11th-hour talks to avert BA strike

BRITAIN: British Airways bosses were locked in 11th-hour talks with unions last night in an attempt to avert strike action which…

BRITAIN:British Airways bosses were locked in 11th-hour talks with unions last night in an attempt to avert strike action which is likely to result in a week of chaos for air travellers.

The airline has cancelled most flights tomorrow and on Wednesday after cabin crew called a strike in a dispute over pay and working conditions. Around 1,300 flights will be grounded, with no planes departing from BA's Heathrow base.

BA's chief executive, Willie Walsh, and the head of the British Transport and General Workers' Union, Tony Woodley, were locked in talks to solve the dispute yesterday, but the airline has warned it will struggle to restore a normal service at short notice if the walkouts are called off.

Delays and cancellations are expected to last into the weekend if the strikes by almost 11,000 flight attendants go ahead.