LONDON (UK) – British Airways is in talks with its union to suspend approximately 32,000 staff in an attempt to survive the coronavirus pandemic.
British Airways has massively reduced its flight numbers and warned it may need to slash costs to survive the emergency battering the global aviation industry.
The deal is not done yet and the talks were focusing on around 80% of the workforce excluding pilots.
BA has already suspended flights from Gatwick and London’s City Airport. Flying capacity would be down 75% in April and May.
Within a week, a plan will be agreed upon to enable it to suspend staff including cabin crew, ground staff, engineers and those in head office without making them redundant.
New terms have already been given to its pilots where they will take two weeks’ unpaid leave in April and May.
Travel restrictions and a demand plunge due to coronavirus have led airlines worldwide to ground most of their fleets. Many have said that they would need government support to survive.
Britain launched a job retention scheme covering 80% of someone’s salary capped at 2,500 pounds a month. Rival Virgin Atlantic said it will need additional financial help to avoid going bust.
Rival airline EasyJet had grounded its entire fleet.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field.