Washington, June 17: British Airways, which registered a record annual loss in May, is asking its staff to work for nothing for up to one month in order to reduce costs.
The request was made in a letter to staff through the British Airways News.
BA Chief Executive Willie Walsh, who himself has promised to work for nothing in July, said the proposal was part of measures to reduce the company’s operating expenses.
“I am looking for every single part of the company to take part in some way in this cash-effective way of helping the company’s survival. It really counts,” Walsh said.
Europe’s third-largest airline (by revenue) said it is suffering a decline in demand for air travel and predicts no immediate recovery.
While the company stresses that a staff member’s decision to work without payment for up to four weeks was entirely voluntary, however, the offer comes as the airline plans to cut 2,000 jobs.
The company posted a record annual loss of £400 million (USD656 million) in May.
“I’m 30 years in this business and I’ve never seen anything like this. This is by far the biggest crisis the industry has ever faced,” Walsh said.
—–Agencies