The chief executive of British Airways-owner IAG Willie Walsh said on Thursday that his personal was that the airline group should continue to have a presence at London's Gatwick Airport.

"I would like to see us continuing to have a presence at Gatwick but that's just a personal opinion, it's not going to influence the consultation that will take place," Walsh told investors on a call.

British Airways, whose main hub is at London's biggest airport Heathrow, is in consultations with unions about cutting up to 12,000 jobs in a move which could threaten its presence at Gatwick, the British capital's second largest airport.

(Reporting by Sarah Young; editing by Michael Holden)