http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/a-world-of-casual-racism-exposed-at-ba-815842.html

A senior British Airways pilot reveals today the startling levels of casual racism in the flagship UK company, which once famously claimed to be "the world's favourite airline".


Captain Doug Maughan, who has 28 years' flying experience, including 15 years with BA, says that derogatory remarks about race by his colleagues are so common they are treated as normal.

Mr Maughan, a serving pilot who captains BA aircraft to all parts of the world, has decided to go public with his complaints after struggling to persuade BA's management to take racism among its senior staff seriously. He has complained by email to BA's chief executive, Willie Walsh, but says no action was taken.

His allegations are an acute embarrassment for the airline which carries 36 million passengers a year; operates out of airports in every continent; and could plausibly claim to be one of Britain's most high-profile companies. The airline is already threatened with a boycott by Nigerians flying to and from the UK.

Mr Maughan alleges that racism is a "generational" problem – common among middle-aged pilots, but rare among younger pilots.

He lodged his first complaint after hearing a senior training captain use the word "coon" during a training session on a flight simulator – but says that no action was taken.

"There was the time when we set off for Los Angeles with a large party of Saudis on board, who had joined us at Heathrow direct from the VIP lounge," he added. "In the cruise, my captain suddenly embarked on an extraordinary rant about 'rag-heads'. He got the word out twice before I stopped him by explaining he was going to be short of a first officer for the return sector if he carried on."

Mr Maughan, who lives in Dunblane, Perthshire, was on another flight when a fellow flight officer complained that there were too many Asians in Britain. "The captain turned to me and said: 'I don't suppose there are many of them up your way.' I replied: 'Well, there's my wife.' After that, they had the decency to fall silent," he said.

He has also complained about abusive emails sent to him by a fellow pilot, who is English. One of the emails said: "Come separation, will all Jocks F. off to that Welfare State (paid for by English middle classes) Please say yes."

Mr Maughan, 53, is so exasperated by what he sees as BA management's refusal to tackle the problem that he is planning a protest at this year's annual shareholders' meeting. "It's what I'd call a canteen culture," he said. "It seems to be accepted that people are going to make racist remarks and get away with it. The phrase 'institutional racism' has been so over-used as to be almost worthless, but I have to say that racism is as prevalent now in BA as it was in the RAF 25 years ago.

"What is common among white flying crew in BA is the use of mildly derogatory, sometimes jokey, language about other races, mainly aimed at black and Asian groups. Because it's so common, it's hard to tackle: it's , the norm and rarely even noticed."

BA said: "All British Airways employees must adhere to our policies concerning dignity at work. Under these policies we encourage employees to report incidences of racism, sexism or any other behaviour that they deem offensive or inappropriate. Any reports of such behaviour are taken extremely seriously and investigated as a matter of priority. Captain Maughan has a duty as an employee to provide details of any alleged inappropriate behaviour direct to the airline."

Mr Maughan's revelations come as BA's treatment of Nigerian passengers threatens to have diplomatic repercussions. Robert Dewar, the British high commissioner to Nigeria, has been summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be warned that Nigeria expects its citizens to be treated with "dignity". And a meeting between BA representatives and the director general of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Harold Demuren, broke up when Dr Demuren objected that BA had slighted him by sending junior managers.

Nigeria's President, Umaru Yar'Adua, has ordered an investigation into an incident at Heathrow in which 136 passengers were turned off a BA flight to Lagos. It developed as immigration officers and BA staff were trying to force a man who was being deported to stay on board against his will. The deportee, Augustine Eme, is a member of Massob, a banned organisation in Nigeria campaigning for independence for the region of Biafra.

A fellow passenger, Ayodeji Omotade, from Chatham, objected to Mr Eme's treatment and was arrested. Mr Omotade's arrest triggered more protests, until the BA captain ordered every passenger in economy class off the plane. BA has defended the decision to empty the aircraft saying that it was legally obliged to carry passengers such as Mr Eme. It said a large number of passengers on flight BA75 on 27 March became disruptive; that it was not possible to pinpoint which ones were involved; and that the police and crew agreed it could pose a safety risk to allow them to stay on board.

There's only one bright spot in this

texazzpete:


Mr Maughan alleges that racism is a "generational" problem – common among middle-aged pilots, but rare among younger pilots.

