Starmer: BA should lose landing slots

KEIR Starmer has called for British Airways to be stripped of landing slots as punishment for plans to rehire staff on worse terms and conditions.

The Labour leader said the airline’s proposal to axe 12,000 jobs and “fire and rehire” 30,000 staff should act as a “warning shot to millions”.

He urged Boris Johnson to intervene by removing BA’s lucrative slots at Heathrow, which give it the right to take off and land at the airport.

The Unite union accused the firm of planning a “fire and rehire” system to downgrade rights of remaining employees.

At PMQs, Mr Starmer said: “That is totally unacceptable.” And he asked the PM to, “personally intervene and make clear actions like those at BA cannot be allowed to stand without consequences”.

But Mr Johnson responded he could not, “simply, with a magic wand, ensure that every single job that was being done before the crisis is retained after the crisis”.