Cabin crew worker was among thousands of staff laid off during pandemic in what MPs called a ‘national disgrace’
During a 30-year career as a member of British Airways’ cabin crew, Tess De Mello took pride in a job well done, saying she regularly went above and beyond to make passengers more comfortable. To her, the role was more than just employment – it was part of her identity.
“I took pride,” she said. “I really took pride in myself, I took pride in my role, I took pride in everything because it was everything I wanted to be.”
But in 2020 she was let go when BA cut thousands of jobs in the face of economic pressures during the pandemic. The airline issued almost all of its 42,000 staff with redundancy notices, with 10,000 ultimately losing their jobs.
At the time, the Unite union representing cabin crew told the parliamentary transport select committee BA had taken a fire-and-rehire approach, with staff who remained having to accept pay cuts and demotions. MPs called it a “national disgrace”.
De Mello has spent the years since locked in legal battles with BA. It has not only been a courtroom drama but a personal ordeal.
There was a great amount of shame attached to her dismissal, she has said, leaving her fearing what those colleagues who had looked up to her would think upon learning she had been among those not kept on by BA.
“To have that taken away from you … I’ve been thinking, what would that person think about me now? Would they think I’ve done something wrong?...
Millions of Aussies will be cheering Ben Roberts-Smith after seeing his publicity campaign. But we must leave all these matters to a criminal court to decide – this time beyond reasonable doubt.