Job cuts BA chief 'incompetent'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7699756.stm

Version 0 of 1.

A Scottish MP has accused British Airways' (BA) chief executive of "incompetence" over plans to axe its cabin crew base at Glasgow airport.

Labour MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, Jim Sheridan, made the comments to Willie Walsh during a BA-hosted reception in the House of Commons.

The closure of the Glasgow base will result in the loss of 135 posts.

It follows a cut in the number of Scottish flights to London and BA's pull out from all island routes.

BA said there had been a reduction in flights across the UK network and the effect in Scotland was marginal.

Its decision over the cabin crew base prompted 21 Labour MPs to sign a Commons motion, tabled by Mr Sheridan, suggesting that the airline rebrand itself "London Airways".

Similar sentiments were expressed by the MP during the Commons reception on Wednesday night.

The proposal to bring the flights between Glasgow and Edinburgh and Heathrow within the Heathrow operation is essential if the airline's short-haul operation is to remain competitive BA statement During the ill-tempered exchange, Mr Sheridan said BA staff in Glasgow were paying the "ultimate price" for Mr Walsh's "management incompetence".

Mr Walsh denied that his priority was to focus on long-haul flights at the expense of the domestic market and insisted that BA was still a credible domestic airline.

But Mr Sheridan claimed that employees in his constituency were being effectively sacked by being offered long-haul routes based in London.

"This would be an impossible proposition for my constituents affected by this decision," he said.

The MP later told the BBC: "I suggested that yet again, workers in the UK were paying the ultimate price for his (Mr Walsh's) management incompetence and he refused my suggestion that he meet personally with those employees affected.

"Mr Walsh reacted angrily when I suggested that the consultation with employees and the trade union representatives on this issue was a sham.

"However, he did confirm that the decision would be implemented regardless of the case put forward by the employees.

'Detailed review'

"This in my view is not only a bad deal for the staff but will prove in the long-term to be detrimental to the travelling public."

Mr Sheridan has now written to the BA chief executive setting out the reasons why he believes the cabin crew base should be retained in Glasgow.

In a statement, BA said: "We announced earlier this month that, following a detailed review we propose to reorganise the British Airways mainline cabin crew operation at Glasgow.

"Under the proposals those flights between Glasgow and Edinburgh and Heathrow which are currently operated by cabin crew based at Glasgow will be operated by Heathrow based Eurofleet cabin crew.

This in my view is not only a bad deal for the staff but will prove in the long-term to be detrimental to the travelling public Jim Sheridan MPPaisley and Renfrewshire North "The 135 Glasgow-based cabin crew will be given the option of transferring to Heathrow to fly as part BA's worldwide or Eurofleet cabin crew fleets, or they may choose to accept voluntary severance."

BA said it had conducted trials since the beginning of August 2008 aimed at improving the productivity and "cost performance of the Glasgow base".

It said that although productivity had improved during the first two months of the trial, the costs remained the same.

The statement said: "The proposal to bring the flights between Glasgow and Edinburgh and Heathrow within the Heathrow operation is essential if the airline's short-haul operation is to remain competitive.

"The proposal is subject to a 90-day consultation with cabin crew trade unions.

"That consultation process is on-going and it would be inappropriate to comment further outwith the formal meetings with our staff and their trade union representatives convened to discuss the proposal."