Comments on: The Buck Stops With Me http://www.fleetbuzzeditorial.com/2008/04/14/the-buck-stops-with-me/ Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:55:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: BCal http://www.fleetbuzzeditorial.com/2008/04/14/the-buck-stops-with-me/comment-page-1/#comment-970 BCal Mon, 14 Apr 2008 18:19:25 +0000 http://www.fleetbuzzeditorial.com/2008/04/14/the-buck-stops-with-me/#comment-970 I have heard from many sources that partly due to budgets and cost cutting BA staff did not have sufficient training in order to familiarise themselves with T5 and the baggage handling equipment. Saving a million or two maximum in staff time/costs for training was a false economy bearing in mind the GBP 16 million (or GBP 40 million) that BA must now pay in compensation, not to mention the damage to the BA brand. I attended two of the T5 trials and often thought to myself did the BAA/BA supervisors etc know exactly what they were testing? There were many people with clipboards and stopwatches, and even more observers, wandering around and things did not go to plan even on the trials. Did they take any notice of the problems that came to light, and comments made by people on the trials? Maybe BAA forced BA to transfer all operations in two big moves. Certainly, with the experience gained at HKG and other new airports it would have been better to move operations in small stages to iron out any problems that surfaced, rather than one big move and meltdown. Had the opening of T5 been a success, WW would have taken all the praise and glory. It was a complete ball$ up, yet it seems that only words come from his mouth and little, if any, action. WW is paid GBP 51,200 per month and I cannot understand how a highly paid director could not even come up with any contingency plan if the baggage systems etc did not meet expectations when T5 opened. As has been said, getting rid of WW will not solve the problems, as the BA board would only appoint another CEO who might be unable to solve the legacy. What is required is a complete overhaul of the BA management and board. I have heard from many sources that partly due to budgets and cost cutting BA staff did not have sufficient training in order to familiarise themselves with T5 and the baggage handling equipment. Saving a million or two maximum in staff time/costs for training was a false economy bearing in mind the GBP 16 million (or GBP 40 million) that BA must now pay in compensation, not to mention the damage to the BA brand.

I attended two of the T5 trials and often thought to myself did the BAA/BA supervisors etc know exactly what they were testing? There were many people with clipboards and stopwatches, and even more observers, wandering around and things did not go to plan even on the trials. Did they take any notice of the problems that came to light, and comments made by people on the trials? Maybe BAA forced BA to transfer all operations in two big moves. Certainly, with the experience gained at HKG and other new airports it would have been better to move operations in small stages to iron out any problems that surfaced, rather than one big move and meltdown.

Had the opening of T5 been a success, WW would have taken all the praise and glory. It was a complete ball$ up, yet it seems that only words come from his mouth and little, if any, action. WW is paid GBP 51,200 per month and I cannot understand how a highly paid director could not even come up with any contingency plan if the baggage systems etc did not meet expectations when T5 opened.

As has been said, getting rid of WW will not solve the problems, as the BA board would only appoint another CEO who might be unable to solve the legacy. What is required is a complete overhaul of the BA management and board.

]]> By: david cavanagh http://www.fleetbuzzeditorial.com/2008/04/14/the-buck-stops-with-me/comment-page-1/#comment-969 david cavanagh Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:04:11 +0000 http://www.fleetbuzzeditorial.com/2008/04/14/the-buck-stops-with-me/#comment-969 WW is all talk and no action,iv'e always said,if you rush a job and cut courners,then it will come back to to bite you,later on,just like a white lie,and that's is exactly what has happend to WW. Serve's him right for putting profits first and putting a well done mark on his CV,for what excellance? not a chance. WW is all talk and no action,iv’e always said,if you rush a job and cut courners,then it will come back to to bite you,later on,just like a white lie,and that’s is exactly what has happend to WW. Serve’s him right for putting profits first and putting a well done mark on his CV,for what excellance? not a chance.

]]> By: Jacobin777 http://www.fleetbuzzeditorial.com/2008/04/14/the-buck-stops-with-me/comment-page-1/#comment-968 Jacobin777 Mon, 14 Apr 2008 14:33:25 +0000 http://www.fleetbuzzeditorial.com/2008/04/14/the-buck-stops-with-me/#comment-968 Being a OneWorld Koolaider and someone who's dealt with BA/BAA baggage handling problems even in the best of times, along with the BAA I think WW is partially to blame. The smartest thing to do was to start with a few flights..MAX. Bring that up to a dozen or so in a few days and let the "kinks" work out. Then "ramp" up as one is more confident in the system. While I can't fault WW for not having the system work, this decision (or lack of decision) of shifting to T-5 so quickly without testing the system "in vivo" SQUARELY lies on WW. He's been hyping T-5 since he took the helm of BA.... While I don't believe he'll be fired because of this, I'm a bit disappointed by his lack of foresight. Being a OneWorld Koolaider and someone who’s dealt with BA/BAA baggage handling problems even in the best of times, along with the BAA I think WW is partially to blame.

The smartest thing to do was to start with a few flights..MAX. Bring that up to a dozen or so in a few days and let the “kinks” work out. Then “ramp” up as one is more confident in the system.

While I can’t fault WW for not having the system work, this decision (or lack of decision) of shifting to T-5 so quickly without testing the system “in vivo” SQUARELY lies on WW. He’s been hyping T-5 since he took the helm of BA….

While I don’t believe he’ll be fired because of this, I’m a bit disappointed by his lack of foresight.

]]> By: Aurora http://www.fleetbuzzeditorial.com/2008/04/14/the-buck-stops-with-me/comment-page-1/#comment-967 Aurora Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:30:44 +0000 http://www.fleetbuzzeditorial.com/2008/04/14/the-buck-stops-with-me/#comment-967 This hugely embarrassing screw up is a heaven sent opportunity for BALPA. One wonders if Walsh won't be forced to compromise on Open Skies down the road to keep his job? This hugely embarrassing screw up is a heaven sent opportunity for BALPA. One wonders if Walsh won’t be forced to compromise on Open Skies down the road to keep his job?

]]> By: Chris Wallace http://www.fleetbuzzeditorial.com/2008/04/14/the-buck-stops-with-me/comment-page-1/#comment-966 Chris Wallace Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:17:40 +0000 http://www.fleetbuzzeditorial.com/2008/04/14/the-buck-stops-with-me/#comment-966 Reminds me of UA's fancy baggage-handling system at DEN that never worked right and was eventually removed. Growing pains happen. I'm not a fan of LHR, period, but fortunately I normally connect at FRA since I am a Star Alliance man. :) Reminds me of UA’s fancy baggage-handling system at DEN that never worked right and was eventually removed.

Growing pains happen. I’m not a fan of LHR, period, but fortunately I normally connect at FRA since I am a Star Alliance man. :)

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