BA halts Bank Holiday bookings

BRITISH Airways has stopped taking bookings for flights over the August Bank Holiday weekend because of the threat of a strike by baggage handlers and check-in staff.

The airline said it was not taking bookings for flights leaving UK airports from August 27 to 30 as well as for those arriving in Britain.

The move was part of contingency plans being drawn up by the company despite renewed optimism that a deal can be agreed to end a dispute over pay.

BA has several hundred flights leaving and arriving UK airports each day and many are already fully booked for the August Bank holiday which is one of the busiest weekends of the year for travel.

Negotiations resumed today between BA and union leaders in a bid to avert industrial action. Both sides said last night they were increasingly optimistic of reaching a deal.

BA has offered a pay rise of 8.5% over three years and an extra £1,000 if sickness absence is cut by half. Union leaders were not happy at linking pay to absence but said they were happy to continue talks and were increasingly hopeful of reaching a deal today.

The Transport and General Workers Union has said its members will strike for 24 hours from 4.30am next Friday (August 27) if the deadlock is not broken. The GMB today gave notice to BA that its members would also walk out for 24 hours on the same day.

Chief negotiator Ed Blisset said the union had to give seven days' notice of any industrial action, but added that he remained hopeful the strike would not go ahead.