26th Aug 2021 17:19
(Alliance News) - International Consolidated Airlines Group SA's British Airways is planning to launch a subsidiary to operate short-haul flights at Gatwick Airport.
The unnamed airline would run alongside its parent company's long-haul operation at the West Sussex airport.
BA has suspended its domestic and European routes serving Gatwick during the coronavirus pandemic.
It sent an internal letter to staff, seen by the PA news agency, which read: "This was previously a highly competitive market, but for us to run a sustainable airline in the current environment, we need a competitive operating model.
"Because of that, we are proposing a new operating subsidiary to run alongside our existing long-haul Gatwick operation, to serve short-haul routes to and from Gatwick from summer 2022.
"This will help us to be both agile and competitive, allowing us to build a sustainable short-haul presence at Gatwick over time."
The letter warned employees that the airline's pay costs will "steeply increase" once the government's furlough scheme ends on September 30, which is "bad news".
By Neil Lancefield, PA Transport Correspondent
source: PA
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