BA’s pension recovery gets the go-ahead June 22, 2010 BRITISH AIRWAYS (BA) has agreed a plan with its trustees that will see the airline deal with its £3.7bn pension deficit head on. Under the new agreement, BA will commit to annual contributions of £330m with a three per cent rise every year, at the same time promising that it will make additional contributions should [...]
Unite to issue third ballot for August strikes June 22, 2010 UNITE, the union representing British Airways (BA) cabin crew, is to launch a fresh strike ballot on 29 June. The ballot, which will take more than five weeks to be finalised, means that crew could again walk off the job in August. Unite said yesterday that it had notified BA of the ballot launch – [...]
BA agrees recovery plan for £3.7bn pension deficit June 22, 2010 BRITISH Airways has agreed a recovery plan for its £3.7bn pension deficit – removing a final obstacle to its planned merger with Spain’s Iberia. BA said it had reached a deal with the trustees of its Airways Pension Scheme (APS), which last December had a deficit of £1bn and its New Airways Pension Scheme (NAPS), [...]
Cameron rejects calls for change to UK strike laws June 21, 2010 PRIME Minister David Cameron has vetoed business leaders’ demand to change strike laws as the prospect of industrial strife looms behind planned public sector spending cuts. The CBI, Britain’s most prominent business lobbyist, asked the government to raise the bar for walk-out approvals to 40 per cent of the balloted workforce, not a simple majority [...]
BA in strike pledge June 21, 2010 BRITISH AIRWAYS (BA) chief executive Willie Walsh has pledged to fly 100 per cent of the airline’s long haul flights should Unite launch a third strike period later this summer. Walsh, who gave up his £334,000 bonus in a bid to help the airline’s ailing finances, said BA would not be grounded by the strikes. [...]
Unite union threatens round of fresh industrial action at BA June 20, 2010 THE Unite union is expected to notify British Airways of another strike ballot today, which if successful could mean widespread disruption during the peak of the holiday season. Unite has completed preparations for a ballot and voting could commence seven days after the union puts BA on notice. If BA flight attendants vote in favour [...]
Airlines warn over air levy and tax hikes June 20, 2010 AIRLINES have warned that the government’s plans to increase the departure levy could see passengers avoid the UK’s airports. It is thought that the rise in the levy, which is set for November, will cost a family of four travelling abroad up to £300 extra in taxes a year. The government is also planning to [...]
The elegant side of the Balearics June 20, 2010 THERE is so much more to Mallorca than sun, sea and the late-night drunken menace of us Brits in Magaluf. The largest of Spain’s Balearic Islands, the 3,275 sq km atoll has mountains, lush vegetation and close to 100 sandy beaches, many of which are secluded because they are up to half an hour’s walk [...]
TRAVEL NOTES June 20, 2010 Valencia restaurant week: 5-11 July Like tapas but want to explore the best of Spanish food further? Combine a week of serious food discovery with a sunny Spanish holiday in Valencia, one of southern Spain’s most beautiful cities, which will be hosting its third restaurant week from 5 July. On offer will be delicious local [...]
BA and Unite deadlocked as cabin crew talks collapse June 16, 2010 BRITISH Airways cabin staff are likely to be balloted for more walkouts in July after talks between the carrier and Unite the Union broke down yesterday. Acas, the reconciliation service, said the parties were “regrettably… unable to move closer to an agreement” following discussions over whether striking staff would have their travel perks reinstated. Industrial [...]