British Airways has launched a major drive to recruit more than 1,000 new cabin crew who are willing to work for lower salaries than existing Heathrow staff.
The new Mixed Fleet cabin crew will fly a mixture of long and short-haul routes
The airline aims to recruit 1,250 new crew for a new Heathrow-based 'Mixed Fleet' in the first year and estimates that in 10 years' time, new crew will represent around 40% of the total.
The new workers' salaries will depend on role and performance, but they will be similar to current Gatwick rates - which are lower than at Heathrow.
Insiders at the airline suggested this would be basic pay of £11,000 plus flight pay of £2.40 an hour.
A BA spokesman said the recruitment of lower-paid cabin crew, which comes as the Unite union prepares to ballot existing workers over future strike action, was needed to ensure the airline's long-term survival.
"It is common knowledge that our Heathrow cabin crew costs are way out of line with our competitors and much more than our cabin crew costs at Gatwick," he said.
"We can no longer afford this cost difference.
"Alongside the changes we have already introduced, the recruitment of future cabin crew on more competitive terms and conditions is an essential part of reducing our costs."
BA says current Heathrow pay levels are out of step with rival airlines
BA said it had been open with Unite over its plans to hire the new staff, and said the contracts of current cabin crew would not be affected - unless they wanted to join the new fleet.
In a prominent advert in the national press, the airline says it will offer training, performance-related rewards and "perhaps most importantly, an emphasis on empowerment" that will help staff succeed.
The recruitment drive follows Unite's announcement two days ago that it will hold a fresh strike ballot among its 12,000 cabin crew members unless there is a breakthrough to their deadlocked row with the airline by next Tuesday.
Voting will take a month, raising the threat of walkouts during the busy school summer holiday period in August.
Unite has already taken 22 days of strike action since March, costing the airline more than £150m.
The new Mixed Fleet cabin crew will fly a mixture of long and short-haul routes
The airline aims to recruit 1,250 new crew for a new Heathrow-based 'Mixed Fleet' in the first year and estimates that in 10 years' time, new crew will represent around 40% of the total.
The new workers' salaries will depend on role and performance, but they will be similar to current Gatwick rates - which are lower than at Heathrow.
Insiders at the airline suggested this would be basic pay of £11,000 plus flight pay of £2.40 an hour.
A BA spokesman said the recruitment of lower-paid cabin crew, which comes as the Unite union prepares to ballot existing workers over future strike action, was needed to ensure the airline's long-term survival.
"It is common knowledge that our Heathrow cabin crew costs are way out of line with our competitors and much more than our cabin crew costs at Gatwick," he said.
"We can no longer afford this cost difference.
"Alongside the changes we have already introduced, the recruitment of future cabin crew on more competitive terms and conditions is an essential part of reducing our costs."
BA says current Heathrow pay levels are out of step with rival airlines
BA said it had been open with Unite over its plans to hire the new staff, and said the contracts of current cabin crew would not be affected - unless they wanted to join the new fleet.
In a prominent advert in the national press, the airline says it will offer training, performance-related rewards and "perhaps most importantly, an emphasis on empowerment" that will help staff succeed.
The recruitment drive follows Unite's announcement two days ago that it will hold a fresh strike ballot among its 12,000 cabin crew members unless there is a breakthrough to their deadlocked row with the airline by next Tuesday.
Voting will take a month, raising the threat of walkouts during the busy school summer holiday period in August.
Unite has already taken 22 days of strike action since March, costing the airline more than £150m.
