Iberia’s handling staff takes distance from pilots and cabin crew about low cost

A spokesman for the UGT union section in Iberia, part of IAG with British Airways, said to preferente.com that most of the ground staff of Spain’s flag airline considers inevitable the creation of the new low cost carrier Iberia Express, hours before the company’s board meeting this Tuesday. It is expected that Iberia's CEO, Rafael Sánchez Lozano, will present a master plan that could include the launch of a new low cost in the group. On Thursday, the issue could also be addressed by the board of IAG (International Airlines Group).

"If Iberia had it clear, they would have done it already," said the unionist, who previously stated that "the issue of low cost has no solution; people want cheap flights but nobody thinks about the conditions for workers of those companies".

As for the pilots, UGT representative has pointed, in Iberia "each one defends his own" and "there are excesses that must or can be corrected" referring to the fact that “handling employees have given much, while pilots still have not given everything in terms of salary and working hours. " So, before the possible strike by Iberia’s cabin crew and pilots, the ground service takes distance because “everyone has got enough with his own problems”.

The real concern of Iberia’s ground staff is whether the Spanish airline will follow British Airway’s steps and outsource the service. The representative of the union section has clarified that "the question is what will Iberia do from 2013, will it go for handling in Spain or not?”.