British Airways today confirmed its UK airports director had left the group, four months after the staffing crisis that sparked travel chaos at Heathrow. (If we all remember thousands of passengers were stranded by cancellations and delays at Heathrow in August because of a serious shortage of check-in staff. This crisis is believed to have cost the airline £5m (€3.7m) and brought negative publicity just days after bosses celebrated a pay deal with unions that averted a bank holiday strike.)
The man, Mervyn Walker has resigned after 18 years as an executive of the airline. Mr Walker, will remain chairman of the trustees for BA pensions fund until the end of March 2005.
BA veteran David Noyes will take charge of operations at Heathrow and oversee the move to Terminal 5.
Mr Noyes is currently head of UK and Ireland sales and marketing.