BA plans to keep passengers flying (From This Is Lancashire)

BA plans to keep passengers flying

5:29pm Monday 15th March 2010 in

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British Airways plans to keep 60% of its customers flying if cabin crew go ahead with a three day strike from this weekend, the airline has said.

The firm said it aimed to fly around 45,000 passengers each day on March 20, 21 and 22, while thousands more will be offered seats on alternative British Airways flights or on services operated by other airlines.

"At this stage the vast majority of flights between March 23 and March 31 remain in the schedule and we will update customers due to fly during the second strike period (March 27, 28, 29, 30) after the first strike period has ended.

"The airline is still available to hold further talks but wants customers to have early warning of its flying schedule to allow sufficient time for alternative travel arrangements to be made," said BA.

BA said that during the first three day strike by Unite, it will operate all longhaul flights to and from Gatwick and more than half of shorthaul flights at the airport. All flights to and from London City airport will be unaffected by the strike action.

At Heathrow the airline will continue to operate more than 60% of its longhaul flights to and from the airport during the first three days of action.

The airline will operate some of its own shorthaul flights at Heathrow, and will supplement its schedule by leasing up to 22 aircraft with pilots and crews from eight different airlines based in the UK and Europe. This will enable the airline to operate around 30% of its shorthaul schedule.

BA said it had also agreed with 40 other carriers that customers can be rebooked free of charge during the actual strike period onto their flights if they had been due to travel on a BA flight which has been cancelled.