British Airways Plc’s regional expansion plans, announced last week, include the setting up of a computer systems development centre at the Newcastle Business Park. The nine-acre development is due to be completed in 1994 when it will employ 300 on the computer systems side and 400 people in a telephone sales unit, also being housed there. British Airways is initially investing UKP20m in the project, and sees the total rising to around UKP30. Systems development will probably be totally generated inhouse and geared towards the airline’s departmental needs, although BA said they had no specific details of development at this stage. The centre will be soley personal computer-based and linked to the company’s IBM-compatible mainframe data centre at London Heathrow. In preparation for the site BA has leased premises from Quality Software Products in Team Valley, Gateshead within eyesight of the business park. Staffing levels will be built up gradually there, and will be transferred to the park in 1993.
