black Friday sale launches TODAY with up to 49% off flights to New York, Dubai and Toronto
Leaked figures showed that there were at least 292 incidents of fumes or smoke inside aircraft operated by British carriers between June 2014 and May 2015.
Howard Beckett, who works for Unite, said: “It is a health issue which the airline industry has been aware of for some time and is so serious that our members are likening it to the impact of asbestos on the building industry.”
Trudie, from Berkshire, left BA in September and explained the difficulties she suffered after being exposed to the fumes, which she said smelled like bad feet mixed with nail polish remover, in April last year.
British Airways ALAMY
2
As well as BA three other British airlines are being sued by 74 workers
She said: “Over the next few months my health really started to deteriorate badly … I couldn’t remember simple things [like] people’s names … I was in a fog, I just wasn’t functioning.”
Trudie, who had dreamed of being a flight attendant since she was a little girl, had to spend two weeks ill in bed after being exposed to similar fumes the year before.
Following her difficulties last year, she had private health tests done and was recommended not to fly for six months so she could get her health back.
Trudie reported the toxic fume incidents to BA but wasn’t asked about it afterwards and slammed the airline for not recognising the issue. She said: “In their eyes it doesn’t happen.”
She added: “I have had to leave a job that I loved — a job I wanted to do since the age of 10. I am very angry that I have had to take that decision.”
In a statement BA said it would not operate an aircraft “if we believed it posed a health or safety risk to our customers or crew”.
The national carrier added: “We always encourage our colleagues to report any potential safety incidents to allow us to investigate them, and all reports are shared with the CAA.”
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368.
h
Smoke billows from BA Jet at Las Vegas Airport
Saturday 26 November 2016
BA POVERTY PAY
End poverty pay at British Airways
End poverty pay at British Airways #BAlowpaynoway
BA cabin crewThousands of cabin crew working for British Airways ‘Mixed Fleet’ are currently voting on whether to take strike action over ‘poverty’ pay levels which are leading to crew sleeping in their cars between shifts. The ballot closes on 14 December.
Since 2010 all British Airways new cabin crew employees join what is called ‘Mixed Fleet’, where despite promises that pay would be 10 per cent above the market rate, basic pay starts at just £12,000 with £3 and an hour flying pay. Unite has seen no evidence from the company of crew achieving anywhere near the advertised potential rate of £21,000 – £25,000 for the job.
These pay levels are among the lowest in industry and put the UK’s national carrier to shame.
A recent Unite survey lifted the lid on the toll ‘poverty pay’ was having on Mixed Fleet crew at BA. Nearly half said that they had taken on a second job to make ends meet with some saying they had to sleep in their cars between shifts because they couldn’t afford the petrol to drive home.
Elsewhere over two thirds admitted to going to work unfit to fly because they could not afford to be off sick, while a massive 84 per cent said they had experienced stress and depression due to their financial circumstances. Viewed as premier airline in the industry, Mixed Fleet cabin crew take great pride in working for British Airways. Increasingly though they are becoming fed up at being paid bargain basement wages.
With the parent company of British Airways predicting annual earnings of £4.7 billion between this year and 2020, it’s clear that the UK’s national carrier can pay the people who keep us safe while we fly a decent wage.
Are you British Airways Mixed Fleet cabin crew?
If you are not a member of Unite contact your rep or join Unite today.
If you are a member of Unite and have not received your ballot paper contact Unite BA cabin crew via email.
Do you fly British Airways?
Send a message of support to your cabin crew and say #BAlowpaynoway
Mixed Fleet cabin crew what they say
“I can’t afford to live on the money BA is paying me. BA expects me to give 100% for them when I work, but pay me peanuts in return.”
“Work/life balance was better with my previous employer Ryanair.”
“I love my job, but you shouldn’t have to take on a second job to live.”
#BAlowpaynoway memes
Show your support for BA mixed lfeet and tell #BAlowpaynoway
- See more at: http://www.unitetheunion.org/campaigning/end-poverty-pay-at-british-airways/#sthash.b6ireBpU.dpuf
End poverty pay at British Airways #BAlowpaynoway
BA cabin crewThousands of cabin crew working for British Airways ‘Mixed Fleet’ are currently voting on whether to take strike action over ‘poverty’ pay levels which are leading to crew sleeping in their cars between shifts. The ballot closes on 14 December.
