British Airways launch new strike

The Union said the 12 days of strikes since last March had now cost British Airways 84 million pounds with losses of a further 70 million pounds if the next industrial action is not averted.

BA has been spared the worst,however,as fewer people than usual have chosen to take a foreign break this bank holiday weekend.

A record number of Britons have spent the Whitsun bank holiday at home. Monday is a bank holiday.

BA,however,said it would increase its flying schedule in the coming week as more cabinet crew than expected had decided to work as normal during the industrial action.

It’s Heathrow long-haul schedule will be increased to more than 70 per cent of flights – up from around 60 per cent this week – and its short-haul schedule from the airport to more than 55 per cent of flights – up from more than 50 per cent

this week.

Talks between the airline and the Unite union ended without agreement on Friday – the staff perks and disciplinary action still the sticking points.

Unite accused BA’s chief executive Willie Walsh of blocking a deal.

Derek Simpson,the Unite’s joint leader,was ready to hold talks in the “full glare” of the media so people would be able to see how “unreasonable” Walsh was.

“I prefer these negotiations to be in front of a camera. Let the world see what this is all about. If people could see what he is doing,they would know who to blame,” he told BBC television.