War of words over Heathrow strike

A dispute broke out this afternoon over the effectiveness of a strike by workers who fuel planes at Heathrow.

The Transport and General Workers Union, which ordered the 48-hour strike over pay, said it expected severe disruption later today and tomorrow.

However, British Airways and Heathrow operators BAA insisted that the strike would not affect services.

The union warned it would set more strike dates unless it received an improved pay and conditions offer from fuel supply company AFS. A senior union source said: "We estimate that there will be severe delays to services later today and tomorrow." But a spokesman for British Airways said this afternoon: "Our operations are running to plan at the moment and we expect this situation to continue."

BAA said its operations were continuing as normal and "we expect that to continue throughout the day".

At the American Airline check-in desk at Terminal 3 staff were handing out leaflets warning passengers to expect disruption to their flights. Gatwick, Manchester, Glasgow and Shannon airports are among those which will be used by aircraft taking off from Heathrow as fuel "pit stops".

But the knock-on effect of stopping off at alternative airports to take on more fuel is expected to add at least two hours to some longhaul flights on the Heathrow timetable.

It is understood that AFS was scheduled to fuel 160 flights from Heathrow today.

The company was meeting half of this requirement using volunteer staff and managers. Other companies were refuelling some of the remainder.