Since 2010 all British Airways new cabin crew employees join what is called ‘Mixed Fleet’, where despite promises that pay would be 10 per cent above the market rate, basic pay starts at just £12,000 with £3 and an hour flying pay. Unite has seen no evidence from the company of crew achieving anywhere near the advertised potential rate of £21,000 – £25,000 for the job.
These pay levels are among the lowest in industry and put the UK’s national carrier to shame.
A recent Unite survey lifted the lid on the toll ‘poverty pay’ was having on Mixed Fleet crew at BA. Nearly half said that they had taken on a second job to make ends meet with some saying they had to sleep in their cars between shifts because they couldn’t afford the petrol to drive home.
Elsewhere over two thirds admitted to going to work unfit to fly because they could not afford to be off sick, while a massive 84 per cent said they had experienced stress and depression due to their financial circumstances. Viewed as premier airline in the industry, Mixed Fleet cabin crew take great pride in working for British Airways. Increasingly though they are becoming fed up at being paid bargain basement wages.
With the parent company of British Airways predicting annual earnings of £4.7 billion between this year and 2020, it’s clear that the UK’s national carrier can pay the people who keep us safe while we fly a decent wage.
Are you British Airways Mixed Fleet cabin crew?
If you are not a member of Unite contact your rep or join Unite today.
If you are a member of Unite and have not received your ballot paper contact Unite BA cabin crew via email.
Do you fly British Airways?
Send a message of support to your cabin crew and say #BAlowpaynoway
Mixed Fleet cabin crew what they say
“I can’t afford to live on the money BA is paying me. BA expects me to give 100% for them when I work, but pay me peanuts in return.”
“Work/life balance was better with my previous employer Ryanair.”
“I love my job, but you shouldn’t have to take on a second job to live.”
#BAlowpaynoway memes
Show your support for BA mixed lfeet and tell #BAlowpaynoway
- See more at: http://www.unitetheunion.org/campaigning/end-poverty-pay-at-british-airways/#sthash.b6ireBpU.dpuf
Wednesday 23 November 2016
PMSL
BA boss shocked to find out that third Heathrow runway will raze his HQ
Airline chief Wille Walsh furious about not being told of demolition – and about fact he will ‘end up paying for the destruction’
British Airways’ Waterside HQ. Six U-shaped buildings are linked via connecting bridges and a glass roof 17 metres above a cobble-stoned street.
British Airways’ Waterside HQ. Six U-shaped buildings are linked via bridges under a glass roof. Photograph: British Airways/PA
Gwyn Topham Transport correspondent
Wednesday 23 November 2016 00.38 GMT
View more sharing options
Shares
8,464
Comments
834
The boss of Heathrow’s biggest customer, British Airways, only discovered that building the airport’s planned third runway would require the demolition of his airline’s head office after looking at a map.
Willie Walsh, the chief executive of BA’s parent company IAG, claimed that despite the group being responsible for about half of all flights at the London hub, he received no formal warning of the proposed demolition.
He said: “We were never actually informed or advised by Heathrow that they intended to knock down our headquarters.”
The challenges Heathrow airport must face over third runway
Caroline Pidgeon
Read more
Both IAG and British Airways are based at Waterside in Harmondsworth, which opened in 1998 at a cost of £200m and sits in a 115-hectare (280-acre) manmade park. Walsh said the HQ was “a fantastic environmental achievement on our part”.
However, it looks unlikely to stay that way. “The first I saw of it was when the Airport Commission report came out and I saw a map and I thought, that looks very close to Waterside,” Walsh said. “Then I discovered it actually went right through Waterside.”
Walsh’s grievance over his doomed HQ has been compounded by the prospect of being effectively charged for the compensation bill.
While all properties in the path of the runway will be compulsorily purchased at 25% over the market price, the way Heathrow’s charges are set by the Civil Aviation Authority means that airlines are likely to pay more to operate from the airport as expansion costs grow.
