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Merry Christmas everyone and a Prosperous New Year!

Good point Steve!

On another thread with same topic, I've commented that BA Mixed Fleet cabin crew earn less in one year than Willie Walsh (BA Chairman) earns in a day, with reports of them sleeping in cars as cannot afford accommodation near Heathrow.  Their basic annual pay is less than EasyJet and Ryanair, but they can earn other allowances although they don't amount to much.  BA decided to introduce these contracts simply to cut costs.   It's easy to forget the cabin crew are there for safety and if they are unfit to fly through fatigue then your safety could be compromised.  Fortunately for BA, some of them still view a job with BA as an aspiration......

Originally Posted by Barney

“And next week I believe the baggage handlers are out on strike.... These unions certainly know how to get the public on their side...”

And BA Mixed Fleet cabin crew who are paid less than EasyJet and Ryanair (basic pay).  Even with flying allowances there are reports of them being exhausted and some sleeping in their cars because they cannot afford accommodation in the Heathrow area.   BA decided to cut costs by changing contracts for new recruits, although thankfully there are legal restrictions on the maximum hours they can fly.   

Simple explanation is they earn less in a year than Willie Walsh earns in a day.......

You're right Barney.

There are adult bullies as well as child ones.  There could be a number of reasons why adults behave that way.  Something in their parents/relatives lives that they have carried through thinking it's the norm.  I've only experienced one bully, a female who was the MD's PA.  She got so fed up with not getting a reaction from me that she started to tell lies.  Luckily my boss knew what she was doing and confronted the MD about her behaviour.  A few months later, the company was taken over and the new MD made her an offer she couldn't refuse (after the departure of her boss).  Her reaction was to accuse me of undermining her.  Redundancy letter and cheque completed very quickly.....

As the saying goes "what comes around, goes around...."

A lot of the unions are stuck in a time warp (ASLEF, RMT, Unite, PCS) where they still consider a strike as the best way to solve problems.  Fortunately in the UK we have a government that stands up to them, not like our friends across the Channel who capitulate as the first sign of trouble from farmers, to name one group.   

Okay, the government earns a lot from railway franchises so would like to reap the benefit of any savings the operators can make.  One interesting point raised on Sky News this morning was that assaults on female passengers have risen by over 50% since tube trains became driver-only operations; this is happening during the daytime operations as well as late at night.   The unions should clearly make the point that the issue is health and safety as well as safeguarding jobs, then the public may be more sympathetic.  

The tube has been operating for years without any serious upgrading work being done.  This is being rectified but it takes time and the inevitable signal and train failures will happen, coincidentally when there's a tube strike .  One year when there was a tube strike I discovered London Overground, used my tube ticket and avoided a hefty taxi fare.  Only used Southern once, from Kensington Olympia to Watford Junction.  It was busy but at 530pm that should be expected.  

Reminds me of package holiday flights where a family's hand luggage consisted of a number of supermarket carrier bags.  That was in the days when only one person was needed to check-in their party.  

Oh, the Flybe Dash8! As a friend said after a return trip to Dusseldorf on one, why??? I got to gate area at Edinburgh to find two of those parked up.  Very pleased to see other destinations than Birmingham for them.  Props not a favourite, especially on a wet and windy August evening.....

There's a rumour going round that Antonov have already made contact with him.....

Social media certainly doesn't help because it's made it easier for low life to bully or groom kids and teenagers.  Lots of kids are confused because of the hormones raging through their bodies and some are not being educated in the facts of life.  I don't just mean the "birds and the bees", but what's acceptable behaviour and what isn't.  Add in the celebrity culture that we now have, where it's okay to be scantily clad, it's no wonder that teenagers feel pressured.

I often talk to my young niece about these issues and as she's now at senior school, I hope there is a staff member who provides support should she ever feel she cannot talk to her parents or wider family.  

Makes a change from one of the dreaded Kardashians I suppose! 

Monarch announced today that they are scrapping credit card fees.  Media reports quote a saving of £60 for a family of four.   Comes into effect 15 December 2016 for bookings made on their website or through their call centres.  Will be interesting to see how Thomson, Thomas Cook and Jet2 respond.

This announcement comes shortly after BA announced the introduction of 1% credit card fees per ticket (capped at £20), effective 14 December 2016.  Virgin Atlantic recently scrapped their fees with the launch of their new website.