BA chief exec takes swipe at Heathrow operator

British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh has called on BAA to recruit more staff at Heathrow after admitting that operational problems at Britain’s biggest airport have impacted on the airline’s business.

Walsh (pictured) says BA has been “struggling to cope” with baggage and security restrictions imposed by the Government, adding: “In order for the Government to remove the restrictions, BAA must recruit additional personnel and invest in the right equipment so we can get back to offering good customer service.”

Walsh’s attack on BAA comes as BA announced its first-quarter results, which showed operating profits had risen to £263m in the three months to June 30, up 28% on the previous year.

However, Walsh added that revenue growth would be lower than expected for the rest of the year, which he attributed to the weakness of the US dollar and the problems at Heathrow.