BA applies to use Qatar planes during crew strike

LONDON — British Airways has applied to use Qatar Airways planes and crew to help the airline to fly all passengers to their destinations during planned strikes by some of its cabin staff next month.

British Airways’ mixed fleet cabin crew are set to go on strike for two weeks from July 1 over sanctions on union members involved in previous industrial action in a long-running dispute about pay.

A document dated June 21 showed that the airline had applied to Britain’s Civil Aviation Authority to use nine Qatar registered Airbus A320 or A321s between July 1 and July 16.

“The application has been made on the grounds that the lease is justified on the basis of exceptional needs ... to enable British

Airways to continue passenger operations in light of planned operational disruption by its mixed fleet cabin crew,” a CAA document said.

A “wet-leasing” deal would mean that BA pays Qatar to use its aircraft and crew for the two week period.

The deal could help Qatar to make more use of its planes after its operations were disrupted by a boycott from four Arab nations, forcing it to seek out other destinations on which to use its planes.

Meanwhile, Qatar Airways wants to buy 10 per cent of American Airlines, a move cloaked so heavily in international trade and politics that American’s CEO finds it puzzling.

On Thursday, Qatar said it plans to buy an initial stake of up to 4.75 per cent American’s stock. American said Qatar CEO Akbar Al Baker told American CEO Doug Parker that he wants to acquire about 10 per cent of the airline’s stock, which would cost about $2.4 billion.

The two men met secretly in early June at an airline-industry conference in the Mexican resort town of Cancun.

American, the world’s biggest airline, said Qatar’s bid was unsolicited, and Parker belittled it.

“We aren’t particularly excited about Qatar’s outreach,” the CEO wrote in a memo to American employees.

The chilly response to Qatar’s overture contrasted sharply with the celebratory reaction last year after US financier Warren Buffett — a longtime critic of investing in airlines — bought big stakes in American, Delta, United and Southwest. Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc is now American’s third-biggest shareholder, at 10 per cent.

Al Baker is known for brash moves and declarations. —