Commenting on BA's third quarter results and the call from the company for a significant cost reduction, Jim McAuslan, General Secretary of the British Airline Pilots' Association (BALPA) said:

'There is little doubt that BA, as with all companies, is facing a very difficult trading environment and will need to take steps to address this.

'We will be undertaking our own financial analysis to provide an independent assessment of the basis of BA's demands for cost reduction.



'We will be pressure testing the company's approach to ensure any cost reductions are targeted to where real savings can be made. We will not accept any arbitrarily imposed cost targets.

'There will be a need for detailed discussions and we are ready for that. We have clear reasons to help, but with a great big health warning: we are not prepared to vary terms and conditions only to find that these are not reinstated in some form when the economy, and BA's trading situation, improve. Our help would be an investment, not a gift."

For more information contact Keith Bill on 020 8656 0860 or 07968 528 527