More than 100 people travelling from Ireland were stranded at London's Heathrow Airport yesterday as industrial action led to the cancellation of all British Airways flights in and out of one of the busiest airports in the world.
Despite a breakthrough in the dispute yesterday afternoon, it is likely that all British Airways flights from Heathrow will continue to be seriously delayed until Monday at least.
A spokeswoman for Aer Lingus, one of BA's One World partners, said yesterday that its flights into Heathrow were operating on schedule but that 114 of its passengers had onward flights with BA that had been cancelled.
"We are advising that our passengers with onward connections with British Airways can expect major disruptions and that they do so at their own risk," said the spokeswoman.
"BA have instructed us not to through-check baggage of onward passengers," she said.
For Irish passengers stranded in other locations around the world waiting for cancelled British Airways flights to take them to Heathrow, Aer Lingus said it would accommodate them on flights to Ireland when they did arrive.
Passengers on Aer Lingus flights to Heathrow who are booked on British Airways connections need to contact the airline to check the status of that connection, said the Aer Lingus spokeswoman.
The national airline runs 44 flights to and from Heathrow each day out of Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports.
In the first sign of a break-through, BA said that by early yesterday evening about two-thirds of the 1,000 staff who walked out on Thursday in support of workers sacked at a catering supplier were returning to work. Flights resumed on a limited basis shortly after 8pm.
But with about 620 flights having been cancelled since Thursday, it is expected to take days to relieve the backlog.
Earlier, the Gate Gourmet staff who lost their jobs on Wednesday in a row over working practices said they felt sorry for passengers stranded at the airport, but added that there was nothing they could do and they would continue their protest.
About 1,000 BA baggage-handlers and other staff had walked out in support of the catering workers, but exhaustive talks yesterday led to most BA staff agreeing to return to work.
At Heathrow, more than 100,000 air passengers endured another day of chaos, with British Airways bringing in bands and children's entertainers in an effort to alleviate the boredom for holidaymakers. There were also knock- on effects for other airlines including Qantas, Finnair and Sri Lankan Airlines.
British Airways chief executive Rod Eddington said: "I apologise unreservedly to our customers. It is regrettable in the extreme."
A BA statement said that the airline would re-book customers due to travel on cancelled flights but that this would most likely be after the weekend. "Alternatively customers can book to travel to an alternative destination or take a refund," said the statement.
Aviation experts said the industrial action could cost British Airways £40 million (€58 million).
(Additional reporting: PA, Reuters)