British Airways News Page 93
Virgin Atlantic chief admits to awareness of price fixing
Steve Ridgway, the chief executive of Virgin Atlantic, has admitted to being aware that his airline had conspired to fix prices with British Airways.
BA expects five years for business travel recovery
British Airways’ premium market could take at least five years to recover, as over two thirds of businesses slash travel budgets.
BA pilots agree to pay cuts ahead of AGM
British Airways pilots have accepted a pay cut as part of a package of measures to save the airline £26 million but the airline is bracing itself for a tense AGM today.
BA investors pledge £500m emergency fund
British Airways has declined to comment on reports that it has received shareholder backing for an emergency rights issue of up to £500 million.
New Iberia chairman pledges to seal BA merger
The new chairman of Iberia has pledged to seal the proposed merger with British Airways. Antonio Vazquez Romero said that his aim was to close the deal between the Spanish and British flag carriers after almost a year of dragging.
Iberia chairman ousted to pave way for BA merger
Merger talks between British Airways and Iberia have been given a boost following the sudden departure of the Spanish flag carrier’s chairman. Fernando Conte has vacated the top job, with the official line that he wanted to step down before his 60th birthday next year. But according to company sources he was ousted because of a lack of progress in merger talks with BA.
BA resumes talks with unions over shake-up
British Airways is resuming talks today with unions at resolving a row over cost-cutting measures, including thousands of job losses and a pay-freeze. Unions and airline management spent several hours yesterday discussing the company’s proposals.
BA staff reject cost-cutting proposals
British Airways staff have unanimously rejected plans to cut thousands of jobs and freeze pay.A meeting of about 2,000 BA workers, mainly cabin crew, discussed BA’s plan to cut up to 3,700 jobs by March 2010 and freeze pay for all staff.
BA set for cabin crew showdown
Cabin crew are poised to reject demands by British Airways for new pay and conditions contracts and up to 3,700 job cuts which chief executive Willie Walsh says is necessary in its “fight for survival”.Rising anger and threats of strike action is leading to fears of a summer of chaos for millions of passengers at the peak of the late July and August holiday season.
BA to slash costs and up to 3,700 jobs
British Airways has announced plans to cut its annual spending from £725 to £580 million, as well as axing 3,700 further jobs, in addition to the 2,500 it has cut over the past year.The British flag carrier also said it was delaying the delivery of five Airbus A380s by two years to 2016. It also said it would ground its remaining three mainline Boeing 757 aircraft next summer and a further three Boeing 747-400s in winter 2010.
British Airways release Traffic and Capacity statistics
In June 2009, British Airways passenger capacity, measured in Available Seat Kilometres, was 1.7 per cent below June 2008. Traffic, measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres, fell by 3.8 per cent. This resulted in a passenger load factor decrease of 1.8 points versus last year, to 79.6 per cent. Traffic comprised a 14.9 per cent decrease in premium traffic and a 1.3 per cent fall in non-premium traffic. Cargo, measured in Cargo Tonne Kilometres, fell by 9.8 per cent.
BA calls in ACAS as union talks disintegrate
British Airways has called in the conciliation service ACAS after failing to reach an agreement with unions over job losses and pay cuts as it attempts to head off a summer of strike action.The airline announced today that it had asked ACAS to host future meetings with its unions after last night’s deadline to reach a deal passed without agreement.