Thousands of British Airways passengers are to be affected by a major cabin crew strike early next week.

 

The airline issued a notice on its website on Thursday, saying it "will not operate any passenger flights out of London Heathrow" next Tuesday and Wednesday "due to the planned strike by the cabin crew branch of the Transport & General Workers Union."

 

 

"All domestic and European flights ... from London Gatwick have also been cancelled," said the notice, adding that the strike action will also impact on services into both airports on Jan. 30-31.

 

The decision comes after talks with the trade union over pay and sick leave failed to reach an agreement. Some 11,000 of the airline's 14,000 cabin crew members voted for strike action.

 

Further three-day strikes will be staged on Feb. 5-12 unless the dispute over sickness absence, pay and staffing levels is resolved, Sky news reported on Thursday.

 

Around 77,000 passengers use Heathrow and Gatwick every day for both short and long-haul flights.

 

 

(Xinhua News Agency January 26, 2007)