According to an internal poll, only 25% of British Airways employees would recommend the company as a great place to work. The survey also found that two-thirds of employees don’t trust the senior leadership of the airline. The most recent study, which sought to determine what BA employees truly thought of their firm, drew in close to 13,000 people. Despite the negative press, however, almost 60% of respondents said they were proud to work for the struggling airline, and 7 out of 10 workers said they enjoyed their jobs.
During the epidemic, embattled CEO Sean Doyle expressed his happiness to see employees “regaining a sense of pride and delight” in their profession. A government assessment group criticized British Airways in 2020 for its treatment of employees at the start of the epidemic and singled out the airline for its plans to “fire and rehire” long-serving employees in order to reduce their pay and terms and conditions. “Almost three-quarters of you don’t agree that the changes we’re making are right for our colleagues,” Doyle complained in an internal memo.
“Our airline, business, and culture are transforming and we must remain profitable so our shareholders continue to invest in our future and so that we’re able to compete with other airlines.” Describing the last few years as “turbulent”, Doyle said the airline was now “determined” to make changes that employees say are important to them. “Our airline should be a place where everyone’s contribution is recognised and valued. This isn’t an easy industry to work in but every day you create memorable moments for both our customers and colleagues. We should all feel immensely proud of that,” Doyle continued. Strong pent-up demand and higher ticket prices pushed British Airways to post an operational profit of €303 million in 2022; nevertheless, the airline was largely constrained by its inability to fill positions left vacant by the epidemic.
Particularly at its primary Heathrow hub, where reports of lengthy delays and flights departing without any luggage being loaded persist, the airline is still having trouble finding ground employees.