AGENTS have reacted angrily to British Airways’
decision to reward ground staff on duty last week with a pair of
free tickets.
More than 17,000 employees who worked during last week’s
cancellations and disruption have been awarded a pair of return
tickets anywhere on BA’s network, in a move that will cost
the airline around £4 million.
BA said it wants to reward staff who supported the airline
through the week – but it has angered customers and agents who
suffered. Travel Alliance director Doreen Duncan criticised
BA’s management for letting customers down.
“It is hopeless public relations. To give staff free flights so
soon after the problems, when customers are still angry, is not a
good reflection on the airline.”
She said business travellers would be unhappy at both the
inconvenience of flights being affected and the possibility of
having to pay a reissue fee to their travel management firm.
She added agents will be angry about the extra workload involved
in helping customers.
Reading-based Amber Travel proprietor Navin Rajp said: “What
effort did BA staff make? They are off sick half the time.
“What about the travel agents who had to deal with BA’s
mess? I didn’t notice any free flights in my e-mail
inbox.”
Wellers Corporate Choice business travel manager Evarne Journet
added: “BA should compensate me and my clients for all the
aggravation it caused.”
The move comes as BA cancelled more flights this week. Six
flights on both Monday and Tuesday were scrapped as the airline
continue clearing the backlog of cancellations from the previous
week.
Chief executive Rod Eddington has promised a full investigation
into the problems and warned he is ready to make “tough
decisions”.
Customer services and operations director Mike Street, UK
airports director Mervyn Walker and operations director Peter Read
are believed to be under pressure for their handling of the
dispute.