British Airways recruits cabin crew after cutting thousands of jobs

British Airways has announced it is recruiting cabin crew, after thousands lost their jobs at the airline last year.

The airline is hiring an unconfirmed number of people to work on flights in summer 2022.

Trade union Unite described the move as “another attempt to drive down pay and conditions”.

It said 4,700 cabin crew were made redundant last year following the coronavirus outbreak.

British Airways said positions are available for former employees and new recruits.

Sean Doyle, the airline’s chief executive, said: “After 18 long months of closed or restricted borders across the world, we are finally seeing a demand for travel return as countries start to open up and ease their restrictions.

“This means that we can finally get back to doing what we do best – flying our customers around the world.

“As we look ahead to next summer, we are excited to start welcoming brilliant new people and former colleagues back to the British Airways family.”

The airline said it will fast-track recruitment schedules with the aim of enabling successful applicants to begin working on flights by March 2022.

Mr Doyle added that “everyone is welcome at British Airways”, and the carrier gives “people of all ages and backgrounds the chance to see the world”.

The airline said cabin crew will be able to earn up to £28,000 a year plus benefits.

It is waiving its requirement for new starters to wait six months before accessing staff travel.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The creation of these new posts confirms what Unite said last year, there was never any need to sack thousands of dedicated BA staff.

“Last summer, British Airways became the first major employer to embark on the abhorrent practice of ‘fire and rehire’, sacking thousands of dedicated staff.

“Now, fewer than 12 months later, BA is championing its intention to recruit thousands of new staff, insultingly even asking those crew it sacked needlessly last year to reapply on substantially reduced terms and conditions.

“It is yet another bad faith act from a business that should be focusing on repairing both a tattered workforce and customer relations, not cutting yet more corners in order to reward the boardroom.”