Thousands face BA strike disruption
Updated on 19 March 2010
British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh tells passengers he is "deeply sorry" as cabin crews prepare to begin a three day strike that is likely to disrupt thousands of passengers.
Thousands of cabin crew, who are members of the Unite union, are to begin their strike at midnight in an increasingly acrimonious row over cost-cutting.
BA said it hoped to carry 49,000 passengers on Saturday and Sunday. A usual weekend day would mean the airline carrying 75,000 passengers.
It will operate 50 per cent of its long-haul services from Heathrow Airport, and half of all short-haul journeys from Gatwick Airport.
Services from London City Airport will be unaffected, and the airline said it had arranged with more than 60 other airlines to carry BA customers during the first three strike days.
Last-ditch talks between BA chief executive Willie Walsh and Unite joint general-secretary Tony Woodley aimed at averting the walk-out broke down this lunchtime.
Mr Woodley said he was "extremely disappointed" negotiations had collapsed, blaming BA of wanting a "war" with union members.
Mr Walsh emerged from the talks to describe the strike as "completely unjustified".
Later in a message to passengers on the airline's website and YouTube, Mr Walsh apologised for the disruption passengers are likely to face: "I am deeply sorry. This is a terrible day for BA," he said.
"Thousands of our staff will be serving you over the weekend. I am confident that we will be able to deliver a good service."
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British Airways has missed out on £27m in lost ticket sales ahead of the strike action.
The walk-out is expected to cost BA £30m a day. Cabin crew are also due to walk-out for four days from 27-30 March.
Passengers told Channel 4 News how they had been forced to make alternative plans.
Peter Penfold and his family from Canterbury are due to travel to Thailand on two different BA flights more than a week apart.
Mr Penfold and his girlfriend leave on Monday on a flight that BA has confirmed will run. His family will have to wait until next week to learn if their flight will be cancelled.
"The flights with BA were direct flights. It was the shortest possible flight with the least convenience and stress for all the family," he said.
Unfortunately it has turned into the most stressful set of flights we could have asked for."
A Downing Street spokesman said: "The Prime Minister believes that this strike is in no-one's interest and will cause unacceptable inconvenience to passengers.
"He urges the strike be called off immediately.
Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers told Channel 4 News that the strike would cause "misery for so many passengers".
"It's incredibly damaging for passengers, it's damaging for BA and damaging for the country," she said.
