Company Watch - British Airways.

For more company news, data and analysis, please go to: http://www.airguideonline.com/professional.htm Aug 21, 2006

British Airways has sold its travel clinic business to MASTA (Medical Advisory Services for Travelers Abroad) following the decision to close the Piccadilly travel shop (and all the travel shops throughout the country). Travelers in central London requiring one to one advice, inoculations, including Yellow Fever and Hepatitis A, will find the nearest MASTA clinic at 52 Margaret Street, just north of Oxford Circus. There are over 30 MASTA clinics around the country and the organization has been appointed British Airways Preferred Partner for travel health services. http://www.masta-travel-health.com http://www.ba.com Aug 19, 2006

British Airways spokesperson told reporters the carrier is giving "no consideration" to suing the UK government to recoup the nearly [pounds sterling]50 million ($94.7 million) some analysts say it lost as a result of the past week's cancellations and delays at London airports. Ryanair reportedly is feeling otherwise and has contacted other carriers about challenging the government. EasyJet denied it was interested in suing the government, AFX News reported. "The first duty of any government is to protect its citizens and easyJet commends the UK government for acting decisively last week," the LCC said. Virgin Atlantic Airways said, "We prefer to have a cozy chat with the government, the DFT in particular, about how any costs can be clawed back through any possible government financial help, but we do not intend to sue." British Airways told MarketWatch that "our priority is to get the operations back to normal. Then next week we will sit down, crunch some numbers and see how we could best recoup those losses," adding that it will "seriously consider" action against airports operator BAA, which said in a statement that because Heathrow already is well over capacity, "the scale and suddenness of the measures imposed last week could not be managed without significant disruption." The Times acquired an e-mail sent by Ryanair's Jim Callaghan to other airlines discussing the government's liability for losses resulting from its policies under Section 93 of the Transport Act 2000. "Ryanair intends to use this provision to put pressure on the government to remove some of the illogical and unworkable restrictions at airports," the e-mail said. Aug 18, 2006

British Airways operated about 90% of its full schedule, dropping three long-haul and 32 short-haul departures. It operated a full long-haul and European schedule from Gatwick with just 11 domestic flights scratched. Today BA plans to operate a full long-haul schedule at LHR and cancel 19 short-haul departures. It will operate a full schedule at LGW today and a full schedule from both airports on Friday. Aug 17, 2006

British Airways said it canceled a further 35 flights at LHR yesterday, raising its six-day total at its main base to around 700, while systemwide cancellations numbered around 1,100. It expects to operate "90% of its schedule" today,with plans to cancel three long-haul and 32 European and domestic departures from Heathrow and 11 domestic returns from Gatwick. CEO Willie Walsh said BA may seek compensation from BAA. Analysts estimate that the disruptions could cost BA, which is suffering through an operational meltdown at LHR for a fourth consecutive summer, more than [pounds sterling]40 million ($75.6 million). Reportedly, some 10,000 bags have gone missing and another 5,000 still need to be returned. It is using trucks to transport baggage left at LHR to destinations such as Manchester, Edinburgh and Frankfurt. In a statement to BBC, BA "fully apologize[d]" for the baggage problems, which it attributed "to a combination of issues with the BAA's baggage systems." Aug 16, 2006

British Airways said it expected to reduce schedules by 20% today, relief may be on the way following the government's decision Monday to lower the terrorism threat level from "critical" to "severe." Consequently, the Dept. for Transport eased security restrictions "at all UK airports with immediate effect," allowing passengers to carry one item of hand baggage on flights, although it halved the dimensions of the bag to 45x35x16 cm. (17.7x13.7x6.2 in.). Laptops and electrical goods may be included within the bag, but liquids of any type still are prohibited save medicines sufficient and essential for the flight and baby food. While allowing one item of cabin baggage, DFT noted that passengers boarding flights to the US are subject to search at the gate. Aug 15, 2006

British Airways May Seek Flight Disruption Compensation. British Airways, forced to cancel about 1,100 flights when security checks were stepped up in response to a foiled bomb plot, said on Tuesday it might seek compensation from airport operator BAA. Aug 14, 2006