BA says chaos nearly over

LONDON – British Airways said it hoped to operate a near-normal service yesterday, while talks will resume to try to end an industrial dispute which stranded thousands of passengers for days at London’s Heathrow Airport.

The airline said it would run all planned short-haul flights and 95 per cent of its long-haul services and was seeking to restore all flights within days. Some 1 000 British Airways staff walked out on Thursday in support of hundreds of workers sacked at the airline’s supplier of in-flight meals.Europe’s third-biggest airline was forced to cancel about 700 flights from Heathrow, triggering long delays and chaotic scenes at the world’s busiest international airport.Negotiations between the Transport & General Workers’ Union (TGWU) and British Airways’ in-flight meal provider Gate Gourmet failed to produce an agreement on Sunday.Gate Gourmet said in a statement on Sunday staff who had not been involved in the strike were continuing to provide basic services to enable planes to fly.Analysts said the disruption could cost British Airways tens of millions of pounds.The airline said it was too early to comment on the cost of strikes that will include hotel and food bills and compensation claims from passengers.BA said 10 000 pieces of baggage were still “in the system” – a situation it hoped to resolve in days.-Nampa-ReutersSome 1 000 British Airways staff walked out on Thursday in support of hundreds of workers sacked at the airline’s supplier of in-flight meals.Europe’s third-biggest airline was forced to cancel about 700 flights from Heathrow, triggering long delays and chaotic scenes at the world’s busiest international airport.Negotiations between the Transport & General Workers’ Union (TGWU) and British Airways’ in-flight meal provider Gate Gourmet failed to produce an agreement on Sunday.Gate Gourmet said in a statement on Sunday staff who had not been involved in the strike were continuing to provide basic services to enable planes to fly.Analysts said the disruption could cost British Airways tens of millions of pounds.The airline said it was too early to comment on the cost of strikes that will include hotel and food bills and compensation claims from passengers.BA said 10 000 pieces of baggage were still “in the system” – a situation it hoped to resolve in days.-Nampa-Reuters