23/09/2004

BA to add 200 more customer service staff at Heathrow

British Airways (BA) is to recruit 200 extra customer service staff following a review of the airline’s Heathrow operation.

The new staff will be in addition to 216 new airport terminal staff already being trained and drafted into the British Airways operation at Heathrow.

The review, carried out by chief executive Rod Eddington, follows on from disruptions at Heathrow last month and has been endorsed by the British Airways board.

Mr Eddington said: “The disruption of August 23 was not caused by any one single issue – there were operational and technical difficulties that day involving runway closures and a lack of stand-by aircraft – but a shortage of staff to help our customers was a significant one and we have addressed that as an absolute priority.”

The review will also mean a reduced flying programme for three months to uphold operational robustness, as announced last week.

Mr Eddington said: “Our customers rightly expect first class customer service staff and last month we fell short of the standards we set ourselves.

“We are also reorganising our vital operations control processes with the aim of improving communications between the centre and the frontline of the operation.”

(gmcg/mb)

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