British Airways cancels flights next week

LONDON: British Airways on Thursday was forced to cancel virtually all of its flights out of London next Tuesday and Wednesday because of a strike by more than 11,000 cabinet crew affecting an estimated 150,000 travellers.

In a dramatic move, the airline scrapped all of its 550 flights from Heathrow and a further 170 from Gatwick.

Only six long-haul flights will still go ahead from Gatwick, about 72 km from here. It means more than 150,000 passengers booked to fly with BA during the two days have been left with their winter holidays and business trips in ruins.

BA faces potential losses of anything up to 300 million pounds, on top of the 150 million pounds it lost last year due to extra airport security measures and the pre-Christmas fog chaos.

The airline also warned of cancellations on the days either side of the official strike dates because crew and aircraft will be out of place.

There are six more strike days ordered - but with huge knock-on effects before and after the walkouts, it means three weeks of major disruption affecting many hundreds of thousands more passengers.

The UK's largest carrier ordered the 48-hour shutdown after emergency talks between BA and the Transport and General (T&G) union broke down in the early hours of Thursday.

Willie Walsh, BA chief executive, said the union had rejected new offers on pay and working conditions 'out of hand'. Asking the union to meet BA at conciliation service, Acas, he said: "We are deeply sorry that our customers are the innocent victims of this unnecessary and unjustified strike."

More than 15,000 travellers had already contacted BA, Walsh said, "extremely concerned about their holidays and business trips".

He said the cancellations were announced on Thursday to give people as much time as possible to make other plans.

BA customers due to travel on one of the strike days can either change their flights to another date, at no extra charge, or else gain a full refund.

"It is not too late for the T&G to call off this dispute and we will do all we can to reinstate some of the cancelled flights," Walsh said.

Heathrow will become a giant aircraft 'car park', causing serious disruption for travelers using other airlines.

A senior Heathrow source said: "It will be chaos. All travelers are in for a very bad time."

Other carriers and rail operators are expecting demand to soar as passengers make alternative arrangements.

Cabin crew pickets will be on duty at Heathrow and Gatwick. BA carries 77,000 passengers a day, mostly from Heathrow.

Union chiefs ordered the action in a long-running row over two-tier pay, sickness absence and other working conditions.

They have complained that a new regime on sickness pay, introduced 18 months ago, means they are forced to work when they are ill.

BA insists the measures were needed to cut high levels of sickness absence.

Staff now take an average of 12 days sick leave each year, down from 22 days before the new rules were brought in, the airline said.

Starter pay rates for crew members, overall pay grading and promotion opportunities are also subject to dispute, with the union unhappy that the starting wage for staff is 10,000 pounds per annum.

T&G Deputy general secretary Jack Dromey said that by rejecting the union's proposals BA had 'failed to hear the voice of common sense'. But Dromey added that the union's 'door remained open'.

Leaders of Bassa, the cabinet crew arm of the T and G, accused BA of 'itching for a fighting'. One said he had never negotiated with such an 'aggressive' employer.

The six further stoppages are scheduled for February 5, 6, 7, 12, 13 and 14.

In a ballot of more than 11,000 cabin crew there was an 80 per cent turnout with 96.1 per cent voting for strike action, one of the most resounding votes in union history.