Surfing above the Bay of Biscay on the FLOWRIDER just five days ago,on board the RCI Independence of the Seas, the largest cruise liner in Europe
currently on an 18 night voyage around the Med....from Southampton. No airports or airlines involved!
Colin Matthews, the media robotic head honcho of the cash rich but logistically and operationally poor London Aviation adventure by a Spanish construction company - who paid over the odds for BAA, the Heathrow Airport operator - has seemingly wiped out his permed longhaired unshaven head of media and seemingly with little or no media training and a new 'Just for Men' darker hair colour is now fronting all Tv interviews.
Mr Matthews (salary circa, £1 million per annum) declared he is to give up his annual bonus (like the bankers eh?) after the absolute 'Horlicks' which is currently the state of the snow hit major London Airport.
Gatwick Airport was also sold off but the new owners of that operation in the last two weeks had a look at the long term forecast and quickly spent £8 million on snow movers and some of the newly acquired kit is already in operation at Gatwick (they spent eight times Colins annual £1 million Heathrow salary).
Meanwhile back at snowbound Heathrow, donning a pristine clearly brand new day-glo high viz jacket, nose running, standing in the cold, WHY?) we can expect in the coming days, the TV media routine to include our Colin physically shifting a token shovel load of snow.
He certainly won't be driving a snow mover/blower as Heathrow didn't order any new ones and the Spanish owners seeing the core construction business evaporate at home are not too willing to spend the money.
The Spaniards clearly like what Colin Matthews has done - relentlessly running Heathrow at over 95% capacity, wringing out every last dollar, pound, euro from captive would be passengers, but seemingly not too willing to put into operation a pre-drilled major disaster plan which the current airport situation really is. Heathrow even turned down the coalition government offer of trained disciplined troops and engineering equipment to physically clear the aircraft stands......why?
Coping with a massive influx of passengers can be caterered for but it needs strategic thinking, for what it is worth here is my suggestion. Hire in film location caterers, dining buses and large steel frames tents with beds and toilet/bathroom facilities all on site within hours. I know it is possible as I've done it!
But all this costs money and the newish owners sitting in warm offices in Madrid, are clearly not too bothered about events far away....perhaps we should just cancel Spain as a travel destination? Possibly switch to the new generation of mega cruise ships where a call of 160, 000 meals a day (YES I did say 160,000) is possible (RCI Independence of the Seas - round trips out of Southampton).
But in Heathrow, tens of thousands of passengers, all dossing down for another bleak night in the airport terminals and in some quickly errected cheapo party tents, so as not to litter the terminal with bodies. They've been issued with silver foil emergency blankets so looking like a group of turkeys ready for roasting. Which is probably the nearest they will get to any form of Christmas celebration. Spookily its not the first time an aviation linked Colin M. has tried the 'giving up my bonus ploy. Take a look at this Reuters 1991 report:
Pay Cut at Top for British Airways
BY REUTERSTop officials of British Airways will take pay cuts this year to avoid the recent criticism of huge pay increases that has been leveled at other British company officers, The Financial Times newspaper said today.
The company's chairman, Lord King, will have his $890,000 annual salary cut by about $170,000 following the airline's poor results, the paper said. The chief executive, Sir Colin Marshall, will take a similar cut, putting his pay at around $540,000. A company spokesman was not immediately available to confirm the reported pay cuts.
So it's a Marshall and not a Matthews but instead of resigning, the bonus has again been waived. Merry Christmas.....
Contributor: Media,Aviation & Travel Expert, Writer & Broadcaster Julian Bray SKYPE: Julian.Bray.UK Landline: 01733 345581 Mobile: 07944 217476ISDN2 downline +44(0)1733 555 319 (B'cast ISDN Remote Studio direct)G722/APT-X DualCodecs GlensoundC5All Moral Rights Asserted
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