BA plays down impact of next week’s strike
British Airways claims it has put plans in place that will limit the impact of a three-day cabin crew strike next week.
It claims contingency plans worked during the previous two days of industrial action and would ‘once again ensure that all of our customers will travel to their destinations’.
The airline said schedules would be published on Monday for the strike, which is due to start on Thursday January 19.
"Please do not call our contact centres, as at this stage they will not be able to provide any more details than are contained here," it told customers.
"British Airways remains focused on resolving this issue as quickly as possible. Thank you for your support and understanding."
Trade union Unite said BA’s ‘mixed fleet’ cabin crew, working on long and short haul flights out of Heathrow, will strike in a dispute over ‘poverty pay’.
It said a previous two-day walk-out led to the cancellation of scores of flights.
Unite warned of ‘continuing and deepening anger’ and called on BA management to drop its ‘confrontational stance and start listening’.
It said low salaries are forcing ‘mixed fleet’ cabin crew to take second jobs or turn up to work unfit because they can’t afford to take sick days.
"British Airways should be under no illusion about our members’ determination to secure a settlement that addresses their concerns over poverty pay," said Unite national officer Oliver Richardson.
"They work tirelessly to serve and keep passengers safe, while contributing massively to the success of British Airways and the billions of pounds in profits it makes.
"Yet rather than pay them a decent wage for playing a key part in this success, British Airways refuses to talk meaningfully about their legitimate concerns over poverty pay.
"Seeking to squeeze ever more from cabin crew and making passengers pay for services which were once complementary is a sad state of affairs for an airline which once described itself as the ‘world’s favourite’.
"We would urge British Airways to avoid the inconvenience and disruption of industrial action by meaningfully addressing levels of poverty pay which are causing financial worry and distress to ‘mixed fleet’ cabin crew."
Over 800 BA mixed fleet crew have joined Unite since the start of the dispute, taking the union’s membership to over 2,900.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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