BA to announce first summer loss

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

Analysts have forecast a deficit of around £252 million for the six months to the end of September, compared with much-reduced profits of £52 million last year. It made a surplus of £616 million in 2007.

Friday's figures include the first ever April to June loss since privatisation, when BA slumped £148 million into the red. The half year is normally a buoyant period for the airline as it includes the holiday season, but this year has seen the industry battered by high fuel costs and much-reduced demand amid the recession.

The airline's previous low for the six month period was a pre-tax profit of £45 million in 2001/02.

The airline said costs had come down by 6.6% in the first quarter, but warned there was "much more to be done".

It has announced plans to cut total staff numbers by 3,700, in addition to a reduction of around 2,500 achieved between June 2008 and March 2009.

BA is locked in a fight with unions over its plans for job cuts and a pay freeze and has faced the threat of industrial action from different sections of its workforce.

Unite on Thursday launched legal action in the High Court in a bid to stop the imposition of new contracts for new cabin crew. It has agreed to work to the new schedule until the outcome of the legal action is known.

BA is also due to release traffic figures for October. Passenger numbers fell 1.7% in September compared with a year earlier, although there have been recent signs that the slump in demand has bottomed out.