Talks continue in final effort to avert BA cabin crew strike

More talks are due to be held today (Monday) in a last attempt to avert this week’s two-day cabin crew walk-out which would cripple British Airways.

The airline has said will not operate any flights from Heathrow on January 30-31 due to the planned strike by cabin crew members of the Transport & General Workers Union. 

All domestic and European flights to and from Gatwick will also be cancelled.

Whether the walk-out goes ahead depends on the outcome of renewed talks following discussions between BA chief executive Willie Walsh and T&G general secretary Tony Woodley. Discussions took place throughout the weekend and were due to resume this morning.

It is not clear when a final decision will be made or whether the airline will be able to reinstate some cancelled flights if the strike is put on hold.  

Confirming his intervention, Woodley said in advance of his meeting with Walsh: “I know BA customers are watching and waiting anxiously and, in many instances, angrily, for something positive. This company has allowed the situation to develop over a long period of time and, frankly, get out of hand.” 

Because of crew or aircraft being out of position, there will be further cancellations on either side of the official strike dates, the airline warned.

BA will allow passengers due to travel on flights cancelled by the strike to claim a full refund, rebook their flight for a later date or be rebooked with another airline.

Other airlines such as Bmi, easyJet and Virgin Atlantic plus Eurostar are gaining business as travellers switch away from BA during the planned strike period.

Some BA long haul services into Heathrow will operate during the 48-hour strike. Up to six of the normal nine daily long haul services from and into Gatwick will operate each day during the strike period.

A Manchester-New York daily service will continue to operate as normal. Flights by subsidiary BA Connect will operate as normal as will flights operated by BA franchise partners to and from UK (GB Airways, BMED, Loganair and Sun Air).

Customers wanting to rebook their flights can contact the airline on freephone 0800 727 800.

The airline said it remained “committed to pursuit of a negotiated settlement” before Tuesday but wanted customers to have early warning of its flying schedule to allow sufficient time for alternative travel arrangements to be made.

Walsh said: “We are deeply sorry that our customers are the innocent victims of this unnecessary and unjustified strike by the T&G.

“More than 15,000 customers a day have contacted us since the union announced a series of 72-hour strikes, extremely concerned about their winter holidays and business trips. Announcing our contingency plans means we can end uncertainty for customers caught up in the first round of strikes and help them make other plans.

“If we postponed the cancellation of flights until the eve of a strike, customers would have virtually no time to make alternative arrangements.

“We remain absolutely determined to search for a negotiated settlement and our door remains open to the T&G, day or night. We regret that the T&G has not supported our initiative to seek the assistance of the Acas conciliation service.

“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.”

*See linked story.

Report by Phil Davies