The leading trade union for pilots in the United Kingdom, the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA), has expressed its disappointment after being informed on Tuesday by the country's flag carrier British Airways of planned redundancies after governments have ordered the grounding of flights due to the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak
LONDON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th March, 2020) The leading trade union for pilots in the United Kingdom, the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA), has expressed its disappointment after being informed on Tuesday by the country's flag carrier British Airways of planned redundancies after governments have ordered the grounding of flights due to the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak.
"While we do not underestimate the magnitude of the problem facing BA and other airlines we are extremely disappointed that a company like BA with a strong balance sheet and cash reserves has rushed into redundancy consultation," BALPA General Secretary Brian Strutton said in a press release.
On Monday, British Airways' parent company IAG predicted a 75 percent drop in capacity for April and May compared to the same period in 2019. IAG also owns Ireland's Aer Lingus and Spain's Iberia airlines.
The BALPA general secretary called on the UK government to provide further assistance to the airline industry, which has been one of the most severely affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.
"The whole industry is feeling the consequences of the coronavirus crisis. Airline after airline is having to ground virtually whole fleets. This is the biggest crisis the aviation industry has faced in decades, and without more government support, we fear the impact will be far greater," Strutton stated.
In a video message sent to employees on Friday, British Airways chief executive Alex Cruz said that flight cancellations could lead to either temporary or permanent staffing reductions.
Another British airline, Virgin Atlantic, has asked staff to take eight weeks of unpaid leave while the outbreak continues to impact that industry, according to the Sky news broadcaster.
On March 5, before a number of further travel restrictions were implemented by the US and EU, the International Air Transport Association's chief economist Brian Pearce estimated that COVID-19 could lead to a $113 billion drop in passenger revenue.
