Transportinfo.org.uk - today's transport news in the uk, hand picked for you each morning

Thursday, 02 April 2020

BBC News

• Are Scotland's airports still open?In the second week of lockdown, planes are still flying to and from Scotland's airports. Why?
• BA expected to suspend 36,000 staffThe airline reaches a deal with unions to furlough 80% of its workforce after grounding most of its fleet.

Financial Times

• Rolls-Royce and Airbus lobby UK in support of Virgin Atlantic bailoutAerospace groups back virus-hit airline’s efforts to secure £500m package of loans and guarantees
• Qantas investigated for suspending health and safety repRegulators launch inquiry as 11 staff infected with coronavirus in 'infection cluster’    

The Guardian

• The Treasury should be wary of giving a bailout to Virgin Atlantic | Nils PratleyAirline’s owners need to dig deep into their own pockets before the state steps in to helpYou have to admire Sir Richard Branson’s tactics. A begging letter from an island-dwelling billionaire doesn’t gain sympathy. A co-ordinated lobbying campaign that involves Airbus, Heathrow airport and Rolls-Royce – all big employers in the UK – gets noticed at the Treasury.And, naturally, one can see why the trio want Virgin Atlantic to survive, whether by a government-backed bailout or other means. The airline is an important customer for each of them. Virgin Atlantic flies 31 planes fitted with Rolls-R...

Mail Online

• Easyjet and BA under fire as customers battle for refund for holidays cancelled due to coronavirusHolidaymakers have taken to social media in outrage after struggling to get refunds from BA and Easyjet. It comes after the two airlines cancelled flights due to the impact of coronavirus.
• British Airways 'to suspend 36,000 staff days after grounding ALL flights to and from Gatwick'The airline has reached a broad deal with the Unite union that will include the suspension of 80 per cent of BA's cabin crew, ground staff, engineers and those working at head office.

Belfast Telegraph

• Trump weighs grounding domestic flights to contain coronavirus spreadPresident Donald Trump has said that he is weighing grounding domestic flights between coronavirus hot spots as he ramps up efforts to try to contain the pandemic’s spread in the US.

London Evening Standard

• British Airways could suspend 36,000 staff after grounding much of its fleet due to coronavirusA broad deal has reportedly been reached between the airline and Unite union which includes temporarily cutting 80 per cent of cabin crew, ground and head office staff.

North Wales Live

• Coronavirus: Airbus Broughton to receive massive delivery of Chinese surgical masksThe 400,000 masks are heading by truck to the North Wales site before being distributed around the UK