British Airways (BA) PLC on Friday said it was “appalled” by trade union Unite’s decision to call a strike involving one of its five cabin crew fleets on Christmas Day and Dec. 26.
Unite said in a statement earlier on Wednesday that thousands of British Airways cabin crew had voted in favor of strike action in a pay dispute, while baggage handlers would be walking out for two days from Friday next week.
In a statement, the airline said Unite’s “calculated and heartless action is completely unnecessary” and that it would plan to ensure that all customers could travel “so that their Christmas arrangements are not ruined.”
From 2009 to 2011, BA suffered two years of bitter industrial action as it tried to cut 1,700 cabin crew jobs and freeze pay.
In related news, Virgin Atlantic pilots on Friday voted to work to rule from Dec. 23 in a dispute over sole recognition of their union, the latest round of industrial action to threaten Christmas holiday air travel.
More than half of Virgin Atlantic’s about 900 pilots are represented by the Professional Pilots’ Union (PPU).
The PPU said in a statement the ballot turnout was 80.3 percent, with 88.6 percent voting in favor of industrial action.
“The action will see a removal of ‘pilot goodwill’ with pilots who are members of the PPU working strictly to their contract,” it said. “It is possible that this may leave some flights not covered for the duration of any action, which has the potential to continue indefinitely.”
“We expect our flying program to remain unaffected during this period and want to reassure our customers that all flights are operating as normal,” the airline said in a statement. “We are disappointed with the result of the ballot to take action short of a strike, which essentially means ‘work to rule.’”
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