IMAGE OF BRITISH AIRWAYS

Early day motion 1531, tabled 8 July 1998 by Tim Loughton (Conservative). Signed by 17 members.

That this House deplores reported plans by British Airways to retrain its staff in order to make them less British in carrying out their jobs; notes that this follows on from the company's ill-judged decision to remove the Union Flag from the tail fins of its fleet leading one commentator to describe them as looking like a 'collection of vandalised tube trains'; reminds the company that a key element in the great success story of British Airways post privatisation has been the high standard of traditional British service, professionalism and integrity admired by travellers across the globe; and urges the management to take a stand against the current transient fashion for dumbing-down the traditional British identity in favour of the spin-doctored vacuous nonsense that goes by the name of 'Cool Britannia' and not to be ashamed to fly the flag of Britishness over 'The World's Favourite Airline'.

Signatures by party: Conservative 16, UUP 1.