Walsh said: “That compensation goes into the regulatory asset base and we end up paying 56% of that.
“We can’t have a situation where I end up paying for the destruction of my own head office.”
Local residents on Heathrow's third runway: 'I would lose my house, community and friends'
Read more
The Waterside affair may have contributed to apparent rising antipathy from Walsh towards Heathrow, which he lambasted as “fat, dumb and happy” at the Airport Operators Association conference in London.
The IAG boss accused Heathrow of failing to hold proper discussions with airlines about creating a cost-effective airport and expansion plan.
He said: “I don’t think they have the capacity to engage. They’ve never had to go out there and encourage airlines to operate from [Heathrow], unlike every other airport … Heathrow sits there fat, dumb and happy, waiting for the queue to build up.”
Advertisement
In approving Heathrow’s expansion plans last month, the government said that increased domestic flights from around the UK would be a precondition.
But Walsh stated that his airlines would not operate routes to airports such as Newquay in Cornwall, “even if [Heathrow chief executive] John Holland-Kaye got down and begged me”.
A Heathrow spokesperson said: “British Airways has been consulted on the detail of our expansion plans throughout, including options for the relocation of Waterside ahead of the submission to the Airports Commission.
“We are optimising our plans and are determined to work with our airlines to deliver them as cost efficiently as possible, which in turn will keep our airline charges as close to flat with today’s charges as possible.”
Airline chief Wille Walsh furious about not being told of demolition – and about fact he will ‘end up paying for the destruction’
British Airways’ Waterside HQ. Six U-shaped buildings are linked via connecting bridges and a glass roof 17 metres above a cobble-stoned street.
British Airways’ Waterside HQ. Six U-shaped buildings are linked via bridges under a glass roof. Photograph: British Airways/PA
Gwyn Topham Transport correspondent
Wednesday 23 November 2016 00.38 GMT
View more sharing options
Shares
8,464
Comments
834
The boss of Heathrow’s biggest customer, British Airways, only discovered that building the airport’s planned third runway would require the demolition of his airline’s head office after looking at a map.
Willie Walsh, the chief executive of BA’s parent company IAG, claimed that despite the group being responsible for about half of all flights at the London hub, he received no formal warning of the proposed demolition.
He said: “We were never actually informed or advised by Heathrow that they intended to knock down our headquarters.”
The challenges Heathrow airport must face over third runway
Caroline Pidgeon
Read more
Both IAG and British Airways are based at Waterside in Harmondsworth, which opened in 1998 at a cost of £200m and sits in a 115-hectare (280-acre) manmade park. Walsh said the HQ was “a fantastic environmental achievement on our part”.
However, it looks unlikely to stay that way. “The first I saw of it was when the Airport Commission report came out and I saw a map and I thought, that looks very close to Waterside,” Walsh said. “Then I discovered it actually went right through Waterside.”
Walsh’s grievance over his doomed HQ has been compounded by the prospect of being effectively charged for the compensation bill.
While all properties in the path of the runway will be compulsorily purchased at 25% over the market price, the way Heathrow’s charges are set by the Civil Aviation Authority means that airlines are likely to pay more to operate from the airport as expansion costs grow.
Walsh said: “That compensation goes into the regulatory asset base and we end up paying 56% of that.
“We can’t have a situation where I end up paying for the destruction of my own head office.”
Local residents on Heathrow's third runway: 'I would lose my house, community and friends'
Read more
The Waterside affair may have contributed to apparent rising antipathy from Walsh towards Heathrow, which he lambasted as “fat, dumb and happy” at the Airport Operators Association conference in London.
The IAG boss accused Heathrow of failing to hold proper discussions with airlines about creating a cost-effective airport and expansion plan.
He said: “I don’t think they have the capacity to engage. They’ve never had to go out there and encourage airlines to operate from [Heathrow], unlike every other airport … Heathrow sits there fat, dumb and happy, waiting for the queue to build up.”
Advertisement
In approving Heathrow’s expansion plans last month, the government said that increased domestic flights from around the UK would be a precondition.
