BRITISH Airways is combining its two UK regional subsidiaries, leading to the loss of 200 jobs.

British Airways Regional (BAR) is to become part of the newly-formed British Airways CitiExpress, creating a single business for its short haul regional domestic and European network. The change will lead to 200 job losses over the next few months, mainly in management and support staff.

These cuts are on top of the 7,000 announced by the airline last month. British Airways will be consulting trade union representatives regarding the integration of BAR staff with the British Airways' CitiExpress business, over the next few weeks.

The combined business will have a turnover of more than £600m and a fleet of 92 aircraft serving more than 120 routes and employing 3,200 staff.

David Evans, BA's general manager of UK Business said: "Harnessing the strengths and route networks of BA's CitiExpress and BAR under the control of a single operating unit will put our regional operation in a stronger position at a time of economic downturn and increased competition. This move is imperative to protect the future of our operation in the UK regions .

"It will ensure that our routes can become viable by achieving a better balance between capacity and demand."

BA also confirmed a number of route changes from October 27, including suspension of Manchester to Bristol and Newcastle to Oslo services, reductions in the number of flights from Manchester to Shannon and Stansted as well as a reduced service from Birmingham to Glasgow and Edinburgh.