227 Volts

So it’s been all over the news, BA cabin attendants who have been on strike about pay.  Then there’s Willy Walsh who says BA can cover the issues…Well I’d like to address both issues as I’ve had the “pleasure” to fly with BA in the midst of all of this malarkey!

The strike began on March 20 and I was set to fly from Seattle to London – a BA Hub…Heathrow even.  Beautiful Terminal 5.  Well, that’s the only beautiful I had the chance to experience.  Due to what I can only equate to the strike, about an hour after take off from Seattle we were served “dinner”.  This was some iceberg lettuce with a piece of cold chicken topped over it.  No hot food, no choice of meal, just splat, a cold chicken breast on some lettuce.

Now, I’m not one to normally complain, but NEVER before in all my 1,000,000+ miles of travel (and especially on a 9+ hour flight) have I ever been fed a cold meal (I’ve been on over 50 trans-atlantic flights), which would probably cost less than $5 based on the looks of it.  I didn’t pay for the ticket, but doing some quick research, reveals it would have cost about $750 or even more.  What else did I get from the institutional UK airline that needs a real kicking (see what I think of the cabin attendants in a minute)…a cold hard turkey, ham and cheese roll just before arriving.  So cold that the wrap that encased the turkey, ham and cheese was breakable.  This added with the fact that you could tell the cabin staff didn’t want to be there made the flight oh so much more enjoyable.

Now, let’s take a look at the later part – the cabin staff.  Strike because you’re unhappy right?  You inconsiderate fools.  When you took the job, you knew how much you were going to get paid.  You signed the contract and the terms of your employment, didn’t you?  Oh and maybe you haven’t recently realised that there are loads of people at the moment who are unemployed and would love a job – even at less than what you’re getting paid.  Do you care?  Obviously not, as you want to put the rest of us who are working and rely on flying at peril because you’re mad at Mr Walsh.  Good way to earn the respect of the British public who are already cynical without you needing to go on strike.

I’ve got three solutions – all of which would easily fix the problems at hand:

1) Get rid of the sodden airline and give the business to someone who cares

2) Get rid of Unite altogether, as what is the point behind an airline union these days unless you’re really being treated badly (and by the way BA cabin staff, you aren’t…you’ve got jobs and paychecks – more than a lot of others do today)

3) Replace the staff who think they’re better than everyone else, currently those striking, with people who would love to have a paying job and can’t get on the employment ladder at the moment due to the economical crisis.

Look BA, get your act together as I’m not flying with you any more and trust me, I’m not the only one who’s called time on your silly antics.

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