BRITISH AIRWAYS is flying empty planes around the world to make it look like it is coping easily with the strike of its cabin crew, according to the Unite union.
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“We believe these flights were empty or near empty,” said a spokesperson for Unite.
“BA has been despatching ghost flights around the world in an attempt to put a positive gloss on its faltering strike-breaking operation.”
Though the reports of “ghost flights” from the very union involved in the strike might be taken with a pinch of salt, Unite’s position looks more solid when put against BA’s stubborn refusal to reveal how many flights have been cancelled due to the strike.
Instead, BA just say that Unite’s figure of 70% cancelled flights from Heathrow is too high.
“BA is losing hundreds of thousands of pounds every time one of these planes takes off. It’s a lot of money to spend on a propaganda gesture,” added the Unite spokesperson.
Today marks the end of Unite’s three-day stoppage over pay and staff cuts, but there is another four-day action due to start this Saturday, 27 March.
The company refused to discuss a deal it had offered Unite over during the strike, but in the gap between the two walk-outs, behind the scenes government and big business pressure could force BA to re-open talks with Unite.
“The message from BA’s London-based business customers to both sides is: get back to the negotiating table,” said Baroness Valentine, CEO of London First, an influential group representing the capital’s big business.