Madrid, Barcelona and Malaga flights cancelled

12 August 2005

MADRID – Passengers travelling between Spain and London’s Heathrow with British Airways were on Friday among 70,000 travellers who saw their flights cancelled.

The disruption started on Thursday when around 1,000 baggage handlers and ground staff walked out in support of 650 catering workers who had been sacked.

The US firm Gate Gourmet – which British Airway contracts for its in-flight meals – said the workers had been sacked because they had gone on an unofficial strike. However, employees complained Gate Gourmet had been cutting wages and changing their working conditions.

British Airline’s chief executive Rod Eddington apologised to customers, but said the airline had to cancel flights because it didn’t have the staff left to run services. He regretted that BA had “become embroiled in someone else’s dispute”.

Among the flights cancelled on Friday at Heathrow were 17 to or from the Spanish cities Madrid, Barcelona and Malaga.

The strike also disrupted the services of Sri Lankan Airlines, Finnair, GB Airlines, British Mediterranean Airlines and Qantas.

BA advised customers with flights booked on Friday to or from Heathrow to contact their departure airport before setting off.

It said some flights from Spain would be run from 6pm. Customers whose flights had been cancelled would be offered an alternative BA flight later on or an alternative destination, if one was available.

BA has flown some passengers out with other airlines and said it would continue to try to put waiting passengers on other flights. However, it added that is difficult since we are in the peak holiday season.

The airline promised a full refund on cancelled flights and compensation, considered on a case by case basis.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news