Pilot association Balpa has pledged to fight for “every single” job put at risk by British Airways’ planned restructure.
The British Airline Pilots’ Association said the announcement from British Airways had “come as a bolt out of the blue”.
British Airways has contacted staff, the government and trade unions to announce its plans to enter into a period of consultation which could see up to 12,000 employees made redundant.
Balpa’s general secretary Brian Strutton said: “BA pilots and all staff are devastated by the announcement of up to 12,000 possible job losses in British Airways.
“This has come as a bolt out of the blue from an airline that said it was wealthy enough to weather to Covid storm and declined any government support.
“Balpa does not accept that a case has been made for these job losses and we will be fighting to save every single one.”
In the statement announcing the planned restructure, British Airways chief executive Alex Cruz said the airline had needed to “act decisively” to overcome the current crisis itself, with “no government bailout standing by for BA”.
He said the airline couldn’t expect the taxpayers to “offset salaries indefinitely” adding that the proposals were made with a long-term view in mind. He said that any borrowed funds would only address issues in the short-term.