BA employee claims unfair dismissal over ticket racket

British Airways lost more than £250,000 through a flight bookings fraud masterminded by one of its

Terminal 5 manager Mark Smith bought hundreds of cheap early-booking BA tickets and then sold them as expensive "last minute" passes after an airport colleague "converted" them electronically using his check-in computer. BA tickets were bought for £1,700 and then sold through a fake travel company for £5,500.

The fraud was exposed by BA in a security audit and Smith, 36, from Hertfordshire, was jailed after a trial.

Today an employment tribunal panel heard how Allan Russell, from Redhill, Surrey, was offered tickets to the X Factor and Take That in exchange for converting Smith's air tickets.

Mr Russell, 38, was cleared at the same trial and today launched a claim against BA for unfair dismissal, breach of contract and public interest disclosure. He claimed that he had done nothing wrong and had been a "whistleblower".

The hearing continues.