Be prepared for BA payment plan

Letter of the week

Be prepared for BA payment plan

Dale Moss of British Airways could hardly hide his anger at the lack of understanding of the airline’s new payment scheme during the aviation debate at the ABTA conference. I admire him for keeping his cool after the criticism that was directed at him. 

Time will tell if BA has made the right decision to implement its new remuneration scheme. 

Moss must be wondering where some agents have been for the last nine months. BA has consulted the trade since the scheme was muted.

This has been debated at all levels and meetings have been held with ABTA, the Guild of Business Travel Agents and the Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association, among others. It’s received some of the highest media attention the industry has known and for our leaders to admit they have little knowledge of the workings of the scheme or the deal is embarrassing and unprofessional.

On one hand we’re told people think they’ll be worse off; on the other that agents don’t know how it will affect them. Have they bothered to find out? 

The level of payments for the premium classes may prove to be detrimental to the agent and BA, but this is for each agent to identify and take remedial steps as necessary. These changes will come into effect from April 1 next year and it is up to the trade to be involved in any and all discussions with BA and react to these changes.

Val Foylan, president, SPAA, Stirlingshire

Dale Moss of British Airways could hardly hide his anger at the lack of understanding of the airline’s new payment scheme during the aviation debate at the ABTA conference. I admire him for keeping his cool after the criticism that was directed at him. 

Time will tell if BA has made the right decision to implement its new remuneration scheme. 

Moss must be wondering where some agents have been for the last nine months. BA has consulted the trade since the scheme was muted.

This has been debated at all levels and meetings have been held with ABTA, the Guild of Business Travel Agents and the Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association, among others. It’s received some of the highest media attention the industry has known and for our leaders to admit they have little knowledge of the workings of the scheme or the deal is embarrassing and unprofessional.

On one hand we’re told people think they’ll be worse off; on the other that agents don’t know how it will affect them. Have they bothered to find out? 

The level of payments for the premium classes may prove to be detrimental to the agent and BA, but this is for each agent to identify and take remedial steps as necessary. These changes will come into effect from April 1 next year and it is up to the trade to be involved in any and all discussions with BA and react to these changes.

Val Foylan, president, SPAA, Stirlingshire