UK Business News

The British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) have had an open letter published in today’s Financial Times, expressing their concern that the T5 problems at Heathrow are making a ‘laughing stock’ of BA.
Jim McAuslan, Balpa’s general secretary wrote: “It is with great sorrow and acute embarrassment that BA pilots have witnessed the unhappy shambles that the [...]

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Local government contractor Civica has agreed a management buy-out, backed by funds from equity group 3i.
The cash offer of 270p per share values the software group at £190million. The group supplies the software to almost 90% of councils in the UK.
3i investors have created a new company Cornwall Bidco, specifically for making the offer, and [...]

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British Airways have drafted in hundreds of volunteers as part time baggage handlers to help clear the 15,000 lost bags in the T5 fiasco.
The Airline has also called in IT experts to fix the malfunctioning luggage system. Thirty seven flights were cancelled yesterday and a further fifty four will be scrapped today.
BA said that 400 [...]

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In a peculiarly British finding, Which? have confirmed what perhaps we knew all along;
Marks & Spencer  may not always get their buying right but when it comes to undies, they’re just not ‘pants’ at all.
Outstripping Asda, Tesco and Calvin Klein, M&S manage to consistently out-gun both ends of the market, most notably with their £5 Real [...]

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Construction and investment group Balfour Beatty PLC has just paid £45m for civil engineers Dean & Dyball Ltd, strengthening their presence in southern England and Wales.
The increasingly acquisitive Balfour Beatty snapped up building contractors Cowlin last summer for £52m; civil engineers Birse were integrated in 2006 and the Mansell building enterprise in 2003.
Dean & Dyball’s portfolio of [...]

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