British Airways has revamped its voluntary benefits plan by moving responsibility for it away from its benefits team to its sports and social club.
The airline has also outsourced its administration, enabling it to increase the number of discounts offered to employees from 50 to 1,200, while maintaining all the perks available via the previous scheme.
Tony Dormer, chief executive at British Airways Clubs, said both moves were made due to a shortage of HR personnel. "We have the capacity to launch the scheme, and it saves on personnel in the HR department."
The airline's 35,000 employees can also save money via a cash-back system on all online purchases.
Cynics might suspect the launch is intended as a sweetener for British Airways staff who have been threatening strike action, but Dormer said the changes were arranged before the dispute arose.
"There is no connection with the timing. We have been looking at doing this for about six months now, it just so happens that they have happened at the same time," he explained.
The scheme is administered by Asperity Employee Benefits.