BA strike: union 'close to agreement'
Updated on 05 March 2010
Hundreds of thousands of British Airways passengers should find out today whether their travel plans will be disrupted by strike action.
Unions representing British Airways cabin crew claim they are close to an agreement with the airline that could avert an upcoming strike, but have hit out at comments made by BA chief executive Willie Walsh.
The dispute began last autumn after BA revealed plans to freeze pay and cut around 1,700 cabin crew jobs - reducing staff on jumbo jets from 15 to 14.
On Wednesday Willie Walsh said the airline was "as prepared as we can be". By next week BA will have 1,000 non-cabin crew staff ready to fly, and hopes to train up to 6,000 staff members so it can cope with any industrial action.
"These plans will allow us to protect our customers' travel arrangements better than many people imagined possible in the difficult conditions that a strike... is bound to cause," Mr Walsh said.
He claims all longhaul flights operating out of London's Gatwick airport and half of all shorthaul flights out of the airport would be unaffected. But it remains unclear how badly the strike will affect services out 1000 of Heathrow.
As he was speaking the airline was in negotiations with the unions, and talks have continued today.
The British Airlines Stewards and Stewardesses Association said the timing of his statement was "absolutely bizarre. Yesterday we were fairly close to reaching an agreement," BASSA spokesman Ken Ablard told Channel 4 News. "Walsh really doesn't seem to know what his team are doing. He seems out of touch."
A source within the union, who did not want to be named, added that it was "blatantly apparent that Mr Walsh is not being kept abreast of developments at the TUC. In due course it will become clear just how out of touch he is."
Other airlines are preparing for a potential strike. Cathay Pacific says it will not be putting up flight prices on any affected routes, and says in the past it has put on extra flights to cope with increased demand. But no decision on that has been reached yet.
The Association of British Insurers says anyone who has already booked a flight who has travel insurance will be covered for any cancellations. But if you book a flight after strike dates have been announced, on a date within the strike period, you will not be.
By law the union legally has to give seven days' notice for any strike action, and a decision is expected tomorrow. Strikes could start as early as 15 March.
The British Airways website carries the following advice: "If strike action is called, you should be able to rebook your flights on ba.com. If you are unable to do so online, you should contact your local BA office or contact your travel agent."
