Tonight:
5°c
Now BA plans to axe 1,300 ground staff
Dick Murray, Transport Correspondent13 Oct 2009
British Airways is planning to axe up to 1,300 more jobs in addition to the 1,700 revealed last week.
Crucial talks are to take place tomorrow at Acas, the conciliation service, as the threat grows of strikes in the run-up to Christmas.
In addition to cuts in cabin crew, jobs will now go in other front-line areas.
The unions say BA plans to axe 10 per cent of its workforce.
A senior union source said: "We are talking about people who manage the queues, sell the tickets and take flak when Terminal 5-type horrors occur."
Reader views (10)
Iwant to join in British Airways.
- Anitha Angel Blossom, india,madurai, 29/10/2009 09:41
Report abuse
Even if you have a genuine grievance and you write to BA with all the backup paperwork setting out the complaint - all that happens is that one is greeted with such disdain and rudeness - they just are ignoring their customers - be treated in that manner does nothing to help their reputation.
Maybe one day we, my Husband and I, might just get a letter from Willy Walsh and a cheque reimbursement -!!!!!!!!!!!!I suppose we can live in hope!!!!!!!!
- Elizabeth Taylor, Dallas TX, 26/10/2009 15:57
Report abuse
Well said Sam! Totally agree. The ONLY reason I fly with BA is the staff. There certainly are cheaper airlines out there, with better products, newer planes. It's time BA started making cuts at its HQ. Too many managers. What company in their right minds slashes its customer facing staff- the very people that deal with the cock ups that the current management at BA create.
And one more thing- I had the pleasure of experiencing the afternoon tea service on my flight earlier in the week- the only comparison I have to make is with Mc Donalds! And this is a premium airline??? Wake up Willie and dont bite the hands that feed you... if the crew and groundstaff dont go the extra miles that they do when things go wrong- and believe me they go wrong SO often, people wouldnt be flying with BA. Only time will tell- and people will vote with their feet!
- Paul, London, 16/10/2009 13:49
Report abuse
Bob from Surrey - are you by chance Willie Walsh's PA? A senior manager hoping for promotion?! You talk about 'the truth'; Unite DID study BA's finances properly, hence their offer of £174miliion in cost-savings from cabin crew, which BA REJECTED. What company in their right mind would pass up such an offer from its workforce??
Then you say 'cost-cutting is good' - you mean like the pilots haven't been asked to do? (£10million recently set aside to fund the severance of 66 pilots). Or Senior Management haven't been asked to do? (Head of BA Pensions given £200000 pay rise this year). So why only customer-facing staff?? BA is antagonising beyond belief the very people who are the main reason many customers choose to fly with British Airways.
They do not choose to fly with BA because of its arrogant misguided CEO and his team of bullies. T5 opening fiasco? £350million in price-fixing fines? Record profit to record loss in back-to-back years? Where should the blame for such embarrassments be squarely placed??
- Sam, London, UK, 14/10/2009 10:00
Report abuse
I suppose they could keep everyone employed and just go out of business in a couple of months instead.
- Trunk, US, 14/10/2009 00:08
Report abuse
Ryanairways is another step closer it seems. oh dear
- James A, liverpool uk, 13/10/2009 19:48
Report abuse
If Unite had studied BA's finances properly (they didn't btw), they'd realise that there was no recovery imminent. Past the worst? Maybe. Recovery to profitable airline? No time soon. And the increased share price........a direct result of Willie's determination to cut the necessary costs.
Still, never let the truth get in the way of a refusal to budge, even in the worst of times. Many of us are realists and happy to have a job. Shame so many of our colleagues think otherwise.
Look around you, see what's happening elsewhere and realise that cost-cutting to save jobs is good. Otherwise, you could find yourself as one of the unlucky redundancies. 
- Bob, Surrey, uk, 13/10/2009 18:59
Report abuse
To me it seems like the Boss of British Airways goes from Disater to disaster. Maybe it's time for a boss who knows how to keep the staff Happy. The way these modern companies treat their staff is shocking, it's all about slave labour to feed the Fat cats at the top and if the Customers suffer it doesn't matter as long as the Management get their bonuses. Have we learnt nothing from the Banking mess of the last year? The shareholders should be very concerned with the way the Management at BA are gamblling with their Money.
- Paul Prentice, Islington, 13/10/2009 18:18
Report abuse
it might be better to axe willie walsh and a good number of senior executives.
- M.O'Brien, london.uk, 13/10/2009 16:36
Report abuse
Anyone fancy a nice lunch of green shoots and humbug pie?
- Ted, London, 13/10/2009 13:15
Report abuse
