British Airways has denied cuts in capacity to be unveiled next month will target leisure travellers after insisting it will not compromise services for corporate clients.
However, passengers with advance bookings on routes with several flights a day face being switched to alternative services – meaning extra work for agents.
BA confirmed it will announce cuts in its winter schedule in early August, with head of corporate sales Richard Tams insisting: “The cuts will not have a significant impact on the business schedule.”
Tams said operations at both Heathrow and Gatwick will be affected, adding: “Any cuts at Heathrow will be where we have multiple services. We are not going to compromise the business travellers’ schedule.”
Head of UK leisure sales Adam Daniels told Travel Weekly: “Capacity will tighten, but leisure will not be targeted specifically and the cuts will not affect single-frequency long-haul services.
“We will re-accommodate passengers where we can.”
Tams said: “The underlying economic conditions in many markets are weak. This is probably going to be a prolonged state of affairs and the airline’s business must be sustainable.”
He conceded that meant fares will continue to rise. “Prices are going to go up – either through increases to fares or surcharges,” said Tams.