British Airways offers new cabin crew £1,000 bonus

British Airways will award new cabin crew a £1,000 bonus in an attempt to attract staff as the aviation sector struggles to recruit.

Cabin crew who join the airline and complete their training before July will receive an initial £500 after three months and another £500 after six months.

BA is one of many airlines struggling with staff shortages following sweeping cuts at the height of the pandemic. The airline cut around 10,000 staff because of the restrictions placed on the travel industry.

Many airlines have had to cancel flights because of a lack of staff, which has caused disruption as demand for flights picked up ahead of the Easter weekend.

BA has so far cancelled around 1,200 flights this year because of worker shortages and Covid-related absences.

Some airlines say they are recruiting the staff they need, but delays in the vetting process by the Department for Transport have prevented many from being able to start work. This week, EasyJet boss Johan Lundgren said about 100 of the 1,100 crew it had recruited were still waiting for security clearance.

The Airport Operators Association has blamed a tight labour market, delays in security clearances, and Covid-related absences for the recent disruption. It has warned passengers to prepare for delays at UK airports.

Chief executive Karen Dee said: “Airports are working hard to recruit more staff in a very competitive labour market and are working with the UK government to resolve any delays in the necessary checks before staff can start work.

“For many passengers this will be the first time they have travelled abroad since the beginning of the pandemic and the processes required may seem unfamiliar. The advice airports (and airlines) are issuing should help ensure passengers are as prepared as they can be.

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“If airports and passengers work together in this way, we can get everyone on their way as smoothly and quickly as possible.”

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