BA cancels 15 flights over staff shortages

British Airways cancelled a further five flights this afternoon bringing the total cancelled from London's Heathrow Airport to…

British Airways cancelled a further five flights this afternoon bringing the total cancelled from London's Heathrow Airport to 15.

The cancellations due to a shortage of check-in staff has left thousands of passengers stranded.

BA, Europe's second-largest airline, cancelled 15 short-haul return flights, or 30 flights in total, throwing travel plans for more than 2,000 passengers into chaos as they crowded into packed airport lounges to wait for alternative flights.

The disruption followed the cancellation of 25 return flights yesterday night due to staff shortages.

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"We are not expecting any more disruptions today," a BA spokeswoman said. The airline blamed the cancellations on delays in hiring new check-in staff due to stringent security checks, which coincided with Heathrow's busiest month of the year and a surge in summer travel ahead of a long-holiday weekend.

BA expects to recruit 150 additional workers at Heathrow shortly.

"It has taken longer than normal to get them on the floor because they have to undergo criminal checks and we've had a higher than expected leaving rate earlier this year," a spokeswoman said.

The airline offered thousands of passengers hotel accommodation on Monday night after 22 short-haul flights were cancelled. Another three long-haul flights were also cancelled due to technical problems.

The delays are the latest in a string of threats to summer holiday travel on the flagship carrier.

On Saturday, it averted a planned 24-hour strike by more than 10,000 ground staff after reaching a pay deal with unions.