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Shareholders call for BA chief's head
Dick Murray, Transport Editor15.07.08
British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh was told today he should have been fired over the Terminal 5 fiasco.
The airline boss faced a rough ride from shareholders at BA's annual meeting. One said Mr Walsh had accepted blame for the T5 debacle at Heathrow but two other directors had left over it. The man asked: "Why were two longstanding junior managers dismissed and he is still here?"
Addressing BA chairman Martin Broughton, the shareholder added: "The chief executive should be considered for replacement and so, given your complacency, should you."
On T5, one shareholder claimed it had damaged BA's reputation and that the opening had been "a disaster".
Others complained about poor dividends and the curtailment of travel concessions for retired staff.
There was also a call for BA to lift its ban on model Naomi Campbell, who was barred after causing disruption on a transatlantic flight.
A shareholder said people did not know how highly regarded Campbell was in the Afro-Caribbean community. But the request was met with cries of "No" and booing.
Mr Broughton said: "Anyone who acts like Naomi Campbell acted on that plane will be arrested, will be charged and will be banned. I don't care what colour they are."
BA directors also heard from an employee who complained of racial abuse because he was Scottish. He said: "I have got a series of abusive letters from a (Boeing) 747 captain. For some reason he does not like Scots."
Mr Broughton and Mr Walsh said BA took racism allegations very seriously.
