BA to cut back on long-haul cabin crew

[LTN man]

BRITISH Airways has told unions it wants to cut £16m from its annual cabin services bill - a move that is likely to spark a staff backlash. The airline admitted last week that first-quarter profits had halved to £50m. It says that £2.4m of the planned savings can be achieved by using fewer cabin crew on some long-haul flights.

BA believes that fewer staff are needed because of the installation of beds, which reduces the number of seats and passengers. But the cost-cutting plan is almost certain to prompt anger among cabin staff, who fear they could lose out in pay talks that are due in the autumn as BA strives to meet financial targets.

The British Airlines' Stewards and Stewardesses Association, BA's main cabin crew union, is balloting members on the proposal. A source said: 'We were aghast when we were told of BA's intention. Most of our members don't want to go anywhere near this level of cost cuts.'

BA declined to comment on the size of the cuts.

Meanwhile, a further 80 redundancies are expected at the merged British Airways Holidays and Thomas Cook Holidays. The fresh job losses will be in finance and resources at British Airways Holidays' base in Crawley, West Sussex.

The joint venture, named Accoladia, will be based at Thomas Cook's headquarters in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, and two months ago it was revealed that up to 200 jobs would be lost in the reservations and call centre departments at Crawley. In addition, Colin Whaley, head of sales and marketing at Accoladia, has quit and will return to BA on 1 October.

An undisclosed number of jobs are also under threat in the systems division at Crawley, though these are not related to the merger. Simon Laxton, Accoladia's managing director, said: 'It is a difficult period, but morale is good. About 30 of the original 200 affected are relocating and the others have found new jobs.' Before the merger, British Airways Holidays had 480 staff in Crawley and Thomas Cook Holidays had 350 in Peterborough. After the restructuring, there will be 70 in Crawley and 480 in Peterborough.

Associated Newspapers Ltd., 12 August 2001

[MrUppity]

Well, that £2.4m should just about cover the cost of closing the Scottish pilot base and the extra costs of night stops in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

[basil fawlty]

With the salaries that some BA CSD's are on these days, I reckon they only need to lose about a dozen of them to make up that £2.4 million cost saving! Nobody will notice their absence!! Sorry folks, couldn't resist that one!! :D

[9g]

'The British Airlines' Stewards and Stewardesses Association, BA's main cabin crew union, is balloting members on the proposal. A source said: 'We were aghast when we were told of BA's intention. Most of our members don't want to go anywhere near this level of cost cuts.' '

What a surprise. Why would this union want any cost cuts? As if they have any realistic understanding or control of the situation. If you hadn't noticed, this is the 21st century.

[ 12 August 2001: Message edited by: 9g ]

[Mishandled]

So much for any level of solidarity in this industry then. I can just see the howls of anguish that we'd see on this forum if (when ) BA tried to cut pilot costs again. Anyway, These company managers need to understand that, in a customer service industry consultation with staff is of vital importance, because its the staff that are the public face of the company, not the gnomes that are concerned with balance sheets, share prices etc (important though they are.)

[Capt H Peacock]

Staggering, is it not, that a company that has 285 employees per aeroplane, more than any of its competitors, still can see no other course of action than to shed front line staff? :rolleyes:

[Porky Speedpig]

Is this reasonable:
Up to 1999, BA 747s had 409 seats and 16 Cabin Crew.
They now have 291 seats and 16 Cabin Crew.
There does seem to be scope for cost saving here.

[AMEX]

Although I am sure it is very relevant to study the ratio pax/crew, I feel it is all relative to the level of service offered.
Economy passengers are provided with a less demanding service than business or first class Pax.
Since it is BA's policy to aim at the premium class passengers (since 99), it seems that they have indeed upgraded the service offered on board. I am sure we all appreciate that it is far more quicker to give away simple trays with orange juice/water inculded than offering a choice of meal, bread, wine,... to each individual seating in Club or First.
That said, what do I know but that's a thought.

[Notso Fantastic]

Porky has made the point, and it is supported by what BA's competitors fly with. Of western airlines, particularly United on the LHR route, I wonder what cabin crew they fly with? The US airlines pare their staff down to the limit, and so must BA. Reduce cabin crew and the thousands of unnecessary support staff (20,000 actually!). They can try and reduce pilot numbers if they like- it won't work! BA pilots are the most hard working and lowest paid in the western world- ask BALPA! We have the proof!