BA staff braced for job cuts after sale
TERRY MURDEN
BRITISH Airways staff in Scotland expect to hear of job cuts this week following the sale of BA Connect to cheap flights rival Flybe.
The company said the sale would have a "significant impact on BA ground handling activities" and it is feared that as many as 150 of the 434 staff could be axed.
BA Connect represents 53% of BA's Edinburgh flights, 35% of those going through Glasgow and 25% in Aberdeen. The Edinburgh figure is inflated as it includes London City flights which will be retained. Manchester's 300 staff are also affected and the cabin crew base will close.
A senior BA manager will meet staff in the three Scottish cities this week and it is expected that jobs will go by the time the handover of BA Connect goes through next March.
The company sold its loss-making subsidiary to Flybe last week after declaring that it no longer sat comfortably in its strategy.
Without significant investment it was unlikely to become profitable. It lost £20m in the last financial year and £6m in the first half of this year.
Most of the 1,900 staff are expected to transfer over to the new owner.
It is not yet known if all routes and services will be retained as there may be some duplication.