Striking British Airways staff head back to work

Airline Industry Information, August 12, 2005

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2005 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

British Airways said on Friday afternoon (12 August) that two-thirds of its staff taking part in an unofficial strike had returned to work.

Baggage handlers, loaders and bus drivers employed by the airline walked off the job on Thursday (11 August) in sympathy with workers who were dismissed from catering company Gate Gourmet. The action forced British Airways to cancel all of its flights at London's Heathrow Airport, leaving some 73,000 passengers stranded.

It has not yet been announced when flights will resume but the airline's services from Heathrow were cancelled until at least 2000 BST. Significant flight disruption is expected to continue for several days.

Conciliation service Acas has said that it will intervene in the dispute at Gate Gourmet, which supplies in-flight meals to British Airways.

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