BRITISH AIRWAYS CLOSURES AT MANCHESTER

That this House deplores the announcement by British Airways (BA) that it proposes to close its cabin crew base in Manchester at the end of October, the lack of meaningful consultation there has been with employees and union representatives over this decision, and the refusal of BA management to extend the consultation period; notes that BA management has altered five times the business case figures which were designed to show that closure was based on productivity and costs bases, and now admits that the primary motivation is `simplification'; recognises that this decision will impact severely on a mainly female long-serving workforce, many with dependent relatives and children who will find it difficult to relocate to Heathrow as the company proposes; further deplores the fact that the company has not guaranteed them any future flexible or part-time employment options; and believes that the way in which British Airways has handled this review completely demolishes any claim it might have to be a family-friendly organisation as well as any credibility it might claim in terms of being committed to the North West or indeed any of the other regions and nations of the UK.