British Airways shareholders were left confused at the airline’s AGM yesterday after strikers accused management of a culture of fear and loathing whilst chief executive Willie Walsh insisted permanent change was needed within the airline.
The three-hour meeting saw Walsh show weariness at being depicted as Hitler and the devil by union members, telling the audience that cabin crew costs were the most out of line cost base, doubling that of Emirates.
Cabin crew, who have striked intermittently since spring, were out in force at the meeting and one shareholder said that after talking to a crew member who reiterated BA’s culture of management by fear, they didn’t know who to believe.
However, many investors backed Walsh, applauding at his view that after a downturn in which global revenues fell by £53 billion, there was a need for structural change.