But Walsh stated that his airlines would not operate routes to airports such as Newquay in Cornwall, “even if [Heathrow chief executive] John Holland-Kaye got down and begged me”.
A Heathrow spokesperson said: “British Airways has been consulted on the detail of our expansion plans throughout, including options for the relocation of Waterside ahead of the submission to the Airports Commission.
“We are optimising our plans and are determined to work with our airlines to deliver them as cost efficiently as possible, which in turn will keep our airline charges as close to flat with today’s charges as possible.”
Friday 18 November 2016
LESS ROOM ON BA IN FUTURE
SHOW ME THE F***ING MONEY!’ Greedy British Airways bosses joke about crude slogan ‘Show Me The F***ing Money!’ as passengers face less leg room and cramped seats
Slogan was on a slide at a presentation for investors as hundreds of redundancies are announced
EXCLUSIVE
BY STEPHEN MOYES 17th November 2016, 2:39 am
Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
1
COMMENTS
BRITISH Airways passengers face less leg room and narrower seats — as axe-wielding bosses joke: “Show Me The F***ing Money!”
The crude slogan was on a slide at a presentation for investors by parent firm IAG, led by Willie Walsh.
BA slide
5
Slide used at presentation with the crude slogan
Meanwhile hundreds of redundancies were announced, and BA’s Boeing 777s are to squeeze an extra seat in economy class rows.
It was among the first seen by IAG and British Airways bondholders, City investors and board members in a slide show titled ‘Annual Report & Accounts 2015’.
World Travel Market trade show, ExCeL, London, UK - 07 Nov 2016 REX FEATURES
5
Willie Walsh, chief executive of IAG took responsibility for the slide
The obscene swear word was written in full except for an aeroplane replacing the ‘U’.”
–– ADVERTISEMENT ––
A respected online travel blogger said: “Crass, tasteless, infantile and moronic are just a few ways I can think of describing the decision to use a slide like that but, more than anything, it shows just how devoid of class IAG (and by extension British Airways) now is.”
A senior union boss representing BA staff who face the axe said: “No one will seriously think he cares about staff or passengers after this.”
british airways waterside headquarters ALAMY
5
‘Hundreds’ of workers will go from BA’s headquarters at Waterside
Despite existing cramped conditions on BA flights, the current nine-seat row on its long-haul aircraft is set to get even tighter – with toilets being stripped out to make way for more seats.
The 10-seat rows in economy will feature in economy cabins on long-haul Boeing 777s flying out of Heathrow and Gatwick.
On industry observer said: “BA is to become even more uncomfortable, with narrower seats and inevitably less leg room.
BA also announced another jobs cull.
Bosses are considering closing its call centres, forcing passengers wanting to book flights online.
BA announced it is spending £400million on improving its Club World inflight section.
Last night the offensive slide had been removed from the pack available to download on the BA presentation to parent firm IAG.
Willie Walsh, chief executive of the International Airlines Group and former boss of British Airways, unashamedly took responsibility for the “crass” slide.
British Airways AP:ASSOCIATED PRESS
5
BA’s Boeing 777s are to squeeze an extra seat in economy class rows
h
Video of plane flying across New York night sky is coolest Supermoon clip yet
He spoke to investor at last Friday's meeting.
A spokesman for IAG told The Sun yesterday: "Willie Walsh has always been unapologetic about the airline industry’s inability to make proper returns and this time he wasn’t going to be outdone by the colourful language of one of his rival airline CEOs."
British Airways said: "We are flying more customers than ever before to our expanding network of destinations.
"To meet this demand we are updating our 777 cabins to bring us into line with many of our competitors and allow us to offer even more low fares.
"As part of the update, we will also be fitting new entertainment systems with bigger screens.
"We will also be making a significant investment in our Club World cabins."
Slogan was on a slide at a presentation for investors as hundreds of redundancies are announced
EXCLUSIVE
BY STEPHEN MOYES 17th November 2016, 2:39 am
Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
1
COMMENTS
BRITISH Airways passengers face less leg room and narrower seats — as axe-wielding bosses joke: “Show Me The F***ing Money!”
