BA to carry 60% of passengers during strike
16.03.10
BA announced yesterday that it will be able to operate at least 43 percent of its flights during the first cabin crew strike period of March 20 - 22 ( Saturday, Sunday and Monday), including all those between London and Newark airport in the US, and 50 percent between London and JFK. This means around 60 percent of passengers booked with BA during the strike will still be able to fly, or 45,000 passengers each day. However, 30,000 a day will be affected and will be offered alternative BA flights or seats on flights with other airlines.
Unite called the strikes last week following the breakdown of talks over planned cost-cutting measures. A total of 1100 flights out of the 1950 scheduled to operate during the first three day strike will be cancelled. Short-haul flights will be worst hit by BA’s plans, under which up to 20 hired aircraft will help keep 30 percent of short-haul flights going at Heathrow.
Sixty percent of long-haul Heathrow flights will operate. However, half of its flights to JFK airport in New York have been cancelled. Flights to destinations in Latin America have also been axed, including Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires and Mexico City. BA’s African routes have also been cut back, with cancellations to Johannesburg and Lagos.
All long-haul flights will operate at Gatwick, and more than half of short-haul flights. London City Airport flights will be unaffected by the strike. Passengers on cancelled flights will be able to rebook on other airlines free of charge. BA said it had agreements with 40 other carriers that customers can rebook free of charge on to their services in the event of their BA flights being cancelled.
BA's chief executive Willie Walsh apologised to customers for the disruption, calling the strikes a ‘cynical attack’ by Unite, the union representing cabin crew. He said that BA is unable to say how many flights would operate in a second four day stoppage, due from March 27, until it is clear how many cabin crew will work normally. It hopes to operate more flights during the second strike period.
BA is under pressure to drastically cut its costs as it continues to make record losses and battles a huge pensions black hole. It announced losses of £50m for the last three months of 2009, and is expected to announce a record annual loss this year. Its pensions black hold is almost as bit as its stock market valuation.
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