Cabin Crew Strike Forces BA to Cancel Flights

Air travelers braced themselves for more disruptions today as British Airways cabin crews began the second day of their strike with no resolution in sight.

As both sides squabbled over the legality of their 72-hour work stoppage, more than 25,000 passengers were stranded Wednesday when the airline canceled half its flights from London and up to 30% of the 1,000 flights it operates worldwide each day.

The airline claims that the strike over allowances and overtime and its plans to cut $71 million from its operating budget is illegal because of discrepancies in the strike ballot.

“We are now in active discussions with our legal advisors,” said Mervyn Walker, BA’s director of human resources.

Other carriers on British Airways routes said they increased seat capacity and added flights to accommodate passengers grounded by the strike. But the Assn. of Independent Tour Operators said there was virtually no availability on alternate flights on the most-affected routes.