Travel chaos to go on even after strike as 40 more Scottish flights grounded

Published on Sunday 21 March 2010 21:56

BRITISH Airways passengers face days of further disruption following the end of the first cabin crew strike tonight, with more than 40 Scottish flights being grounded after the stoppage ends.

The airline has cancelled nearly half its services on affected Scotland-London routes tomorrow as a knock-on effect of aircraft and crew being out of position.

In addition, more than one in four such flights on Wednesday will not operate. This threatens travel misery for thousands of passengers who thought their plans would not be affected.

A total of 60 per cent of flights between Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Heathrow, and Edinburgh, Glasgow and Gatwick will be axed today.

Other passengers are waiting to hear from BA in the next day or two whether their flights will be grounded during a further four-day walkout called by the Unite union from Saturday.

BA refused to say what impact the current three-day strike was having on passenger numbers, but many planes were reported to be flying with large numbers of empty seats.

Sources said BA operations at Edinburgh Airport were much quieter than normal, with its check-in area virtually deserted.

However, BMI, its sole rival on Scotland-Heathrow routes, said its flights were "incredibly heavily booked". The first three from Edinburgh today are sold out.

Among BA passengers affected yesterday were Diane Huntley, 50, and her daughter Robin, from Maine in the United States, who endured a nine-hour bus trip from Edinburgh because their connecting flight to Heathrow Terminal 5 was cancelled.

Business leaders stressed that the continuing disruption meant the two sides in the cost-cutting dispute must redouble their efforts to reach a resolution.

David Lonsdale, assistant director of CBI Scotland, said: "With the strikes set to prove even more disruptive in the days ahead, it is imperative the union and company get back round the table and thrash out a deal that is satisfactory to all concerned."

Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce chief executive Ron Hewitt said: "

The inconvenience will simply drive customers away and further undermine the operator's ability to offer better conditions of service to staff."

BA said it was able to operate six previously cancelled flights between Edinburgh and Heathrow yesterday – along with more on other routes – because a greater number of staff than expected had reported for work.

On the Edinburgh and Glasgow-Gatwick route, BA hired aircraft from no-frills rival Ryanair, with passengers having the novel experience of being served free food and drink by Ryanair staff wearing their normal uniforms.

A Ryanair spokesman joked: "Never mind the coffee – being on time will be a new experience for these passengers."

Tony Woodley, joint leader of Unite, last night urged BA chairman Martin Broughton and board members to use their influence to help resolve the dispute.

It came after Unite and the airline clashed over the impact of the first two days of the walkout, giving wildly different claims.

Mr Woodley said only nine cabin crew had "broken ranks" and 80 had gone sick.

But BA said 1,157 cabin crew ignored the first day of the stoppage and reported for duty – equivalent to 97 per cent of Gatwick crew and 52.5 per cent those at Heathrow.