Heathrow Cancels Flights in Response to Planned Strike, BBC Says

(Bloomberg) -- Heathrow Airport canceled 172 flights on Monday and Tuesday in response to planned industrial action by ground staff at the key London hub, the BBC reported.

About 88% of the 4,000 Unite union members who voted rejected a pay offer and opted to strike on Aug. 5-6, meaning that around 2,500 staff will miss their shifts, the BBC said on its website late yesterday. There are 91 airlines affected, including British Airways, which is already embroiled in anindustrial dispute with pilots that may lead to a separate strike at the height of the holiday season.

Heathrow told the BBC that the airport is “working with airlines to proactively consolidate flights and re-book passengers onto alternative services in advance.” Unite’s Wayne King said in a statement that the vote for a strike points to “growing anger” among the airport’s support staff, according to the report.

IAG SA, the parent company of British Airways, is in talks with the British Airlines Pilots Association in a bid to defuse a pay dispute. Bloomberg has reported that the two parties have agreed to extend talks until the end of next week.

To contact the reporter on this story: Daniel Zuidijk in London at dzuidijk@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Katerina Petroff at kpetroff@bloomberg.net, James Amott

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