THE BRITISH AIRWAYS SWIPE CARD DEBACLE

The British Airways Swipe Card Debacle

In July of 2003, British Airways introduced a swipe card system for employees to
electronically swipe in and out of work at Heathrow Airport. British Airways intended for this
modernized system to simplify processes and make workloads easier for their employees.
Employees however, felt that it was a prelude to a radical shake up in working longer hours
and would preempt the Airline to force employees to work split shifts. During the peak
season of travel, 250 check in staff from the busy terminals 1 and 4 at Heathrow Airport
walked out in what is referred to as a wildcat strike. While the strike only lasted a little more
than 24 hours, 60 flights were grounded and over 10,000 passengers had their travel
interrupted. The airline was forced to cancel service and call in the police for crowd control.
Key Issues
The key issues in this case study are from three different perspectives, that of the
airline, the employees and the travelers. The airlines perspective is that it is modernizing and
streamlining a process for employees to clock in and out of work. British Airlines believes
that it is taking a developmental transition approach. Developmental transition is referred to
a situation in which there is constant change as a result of the organization adapting itself to
external, environmental changes. The primary style of leadership is consultative, where the
leader acts in the capacity of a coach aiming to gain voluntary, shared commitment from
organizational members to the need for continual improvement. (Palmer, Dunford & Akin,
2008) The perspective of the employees is that the airline has taken a backhanded approach
in implementing this new process therefor, they must have negative motives and have no
respect for the employees. The employees believe that the airline is taking a task-focused
transition approach. In task-focused transition the change manager style is directive with the

THE BRITISH AIRWAYS SWIPE CARD DEBACLE

change leader acting as a captain seeking the compliance of organizational members to

redefine how the organization operates in specific areas. (Palmer, Dunford & Akin, 2008)
Another example of who the employees interpreted the change is the commanding change.
The commanding change intervention is one where the time period is short term, abrupt, and
rapid. Change is usually implemented by senior executives who demand compliance from
organizational members. Changes may well include downsizing, outsourcing, and
divestments. (Palmer, Dunford & Akin 2008) Finally, the perception of the travelers is that
the airline and its employees do not care about the welfare of the travelers.
Lessons Emerged
As a consultant, it important to utilize a principle introduced by Jones, Aguirre &
Clalderone in an article called 10 principles of change management. In this article the authors
feel that it is critical to address the human side systematically. Any significant
transformation creates people issues. New leaders will be asked to step up, jobs will be
changed, new skills and capabilities must be developed, and employees will be uncertain and
resistant. (Jones, Aguirre & Clalderone, 2004) When dealing with change issues a formal
approach for managing the change can alleviate problems and minimize risk. From the
beginning the change needs to engage not only stakeholders but also leaders within the
environment that is to be changed. It is imperative to collect and analyse data, plan and create
a strategic implementation. In this case, group leaders from ranks so to speak would be
included in the project management team. They would be part of the team that is collecting
and analysing the data, understanding why changes need to be made and become spokesmen
for the change.

THE BRITISH AIRWAYS SWIPE CARD DEBACLE

The next step would be to include every layer in the organization. Administration
needs to recognize that change affects many levels of an organization and should include
people from those levels in implementing change. Leaders at each layer in the organization
who are identified and trained must be aligned to the companys vision, equipped to execute
their specific mission, and motivated to make change happen. (Jones, Aguirre & Clalderone,
2004) This allows the leaders to become the positive marketing for the change.
Change Management
Change management refers to a set of basic tools or structures that is intended to keep
change effort under control. The goal is often to minimize the distractions and impacts of the
change. (Kotter, 2011) The change management approach works from the premise that
change can be coordinated and planned to achieve its intended outcomes through following a
variety of steps. The new swipe card system was introduced to British Airways employees in
a forcible way by management. One interpretation is that British Airlines management failed
to introduce the change by following a number of planned change steps. By skipping those
steps they did not address a range of relevant change issues such as vision, participation and
sponsorship of the change.
Conclusion
This is a situation that could have been avoided by using critical thinking skills and
some very basic strategic planning. By including employees from all levels of the airline this
change could have been approached from a cohesive team that were all interested in making
positive changes for the airline. Also by including those employees it would have been
apparent that the time chosen to implement the change was less than ideal.

THE BRITISH AIRWAYS SWIPE CARD DEBACLE

References

Jones, J, Aguirre, D & Clalderone, M. (2004) 10 principles of change management. Strategy

and Business. Retrieved from: http://www.strategy-business.com/article/rr00006?
gko=643d0

Kotter, I (2011) Change management vs. change leadership. Forbes. Retrieved from:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkotter/2011/07/12/change-management-vs-changeleadership-whats-the-difference/

Palmer, Ian; Dunford, Richard; Akin, Gib (2008). Managing Organizational Change: A
Multiple Perspectives Approach. McGraw-Hill Education. Kindle Edition.