Can IAG redirect these orders to a new formed company? I am pretty sure it can, as it would be very hard to prove legally that BA did not just cancel orders due to bad economics etc. So how would you want to strike over that?
Nope, post Openskies BA (prior to IAG) made a legally binding agreement with BALPA that ALL orderd aircraft (listed by type and numbers) would be going to BA Mainline. They cannot change that.
Oddly enough the DLH leadership team have been spotted numerous times over at Waterside? The beginning of the same problems for VC perhaps?