Racism should and probably will die out eventually.

Na wa ooo! So some of these "Racism is a Hype" pipo don dey sabi something. Well, pipo like us no need to see all these yarns to sabi say racism is alive and well.

i hope the people shouting that ba and the police have done nothing wrong are reading this,at lease they ll believe now that a white man and a pilot in ba has spoken as an outsider, they are here supporting ba against their fellow nigerians while they dont know how many times they v been called coon or nigger while entering a ba flight

I hope the claim by the government of Gordon Brown on the fight against racism is not lip service

This the time to act

am even thinking that Nigeria can take the extreme measure of banning BA from the Nigeria route for sometime if they dont come up with good explanation and concrete apology for their actions

I think the colonial mentaility is still in their mind and its time we act

Mr Maughan alleges that racism is a "generational" problem – common among middle-aged pilots, but rare among younger pilots.

Can we say the same about tribalism/ethnicity in Nigeria?
It is more rabid among our youths, at least judging from some of the things I read from NL
Sadly enough, reasons are given to justify this bigotry

ndubest:

I hope the claim by the government of Gordon Brown on the fight against racism is not lip service

This the time to act

am even thinking that Nigeria can take the extreme measure of banning BA from the Nigeria route for sometime if they don't come up with good explanation and concrete apology for their actions

I think the colonial mentality is still in their mind and its time we act

It is Lip service sadly,
the thing is they are very good at hiding it and coming up with other reasons for thebad treatment of other races,,,
I've over heard a number of racist conversations at work (not about me tho) and then they turn around and smile really sweetly and condescendingly to me. One guy was particularly nasty and i had to speak up,,, I think he got in trouble but its hard when the powers that be are equally as racist.
We have the race discrimination act to help protect minority races but racism is an individual thing,,, some people are just small minded and  there is nothin we can do but avoid them and keep our heads high.

personally speaking of the little of seen in the uk though i have not spent too much time here yet,i think they get away with it because of the disunity and the black on black racism and asian on black racism,so its like a sort of divide and rule which is working well for the white establishment, nigerians in the uk seems to be at the butt of jelousy now because most of the 2nd and 3rd generation nigerians are the most educated and career minded even at par with the asians who have been here longer than them which have sparked jelouse reactions from asians and jamaicans(saw it on a bbc programme in 2006)

It's good to note that the white apologists here (they know themselves) are still trying to find their theoretical explanations for this racism. i'm sure they'll invade this place rabidly as soon as they can find anyway of explaining this away as well.

Blatant:

It's good to note that the white apologists here (they know themselves) are still trying to find their theoretical explanations for this racism. i'm sure they'll invade this place rabidly as soon as they can find anyway of explaining this away as well.

Where is that eternal apologist for all things West and all things White?

The one that believes that racism exists in the mind of unintelligent black folks?

Where is Kobojunkie?

lol. I really don't know why kobojunkie goes to any length to stick up for the west and all things white.

Tonim:

lol. I really don't know why kobojunkie goes to any length to stick up for the west and all things white.

My suspicion is that she has had way too many black guys (including Nigerians) break her heart, and probably now dating some docile White guy. C'mon, what else can explain her attitude?

A few more black and asian pilots flying for British Airways will produce the effect Tiger Woods had on the formerly exclusive "white man's sport" of golf, by diluting the "old boy" network of greying pilots with a more youthful and racially diverse mix of employees in all levels, including those occupying top management and the flight deck.

@Poster
You posted this in another thread as regards to BA.
We have many two faced Nigerians in this NL.

Gimme a break. I flew British Airways 2 weeks ago, and i'm as Nigerian as you are. In fact, i even took ill on the flight and they made sure they had someone constantly helping me. At least 80% of the flight crew stopped over to ask me how i was doing during the flight.

Try not to turn everything into a 'nigerian' thing. As far as i know, you don't have the mandate to speak for or represent all Nigerians

.
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=126441.msg2141206#msg2141206

presido1:

@Poster
You posted this in another thread as regards to BA.
We have many two faced Nigerians in this Nairaland.
.
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=126441.msg2141206#msg2141206

not holding brief for the poster,but maybe he has seen the light, lets hope all the other black oyinbos and undercover white men and women see the light and stand up for what is right and not endure being called coons and nig nog