Organisation: British Airways

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Analysis and commentary by Echo Research.

Another summer holiday season, another BA strike. For the third year running, the weekend papers carried the now familiar scenes of angry passengers, chaos at Heathrow, TGWU banners and a PR disaster for BA. " It really is a flight mare" (The Sun, 13/8), " Food fight grounds BA" (Guardian, 11/8) " No-fly zone" (The Mirror, 12/8) ran typical headlines, although there was considerable media sympathy for BA and departing CEO, Sir Rod Eddington, who just weeks ago announced record profits, having guided the airline through the 9/11 fallout as well as two previous summer strikes. Sir Rod's wholesale apology to passengers, and insistence that the strike was not of BA's making, were clearly communicated throughout the crisis.

But there was less sympathy for Eddington's track record in industrial relations, as commentators pointed to unresolved workplace issues . "BA has not summoned up the nerve to tackle staff who have the company by the throat" blasted the Sunday Times (14/8), while others predicted that weakening the unions' grip on BA would be the new CEO's top priority. The damage inflicted on BA's reputation by unhappy customers suggests that rebuilding their confidence should also come high on his agenda. BA has much to do to convince passengers that it is still 'the world's favourite airline'.