Company Watch - British Airways.

Nov 20, 2006

British Airways Offers Retirement Age Concessions. British Airways said it was willing to revise a plan to raise the age of retirement for staff in return for higher pension contributions. British Airways will meet with unions regarding its latest offer to tackle the [pounds sterling]2.1 billion deficit of its New Airways Pension Scheme, which has 33,794 active members. Nov 17, 2006

British Airways Agrees Pension Funding Plan. British Airways said on Wednesday it had agreed to make a one-off injection of GBP800 million pounds and pay up to GBP50 million (USD$94.5 million) a year for three years to tackle its pension deficit. Sources familiar with the situation played down a report they were planning to strike. Nov 15, 2006

British unveils [pounds sterling]100 million Club World upgrade; Walsh touts Flybe deal. British Airways yesterday moved to raise the premium-service bar with the rollout of a [pounds sterling]100 million ($191.1 million) overhaul to its Club World business class cabin featuring "next generation" lie-flat beds, multiple channel video/on demand IFE and in-seat laptop storage bins and hookups. Nov 14, 2006

British Airways believes it could increase annual landings and takeoffs by 50,000-70,000 a year -- or 10%-15% -- through the use of mixed-mode operations at Heathrow. Gatwick has only one runway and can accommodate about 270,000 operations a year. Heathrow should be able to handle 540,000 operations on its two runways, using the same system, compared with the current level of 480,000, the spokesman said. Nov 15, 2006

British Airways CEO Willie Walsh said the U.K. government must establish a timetable to accelerate the development of new runway procedures and the building of a third runway at London Heathrow Airport,. Both efforts would provide a much-needed boost to arrival and departure rates at Heathrow, Walsh said at a Royal Aeronautical Society speech Monday night in London. The new runway procedures -- known as mixed mode operations -- would be a near-term measure that could increase airport capacity before the new runway is completed. Heathrow will lose traffic to other European hubs unless capacity shortages are addressed, Walsh warned. Heathrow is already behind four other European hubs in capacity, and it risks slipping out of the top 10, he said. Nov 15, 2006

British Airways has been pushing for the mixed-mode operations for years. If adopted, both existing runways would be used for arrivals and departures simultaneously. Now, Heathrow uses one runway for takeoffs and another for landings, switching in the middle of the day. Nov 15, 2006

Foreign airlines upgrade U.S. airport lounges. Some foreign airlines are spending millions to upgrade their airport lounges in the U.S. British Airways' $10 million lounge at New York's JFK airport features a fountain, reclining chairs, a spa and restaurant. Observers say foreign airlines recognize that upscale lounges can generate greater customer loyalty. Nov 14, 2006

Editor: Aram Gesar, eMail: [e-mail]

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Nov 13, 2006