The crude slogan was on a slide at a presentation for investors by parent firm IAG, led by Willie Walsh.
BA slide
5
Slide used at presentation with the crude slogan
Meanwhile hundreds of redundancies were announced, and BA’s Boeing 777s are to squeeze an extra seat in economy class rows.
It was among the first seen by IAG and British Airways bondholders, City investors and board members in a slide show titled ‘Annual Report & Accounts 2015’.
World Travel Market trade show, ExCeL, London, UK - 07 Nov 2016 REX FEATURES
5
Willie Walsh, chief executive of IAG took responsibility for the slide
The obscene swear word was written in full except for an aeroplane replacing the ‘U’.”
–– ADVERTISEMENT ––
A respected online travel blogger said: “Crass, tasteless, infantile and moronic are just a few ways I can think of describing the decision to use a slide like that but, more than anything, it shows just how devoid of class IAG (and by extension British Airways) now is.”
A senior union boss representing BA staff who face the axe said: “No one will seriously think he cares about staff or passengers after this.”
british airways waterside headquarters ALAMY
5
‘Hundreds’ of workers will go from BA’s headquarters at Waterside
Despite existing cramped conditions on BA flights, the current nine-seat row on its long-haul aircraft is set to get even tighter – with toilets being stripped out to make way for more seats.
The 10-seat rows in economy will feature in economy cabins on long-haul Boeing 777s flying out of Heathrow and Gatwick.
On industry observer said: “BA is to become even more uncomfortable, with narrower seats and inevitably less leg room.
BA also announced another jobs cull.
Bosses are considering closing its call centres, forcing passengers wanting to book flights online.
BA announced it is spending £400million on improving its Club World inflight section.
Last night the offensive slide had been removed from the pack available to download on the BA presentation to parent firm IAG.
Willie Walsh, chief executive of the International Airlines Group and former boss of British Airways, unashamedly took responsibility for the “crass” slide.
British Airways AP:ASSOCIATED PRESS
5
BA’s Boeing 777s are to squeeze an extra seat in economy class rows
h
Video of plane flying across New York night sky is coolest Supermoon clip yet
He spoke to investor at last Friday's meeting.
A spokesman for IAG told The Sun yesterday: "Willie Walsh has always been unapologetic about the airline industry’s inability to make proper returns and this time he wasn’t going to be outdone by the colourful language of one of his rival airline CEOs."
British Airways said: "We are flying more customers than ever before to our expanding network of destinations.
"To meet this demand we are updating our 777 cabins to bring us into line with many of our competitors and allow us to offer even more low fares.
"As part of the update, we will also be fitting new entertainment systems with bigger screens.
"We will also be making a significant investment in our Club World cabins."
Thursday 3 November 2016
BA PLAY DOWN FUME EVENTS!!
British Airways accused of downplaying toxic fume risk
British Airways has been warned to stop "downplaying" potentially "toxic fumes"in plane cabins.
It comes after a British Airways flight from San Francisco to Heathrow had an emergency landing last week when crew members reportedly began vomiting mid-air.
The airline later described it as an "odour event" despite flight crews and air traffic control saying the incident involved "toxic gas-like fumes".
Another such incident occurred on a British Airways plane to Los Angeles a day later on October 26, according to the Unite union.
British Airways again put it down to an "odour event"- but Unite understands a full fume drill was performed on the flight deck - which would have involved the crew putting on oxygen masks.
The union is now calling on the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to release figures on fume incidents and investigate how airlines classify "fume events".
It has also urged people who have been involved in a fume event to record it on its dedicated fume register or phone its hotline number 03330 146569.
A British Airways spokesperson said: "We continue to conduct thorough and detailed investigations which we share with the CAA. We always encourage our people to report any potential incident to allow us to investigate them."
In 2012, former BA pilot Richard Westgate died after repeated exposure to contaminated cabin air, according to his parents.
Judith and Peter Westgate believe their son was the victim of "aerotoxic syndrome" - a condition the aviation industry does not recognise.
