British Airways is set to suspend close to 36,000 staff due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has left much of its fleet grounded.
According to an agreement between BA and the Unite union, the suspension will affect 80% of the cabin crew, ground staff, engineers, and those working at the head office. However, no staff will be declared redundant.
Furthermore, the airline has also reached a separate deal with its pilots, who will take a 50% pay cut for two months.
On the other hand, all the staff at Gatwick and London City airport will be suspended, given the airline stopped flying to and from both airports until the end of the virus crisis.
Nonetheless, the affected employees are will receive some of their wages through the government’s coronavirus job retention scheme, which covers 80% of someone’s salary capped at a maximum of £2,500 per month.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates that global airlines will need close to $200 billion to survive the pandemic, with other UK airlines such as EasyJet grounding its entire fleet for an undisclosed period.
British Airways, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, and the second largest airline in the United Kingdom, based on fleet size and passengers carried.
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