For a company calling itself the world's favourite airline, BA has recently attracted some heavyweight enemies. Its refusal to let employee Nadia Eweida wear a cross showing her Christian faith plunged the airline into a religious and political storm. Headlines such as "Barmy battle of the Cross" (The Sun, 25/11), "Why can't BA show common sense?" (Daily Mail, 23/11), "Insensitive BA in a tailspin over religion" (Times, 23/11) showed that BA, known for its strict uniform policy, had got it wrong. "British Airways … is mishandling a religious issue, betraying both its multicultural principles and a huge potential market" (Times, 24/11).

BA's hasty decision to review its dress code after the Church and MPs threatened a boycott was seen as a victory for common sense, but many questioned why it had inflicted a "massive public relations headache" (Times, 25/11) on itself. "Its pigheadedness … beggars belief. Surely an organisation that lavishes millions of pounds on polishing its image should grasp the importance of symbols" questioned the Sunday Telegraph (25/11). "If ever there were a company in need of top-notch communications it is BA" criticised The Observer (25/11). With Ms Eweida refusing to back down, it seems BA will have to bear this particular cross for some time to come.