The coroner who investigated Richard's death, Sheriff Stanhope Payne, was so concerned about the evidence he encountered that he wrote to BA and the CAA to warn that there is a risk of future deaths unless action is taken.
BA PLAY DOWN FUME EVENTS!!
British Airways accused of downplaying toxic fume risk
British Airways has been warned to stop "downplaying" potentially "toxic fumes"in plane cabins.
It comes after a British Airways flight from San Francisco to Heathrow had an emergency landing last week when crew members reportedly began vomiting mid-air.
The airline later described it as an "odour event" despite flight crews and air traffic control saying the incident involved "toxic gas-like fumes".
Another such incident occurred on a British Airways plane to Los Angeles a day later on October 26, according to the Unite union.
British Airways again put it down to an "odour event"- but Unite understands a full fume drill was performed on the flight deck - which would have involved the crew putting on oxygen masks.
The union is now calling on the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to release figures on fume incidents and investigate how airlines classify "fume events".
It has also urged people who have been involved in a fume event to record it on its dedicated fume register or phone its hotline number 03330 146569.
A British Airways spokesperson said: "We continue to conduct thorough and detailed investigations which we share with the CAA. We always encourage our people to report any potential incident to allow us to investigate them."
In 2012, former BA pilot Richard Westgate died after repeated exposure to contaminated cabin air, according to his parents.
Judith and Peter Westgate believe their son was the victim of "aerotoxic syndrome" - a condition the aviation industry does not recognise.
The coroner who investigated Richard's death, Sheriff Stanhope Payne, was so concerned about the evidence he encountered that he wrote to BA and the CAA to warn that there is a risk of future deaths unless action is taken.
Sunday 30 October 2016
BA CAPTAIN MASTURBATES IN COCKPIT
BA pilot suspended over alleged cockpit sex photos in stockings taken at 38,000 feet
Captain Colin Glover, 51, denies he is the pervy pilot pictured pleasuring himself mid-flight
A BA pilot has been suspended amid claims he pleasured himself wearing stockings in the cockpit at 38,000 feet.
Captain Colin Glover, 51, was removed from flying duties after we alerted bosses to a series of sordid images seemingly shot in a Boeing 777 on a long-haul flight.
They reveal a pervy airman in stockings taking lurid selfies of his aroused manhood.
One image shows a leg sprawled over the dashboard while the plane appears to be on autopilot and with the co-pilot’s seat empty.
In another, an airman spreads his stocking-clad legs over the joystick while revealing himself.
A further sordid snap shows the man with his genitals exposed in a cabin’s toilet.
Other images show a pornographic magazine spread on the controls and explicit playing cards scattered around the cockpit.
Serial numbers on the control panel suggest the pictures were taken aboard at least two separate British Airways planes.
The airline confirmed yesterday it was probing the images — and whether they were taken feet from passengers mid-flight.
BA said: “We are taking these allegations extremely seriously.”
Twice-married dad Glover — a BA Captain since 1990 — is thought to have denied to bosses the pictures are of him. But he is likely to be permanently grounded if they disagree.
A senior airline source said investigators would examine whether the images could have been shot in a flight simulator.
One of the serial numbers visible — GYMMB — is used on BA’s simulators. But it is also registered to a twin-engine Boeing.
The other — GVIIL — is also one of the 777 fleet used by BA.
Airline expert Chris Yates said yesterday: “This is very dangerous if the plane is in mid-flight.
“If you are flying, you can fly into serious turbulence.
“This person is in danger of losing his aircraft and his job.”
He said it was unlikely the pictures were taken on a simulator.
Chris added: “You can tell by the lighting it is a plane.
“There is also more going on in the control panels than on a simulator. It looks a live aircraft.”
A former BA pilot also said there were not toilets like the one seen in one of the pictures on the airline’s simulators.
Glover, who has a grown-up son, regularly takes control of 777s on long-haul flights to destinations including America, the Caribbean and the Far East.
He was born in Windsor, Berks, went to uni in Edinburgh and lives in Dublin.
The Sun last week revealed a first class BA passenger was arrested amid claims he used a phone to film up a stewardess’ skirt.
Last night, Glover’s lawyer denied the pictures were of him.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)