BA talks fail, new strike threat

TALKS to try to avert a summer of strikes at Heathrow and Gatwick broke up early today in deadlock and disarray. There were splits between the three main unions - the Transport and General Workers, the GMB and Amicus - over what to do next.

And the threat of holidays being ruined and airports thrown into chaos increased as it was revealed that 7,000 British Airways engineers could now join the swipe-card dispute. That could disrupt flights across the country and bring Manchester and Glasgow airports into the row.

After 13 hours of Acas talks Sir Bill Morris, leader of the T&G, said they had been adjourned. He said negotiations would resume, but not today. Sir Bill said he would demand a meeting with BA chief executive Rod Eddington because he was 'desperately anxious to avoid a catastrophe for the airline'.

The union chief said it was with 'some regret' that they had not been able to 'advance the process much further'. But minutes later a spokeswoman for the GMB claimed that the T&G had 'walked out'.

Meanwhile, the Amicus delegation left the building. Kevin Egan the union's national officer, said he was going to 'take adviceî from senior colleagues and he would return to a resumed meeting, possibly today.

Later Kevin Curran of the GMB, which has warned it will hold a strike ballot among check-in and ground staff at Heathrow and Gatwick, admitted: 'We have not made much progress with BA during the night.' He said the GMB was willing to continue talking.

When told that Sir Bill had said they had been adjourned, Mr Curran answered: 'That was Bill's view of the situation.'

A few minutes later, Acas confirmed the talks had been officially adjourned. She was unable to say when they would resume but it was 'hoped' this would be next week. Mervyn Walker, director of BA Heathrow, said progress has been made but refused to go into details.

Angry and frustrated passengers forced to delay their holidays last weekend as a result of wildcat action can take some satisfaction that the union leaders have spent four nights trying to reach a settlement.

Meanwhile, pictures of the strike chaos at Heathrow - hundreds of passengers spent three or four days trying to get a flight - are driving trade away from BA to rival airlines and Eurostar.

Virgin Atlantic estimates there has been a 20% increase in passenger numbers since last weekend with an additional £1 million in revenue.

EasyJet estimates it increased fare income by £500,000 since last Tuesday. An EasyJet spokesman said: 'There was a huge increase in very short term bookings with people wanting to travel the same or next day.' Ryanair also said trade had shown an increase.

Paul Charles, Eurostar's communications director, said it had seen a definite increase in passenger numbers.

For many BA travellers stranded last weekend the misery was not over even when they did eventually get a flight, as their luggage was still at Heathrow.

BA admitted that 18,000 cases had not made it on to flights. It is estimated that 3,000 items of luggage are still at Heathrow, with BA admitting that not all passengers would be reunited with their possessions until Saturday.