IAG to launch new LCC…

BA parent confirms launch of new budget airline

…to be based at Madrid Barajas airport
…will launch with 4 aircraft next summer
…expected to have 13 aircraft by the end of 2012
…aiming to provide stronger competition on short and medium-haul routes for Ryanair and EasyJet

http://www.travelmole.com/stories/1149711.php?mpnlog=1&m_id=_rnms~s~T_

…but as per usual all is not as it might well seem…

After an 18-month battle with BA cabin crew, WW is embarking on yet another confrontation with his workforce and their union/s as this “new” airline will use existing Iberia aircraft but will recruit brand new pilots and cabin crew, all of whom will be paid lower salaries and on different terms and conditions.

Whilst that main not sound too bad, the unions say that this breaks agreements signed with Iberia during its merger with British Airways in order to create IAG.

The fear is that domestic and European services will be transferred over to Iberia Express, which will ultimatley result to job losses at the main airline.

So, rather than just trying to cut the workforce at IB (as he did at BA!), WW has in fact been rather sneaky this time round by announcing the launch of a so-called “new” airline, in which he is basically hoping to use to lower the overall costs of the company and increase its profits (but no doubt also increase his already rather substantial bonus!).

Whilst no mention of any strikes by staff have yet been mentioned, one can only imagine the way that he would deal with this…perhaps he’s trying to increase his record in terms of length of a major industrial dispute.