British Airways is offering hundreds of senior staff redundancy as it struggles to contain costs in the face of falling demand and rising oil prices.
A spokesman for the British national carrier said: ”We are giving senior managers the option to apply for severance.”
He declined to confirm reports that the airline is looking for 1,400 managers to leave to save ”170m a year.
He said staff costs were second only to the airline”s fuel bill which has gone up by ”1bn this year and is set to reach ”3bn by the end of 2008.
The spokesman said BA was operating in an ”incredibly difficult environment” for airlines and was ”identifying areas where we can cut costs.”
Seniors managers have already been approached about leaving and the airline, which has 42,000 staff, is understood to be ready to pay off those who wish to go by Christmas.
The move follows easyJet”s statement yesterday that it is making up to 60 staff management and administration redundant at its headquarters at Luton Airport.
The low cost carrier said aviation was facing an "unprecedented challenge due to the continuing high prioce of oil."
It added: "We expect the whole airline industry to face a bloody winter with substantial casualties as airlines cut back and/or go out under."
For more information, visit www.ba.com and www.easyjet.com.
Stanley Slaughter
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