London – Labour leader and veteran MP, Virendra Sharma, has called upon the  British Airways to withdraw its announcement of making 12,000 employees redundant.

In a statement, MP Sharma said, “12,000 people being made jobless during this most difficult time is not in anyone’s interest. British Airways is looking for Government money and they should have it to protect employment for thousands, but part of that deal should be halting job losses.”

The airline sector and aviation in general is in need of a comprehensive sector deal to support it through these incredibly difficult times, but the terms should require a moratorium on job losses, because forcing families onto Universal Credit will mean nothing but pain and hardship, MP Sharma said, adding. “British Airways staff in my constituency want to work, they want a job, and laying them off now before the airline knows what aviation will look like after lock down lifts is reckless and premature.”

On Tuesday, IAG, parent company of the British Airways, said, “The proposals remain subject to consultation, but it is likely that they will affect most of British Airways’ employees and may result in the redundancy of up to 12,000 of them.”

The company said it will take several years for air travel to return to pre-coronavirus levels, a warning that has been echoed by airlines across the world.

Many other airlines are also making similar announcements as international travel has been badly hit in the wake of the corona pandemic.