Airline boss dismisses BA pay complaints as 'small issue'

The boss of British Airways owner International Airlines Group has dismissed a complaint from striking cabin crew that some are so badly paid that they have to sleep in their cars.

IAG chief executive Willie Walsh told Sky News that the claim about pay was a "small issue".

Some staff also said they were having to eat Pot Noodles from their planes because they could not afford to eat properly,

Mr Walsh said he did not mind admitting that he himself was "very well paid" with the group's annual report in a few days' time to show total remuneration of £2.4m for 2016.

The figure disclosed by Mr Walsh was less than half his pay packet for the year before - and the group later explained this because it had failed to meet "very stretching" financial targets.

But it will do little to assuage the anger of 2,900 cabin crew involved in a dispute over their salaries.

One striking air hostess, Charly Bacon, last week told Sky News that staff could not afford to eat properly and she had friends who had to sleep in their cars because of the cost of hotels in the area.

But Mr Walsh said: "I don't know why they'd be looking to stay in a hotel around Heathrow other than clearly they are not living in the area because the job facilitates them living in other parts and commuting to work, so this is a small issue."

He said the company was "competitive in every area of our business" on pay and conditions and said 11 people were applying for every position.

Mr Walsh added: "It is a good job. We are a good employer.

"The strike is not having any impact on our business and is not in any way affecting our customers."

Mr Walsh was speaking as IAG reported a 31% rise in annual profits to £2bn, despite a £389m hit from foreign exchange rate movements - primarily the slump in the pound.

IAG, which also owns Ireland's Aer Lingus and Spain's Iberia, said it carried more than 100,000 passengers in 2016, 14% up year-on-year.