From BA Intranet
BA completes sale of BA Connect to Flybe
Today British Airways has completed the sale of the regional operation of its subsidiary airline BA Connect to Flybe.
BA has also confirmed that it is in exclusive talks with Aviance UK, the UK’s largest independent ground handling company, about a transfer of its ground handling operations at Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester airports.
This follows an extensive review of the airline’s UK regional ground handling operation. A third party already carries out ground handling at Newcastle airport and at the majority of airports around the world on behalf of British Airways.
Ground handling at London Heathrow and London Gatwick airports is unaffected.
Staff at regional airports work for British Airways and provide ground handling for BA Connect and some other third party airlines. The sale of the regional business of BA Connect to Flybe reduces ground handling by more than 40 per cent.
If a contract is placed with Aviance UK, around 730 staff will be affected and BA has started a 90-day consultation process with their trade unions.
In the event of agreement being reached with Aviance UK, staff can choose to transfer under Transfer of Undertakings and Protection of Employment (TUPE) regulations. Alternatively, they can be redeployed within British Airways or take voluntary severance.
In addition, the sale of BA Connect means that 250 staff at Birmingham airport, that only handle BA Connect and third parties’ flights, have the option to transfer to Swissport, Flybe’s ground handling company. At Inverness, 21 staff can choose to transfer to Loganair’s ground handling company. Staff at both airports can also be redeployed within British Airways or take voluntary severance.
British Airways will continue to operate 54 return flights a day between Scotland and London and 16 return flights a day between Manchester and London.