BA chief complains of absenteeism

On average, BA workers stay away for more than three weeks a year

British Airways' chief executive Rod Eddington has written to employees to complain of high levels of absenteeism.

Average absence by BA staff is 16.7 days, or almost three and a half weeks, per year.

The cost to the airline of 626,250 lost days a year is about £58m.

In the letter, which was published in an internal publication, Mr Eddington described the statistics as "dreadful" and said absenteeism had become a "real concern".

Widespread problem

Absenteeism is a widespread problem that costs industry £11.5bn a year, according to the Confederation of British Industry.

Each year, 40 million days are lost in the UK to workplace absenteeism.

But BA's problems are worse than those suffered by most other firms.

Elsewhere in the private sector, average absenteeism is 6.5 days, while in the public sector it is 8.5 days.

BA might introduce "back to work" interviews for workers who clock up high absences," Mr Eddington warned.