Captain who saved 152 lives says British Airways have betrayed him

By Simon Wright Simon.Wright@sundaymirror.co.uk 27/04/2008

Captain Peter Burkhill (SM)

The hero pilot who saved 152 lives in the Heathrow crash landing is planning to quit British Airways in disgust at the way bosses have treated him.

Captain Peter Burkill, 43, says he is a "broken man" and feels betrayed after being effectively grounded and having his pay docked. He says he has been refused the support he needs to start flying again.

He also feels BA have not done enough to halt rumours that he "froze" when co-pilot John Coward landed the packed Boeing 777 on the runway on January.

He told friends: "I've had enough. They told me I was a hero - but they've treated me like a fool. They said they would be there for me after the crash but I feel badly let down."

On the fateful afternoon of January 17, Captain Burkill had already handed control of BA flight 038 to Second Officer John Coward when it lost power. But he aided the crash-landing and hours later the pair were paraded as heroes in front of the world's media by triumphant BA Chief Executive Willie Walsh, who said: "The captain is one of our most experienced. We are very proud of him."

Second Officer John Coward and the plane's third pilot soon returned to normal, fully-paid flying duties.

However, Captain Burkill took time off with post-traumatic stress - and within days learned that his salary had been halved from £120,000 to £60,000 through lost bonuses. Weeks of acrimony followed before his salary was increased to £90,000 through the reinstation of a flying bonus.

But his away-from-home bonus, worth £30,000 a year, is still being withheld.

And now he claims BA don't want him to fly again until the inquiry into the cause of the crash is completed.

A ba source last night said: "Pete is disgusted at the way he has been treated. He was the hero of the hour and responsible for saving the plane. He even had a letter of personal thanks from the chief executive Willie Walsh.

"It beggars belief. They still won't pay him what he was earning when he was flying but it's their fault he can't fly because their report is still not finished. He hasn't been officially grounded because he hasn't had his licence revoked. But he's effectively grounded because he can't fly.

"They even told him off when they found out he'd sent a couple of the flight's passengers thank-you cards for gifts they'd sent him for saving their lives. Their handling of the whole thing has been woeful."

Captain Burkill has flown only once since the crash - from Heathrow to Houston on February 19 - but was devastated when two members of the cabin crew told him his actions during the incident had been criticised by a trainer on a course they had recently attended. They said they had been told Captain Burkill had "frozen" the moment the Boeing lost power. But air investigators say he in fact made a crucial wing-flap adjustment in the flight's last 25 seconds which saved the lives of everyone on board.

The Sunday Mirror has learned that tests show his action gave the powerless plane a vital 27ft of extra lift - and that the plane cleared the airport's perimeter fence by just 7ft.

Captain Burkill has been "crushed" by the rumours that he froze, according to the the BA source.

He said: "Pete called his manager and demanded that everyone be told exactly what happened in the cockpit that day. He was told it would all be in the internal report and that he should stay at home until it was published. He's asked every week when it will be completed and keeps being told that it's imminent. Meanwhile he's at home getting more and more depressed. Communication is virtually non-existent. He hasn't spoken to anyone at BA for a month and it seems they consider that to be an acceptable situation."

The married dad-of-five is now considering emigrating to Dubai and has written to Richard Branson asking for a job at Virgin Atlantic. The revelation that he feels betrayed by BA bosses is another public relations blunder for the airline, still reeling from its disastrous move to Heathrow's £4billion Terminal 5.

It is understood that BA's report into the crash will include high praise for Captain Burkill and that the Air Accident Investigation Board inquiry into the crash will exonerate him or any of the other pilots of any blame.

The findings of the AAIB investigation in relation to why the plane's engines failed when the pilots demanded more power are not known.

The Sunday Mirror has learned that BA's internal investigation has been dogged by management failings and lengthy delays in interviewing the relevant people.

As well as explaining the actions of those involved in the emergency, it is also supposed to provide other BA pilots with vital information to avert a repeat incident. The BA source said: "It should have been finished weeks ago. It's a classic BA cock-up and their hero pilot is suffering.

"You would have thought they would have moved heaven and earth to get it sorted and get their star guy back flying again. Instead, they make a hash of it all and could end up with the embarrassment of him leaving the airline because of it."

A friend of Captain Burkill's wife Maria, 33, last night confirmed that he was considering resigning. "He's told me he would leave tomorrow if he had a job to go to," said the friend. "He's written a letter to Richard Branson explaining everything in the hope that he might be offered a job at Virgin. He and Maria have also been looking at houses in Dubai and think Pete might approach the Emirates airline for a job with them. If he leaves, he knows BA are going to look stupid, particularly so soon after Terminal 5.

"Pete's always been a BA man through and through - even his dad was a BA pilot. He's always been one of their most loyal employees but now he thinks the senior managers are a joke."

The friend also revealed how the stress is causing problems in his marriage and that he and Maria are having severe rows.

Last night, at his home in Worcester, Captain Burkill refused to be interviewed by the Sunday Mirror. When we put our sources' claims to his wife Maria, she said: "Pete's been treated appallingly. "I'm biased, but I think he's a hero and I think every one of those 151 other people on board his plane that day would say the same."

Meanwhile, co-pilot John Coward told how yesterday life is now "business as usual". He went back to work almost immediately following the crash.

Last night BA said: "Captain Burkill is a highly valued member of staff and will continue to receive the full support of British Airways. He has not been grounded by the company or encouraged to stay at home. On the contrary the company has publically supported the crew of BA38.

"Senior flight crew management and representatives from other areas of the airline have been in regular contact with Captain Burkill. This will continue to be the case."