BRITISH AIRWAYS is to close its 17 remaining high street travel shops by the end of August. Also to go is the Belfast call centre. The closures are part of a streamlining of the organisation instituted by new CEO Willie Walsh. BA says that currently 80% of all direct bookings are via its ba.com website and that the move away from the traditional sale outlets is an industry-wide trend, although there are some who say that there is a loss of value difficult to asses in marketing terms, drawing a parallel with the decision to close the Paddington station check-in desk and luggage facility. BA will continue with its UK call centres but at a reduced scale leaving just Manchester and Newcastle. Telesales have fallen by 60% since 2001. The airline closed its Glasgow and London centres in 2004.
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