British Airways should be stripped of prized airport landing slots over its “ethically outrageous” treatment of workers, say MPs.
Politicians of all parties yesterday condemned plans by the airline and Willie Walsh, chief executive of BA owner IAG, to axe 12,000 staff and rip up the contracts of those who survive.
Some remaining staff face pay cuts of more than 50%, say unions.
IAG has blamed the proposed redundancies on a slump in passenger numbers caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
But critics accuse IAG of exploiting the crisis to implement a long-held aim of shaking up BA’s 42,000 workforce.
Huw Merriman, the Tory chairman of the Commons Transport Committee, has secured the backing of 130 fellow MPs for a future parliamentary debate on the cull.
He told the House yesterday: “BA has tried this before but its workforce resisted. It is ethically outrageous that our national flag carrier is doing this at a time when the nation is at its weakest.”
He said regulator the Civil Aviation Authority should review BA’s entitlement to the prime take-off and landing slots at Heathrow airport. They should instead be given to airlines that “stand by their hard-working and loyal staff,” said Mr Merriman.
SNP MP Gavin Newlands called Mr Walsh, who has taken £33million in pay and perks since 2011, “despicable”.
He added: “The manner in which Mr Walsh is doing this should be illegal – if it is not already.”
Leicester East Labour MP Claudia Webbe called BA “shameless” and added: “In the words of the many British Airways employees in my constituency who are fearing for their future, this is immoral, opportunistic and greedy.”
BA has been slammed for lining up redundancies while using taxpayers’ money to furlough thousands of staff.
Aviation minister Kelly Tolhurst said: “Shareholders and the employers should consider their social responsibility.”
The Mirror revealed IAG had handed investors £3.6billion since 2015.
A letter sent by BA boss Alex Cruz to staff yesterday and seen by the Mirror said “every slot lost will lead to jobs in BA permanently lost.”
He said Unite and the GMB had refused 165 offers of consultation meetings since May 1.
