British Airways controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2021
British Airways settles data breach group action
Settlement
British Airways settled a group action brought after its 2018 data breach on confidential terms following mediation. The settlement provides compensation for qualifying claimants and includes no admission of liability by BA.
Company response
Apology — British Airways
We apologised to customers who may have been affected by this issue
Source excerpt
A group action lawsuit against British Airways (BA) following its September 2018 data breach has been settled on confidential terms following mediation between the claimants legal representatives and the airline.
The ICO probe found BA was processing significant amounts of personal data without adequate security measures in place when it fell victim to an attack
The successful resolution includes provision for compensation for qualifying claimants who joined the litigation, and does not include any admission of liability by BA.
2021
British Airways sues Chicago over aircraft engine damage
Lawsuit filed
British Airways filed a lawsuit against the City of Chicago seeking more than $3 million in damages after three of its Boeing 787 aircraft sustained engine damage at Chicago O'Hare. According to the airline, debris left behind after terminal resurfacing and expansion work entered the engines. The event was reported on December 2, 2021.
British Airways sued the City of Chicago, seeking more than $3 million in damages after three of its Boeing 787 aircraft sustained engine damage at Chicago O’Hare. The airline alleges debris left after terminal resurfacing and expansion work entered the engines.
Source excerpt
In the complaint filed with a court in Illinois, BA says that while traversing the runway, the three aircraft’s engines ingested debris that had been left behind following resurfacing and expansion work on one of ORD’s terminals.
BA has now launched a suit against the city of Chicago, requesting over $3 million in damages.
2020
UK lawmakers criticize British Airways job-cut plans
Public backlash
In June 2020, the House of Commons transport committee criticized British Airways' plans for 12,000 job cuts. The committee alleged that the carrier sought to exploit the coronavirus crisis to reduce headcount and weaken employment terms. The criticism concerned the airline's planned workforce reductions and the committee's characterization of the carrier's approach to employment conditions during the pandemic.
Source excerpt
U.K. lawmakers lashed out at British Airways over plans for 12,000 job cuts, saying the carrier had sought to exploit the coronavirus crisis to slash headcount and weaken employment terms for remaining staff.
2020
British Airways fined over 2018 data hack
Fine or penalty
In October 2020, the Information Commissioner's Office announced that British Airways had been fined £20 million over a 2018 data hack. The announcement identified the regulator as the source of the penalty and linked the fine to the data hack that occurred in 2018. The event was reported as a regulatory action against the airline, with the fine amount stated as £20 million. No further details on the circumstances of the hack, the affected parties, or the outcome of any related proceedings were provided in the announcement as summarized.
The Information Commissioner’s Office announced that British Airways had been fined £20 million over a 2018 data hack.
Source excerpt
The ICO’s subsequent investigation found that BA was processing a significant amount of personal data without having adequate security measures in place, a breach of data protection law, after which it fell victim to a cyber attack that it did not detect, or discover the full extent of, for some time.
The airline also offered all those affected 12 months’ membership of a credit checking and management service.
Today the Information Commissioner’s Office, the U.K.’s data watchdog, announced that it would be fining British Airways £20 million ($25.8 million) for a data breach in which the personal details of more than 400,000 customers were leaked after BA suffered a two-month cyberattack and lacked adequate security to detect and defend itself against it.
2020
British Airways faces backlash over proposed job cuts and pay reductions
Public backlash
British Airways faced criticism from employees, union representatives and politicians over threatened redundancies and proposed reductions in pay and employment terms. The article reports allegations and proposed measures, not completed layoffs.
Company response
Clarification — British Airways
BA says it is âacting now to protect as many jobs possibleâ and has called for more dialogue with the unions.
Source excerpt
British Airways has been accused of âdark and sinisterâ tactics after the UK flag carrier threatened to impose thousands of involuntary redundancies and swingeing pay cuts.
Union representatives and lobbyists say the airline is using the crippling financial effects of the coronavirus pandemic as an excuse to cut 12,000 jobs, and then fire and rehire remaining employees on âdrasticallyâ reduced salaries and with worse terms and conditions.
2019
British Airways workers seek support over planned job cuts
Public backlash
British Airways workers in Horsham called on their MP, Jeremy Quin, to support them over planned job cuts. The union Unite said BA planned to fire its workforce and rehire surviving workers on inferior contracts.
Source excerpt
The union has hit out at what it says are BA’s plans to ‘fire its workforce and rehire those that survive on inferior contracts.’
British Airways workers are calling on Horsham MP Jeremy Quin for support over planned job cuts by the airline.
It comes after BA gave notice in April of its intention to cut 12,000 jobs from its 42,000-strong workforce and rehire the remaining 30,000 on revised contracts.
1993
Virgin Atlantic dirty-tricks litigation
Virgin Atlantic alleged that British Airways had attempted to divert its customers, interfere with confidential information and harm its reputation. British Airways apologised and agreed to damages and legal-cost payments.