A former British Airways cabin crew member, Tess De Mello, is embroiled in a legal battle after losing her job of 30 years during the pandemic. The airline laid off thousands of staff, prompting MPs to label the situation a ‘national disgrace.’
Background
Throughout her career, De Mello took immense pride in her role, often going above and beyond to ensure passenger comfort. She described her job as integral to her identity, stating,
“"I took pride in myself, I took pride in my role, I took pride in everything because it was everything I wanted to be."
However, in 2020, she was among the 10,000 employees let go as British Airways faced economic pressures. The airline issued redundancy notices to nearly all of its 42,000 staff. The Unite union accused BA of adopting a fire-and-rehire strategy, leading to pay cuts and demotions for remaining staff, which MPs condemned.
Legal Struggles
Since her dismissal, De Mello has been engaged in legal proceedings against BA. She expressed feelings of shame regarding her job loss, fearing judgment from former colleagues. She reflected on her concerns, saying,
“"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?"
