Dimitris Kouimtsidis
BRITISH Airways is expected to suspend 36,000 staff, it has been revealed.
The airline, which grounded most of its fleet due to COVID-19, has been negotiating with the Unite union for more than a week.
The two sides have reached a broad agreement, but nothing has been announced as of yet.
The deal means that no one would be made redundant, but 80% of cabin crew, ground staff, engineers and people working at the head office will have their jobs suspended.
Those affected are expected to receive some of their wages from the UK Government.
John Strickland, an independent aviation analyst spoke to the BBC and said ‘tough negotiations’ between BA and the Unite union meant it had taken some time for an agreement to be reached.
“The pilots’ deal for half pay was concluded rather earlier, I guess there was a recognition as to just how serious that issue was,” he continued.
It is thought that Unite wants to make sure staff get paid more than the agreement BA made with its pilots.
This comes after BA has agreed to run repatriation flights for Brits trapped abroad in conjunction with the UK Government.
