BA chief blasts union as cabin crew strike forces 1,300 flights to be axed

British Airways is being forced to cancel more than 1,300 flights to and from Heathrow during the first five-day strike starting next Tuesday.

The action is expected to disrupt the plans of thousands of travellers including families taking half-term holidays.

BA chief executive Willie Walsh today condemned the latest action by the Unite union. He said union bosses had "deliberately targeted the busy half-term holidays to cause as much disruption as possible for hard-working families looking to spend some well-earned time away".

Britain's largest carrier is cancelling 60 long-haul flights and 200 short-haul ones during each of the five days. Normally BA operates 550 services a day at Heathrow. It promised to add more services if possible and has appealed for volunteers from within the company to take the place of the striking cabin crew.

Unite has ordered four sets of strikes on May 18-22, May 24-28, May 30 to June 3 and June 5-9. The long-running dispute no longer centres on staffing levels and pay but anger over action being taken against BA staff following strikes earlier this year.

BA has refused to restore free and cheap travel perks for staff, friends and family which it said it would strip from strikers. Union bosses are also furious about what they claim are up to 55 "vindictive" disciplinary cases against BA staff, including five dismissals, as a consequence of the industrial action.

Details of flights operating during the second strike beginning on May 24 will be announced next Wednesday for long-haul and Thursday for short-haul. Cancellations are expected to be about the same severity as the first.

BA said it will operate most of its revised short-haul schedule at Heathrow using its own aircraft but will supplement this by leasing eight aircraft along with pilots and cabin crew from five different airlines based in Britain and Europe.

The company has also made arrangements with more than 50 rival carriers to re-book travellers during the strike periods. Mr Walsh said he was still available for talks.