BA takes hit from cross campaigners

29 November 2006

A website designer has told how he is getting huge worldwide backing for his internet boycott of British Airways after it banned a check-in worker from wearing a small Christian cross.

Marcus Stafford, 41, of Dillington, near Dereham, is receiving an e-mail “every five seconds” in response to his baboycott.com website in protest at the treatment of Nadia Eweida, from London.

BA has announced an immediate review of its uniform policy in the wake of widespread criticism.

It will examine ways in which uniforms could be adapted to allow symbols of faith to be worn openly “while remaining consistent with the British Airways brand and compliant with employment legislation”.

The company said the criticism had been “unfair and misplaced”.

Among the critics have been the Archbishop of York, the Rt Rev John Semantu, cabinet ministers Jack Straw and Peter Hain and former Conservative Home Office minister Ann Widdecombe.

The Bishop of Norwich the Rt Rev Graham James is among 13 bishops to join the criticism and said preventing people wearing the most sacred sign of their faith “seems petty and pointless.”

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, said he regarded it as “absolutely basic' that people of any faith should have the right to display the signs of their faith commitment in public.

Mr Stafford - who describes himself as a “cultural Christian rather than an active one” - said he was outraged by BA's “attack on Englishness” and felt compelled to take action.

He spent about £20 to buy the internet domain to launch the site which went live on Thursday morning.

And hundreds of messages are pouring in from around the world - and he had even had an approach from a Polish newspaper for an interview.

In the first day alone he got 1,953 unique visitors to the site and 24,274 page views.

Mr Stafford - who has been flying with BA for about 15 years but has now destroyed his own Executive Club card -- said: “This case was the last straw for me.

“I have just got so fed up with constant barrage of anti-Englishness and attacks on Christianity.

“I was annoyed and I thought someone should organise a boycott of BA.

“It takes someone to do it and this time it was my turn.

“The general consensus seems to be that BA has treated Miss Eweida badly in denying her the equality she desires.

“Only two people so far have written in support of BA.”

Mr Stafford said he would have to wait to see what the BA review produced.

The airline's chief executive, Willie Walsh said: “The recent debate about our uniform policy has unfairly accused British Airways of being anti-Christian. British Airways is proud of its uniform and proud of the diversity of its staff.”

BA said it had offered Miss Eweida an alternative, non-uniformed post, in which she would be able to wear her cross openly, but she had turned it down.