British Airways reaches halfway point in 12,000 job cuts
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More than 6,000 British Airways staff have opted to take voluntary redundancy, as the airline makes progress on its mission to cut 12,000 jobs.
The airline will send out letters to its remaining staff today to tell them whether they still have a job or not, and if they do, whether they will be required to accept a new contract or stay on their old one.
British Airways has said it expects demand for air travel won’t recover for years, after the coronavirus pandemic stopped workers and holidaymakers from going abroad.
The airline, which is owned by IAG, is currently only flying about 20 per cent of its schedule and burning through £20m per day.
Trade union Unite, which represents the airline’s cabin crew, said that British Airways has been excessive with its proposed job cuts.
It argued that the staff who are being kept on are faced with either a major pay cut or dismissal, with some reporting a salary decrease of as much as 70 per cent.
British Airways said some cabin crew would receive a pay rise, while others would see a 20 per cent reduction in basic pay.
“We are having to make difficult decisions and take every possible action now to protect as many jobs as possible,” a spokesman for British Airways said.
The airline has already agreed a jobs deal with pilots union Balpa for a salary cut of approximately 20 per cent, as well as around 270 compulsory job cuts.