Thousands of BA flights canceled as crew on strike

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By JANE WARDELL

LONDON (AP) - British Airways canceled more than 1,000 flights after its cabin crew launched a three-day strike Saturday, wreaking havoc on the plans of tens of thousands of passengers just before the busy spring holiday season.

Hoping to keep as many passengers happy as possible, BA scrambled to rebook some on other services, chartered planes from rival airlines and drafted in volunteer crew. But it still had to scrap more than half of its 1,950 scheduled flights over the period.

Chief Executive Willie Walsh issued a direct apology via YouTube for the walkout, the airline's first in almost 15 years, saying it was a "terrible day for BA."

The strike - backed by some unions in the United States, Germany and Spain - also risked harm to Britain's Labour government before a tough general election expected before June.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20100320/D9EIB6QO0.html

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A British Airways plane is seen from Terminal 4 moving along the tarmac at Heathrow Airport in London, early Saturday, March 20, 2010. A three-day strike by British Airways cabin crew affecting thousands of travelers began Saturday after last-ditch talks between the airline's management and union leaders collapsed. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)