British Airways’ Two-Day Strike Begins; Almost All UK Flights Cancelled Today

British Airways had asked its passengers not to turn up at airports as the biggest strike action in the airlines 100 year history begun.

Representational Image (Photo by AAMIR QURESHI / AFP)

New Delhi: British Airways said on Monday it has been forced to cancel all its UK flights on the first day of a two-day strike by pilots, agencies reported on Monday. BA had asked its passengers not to turn up at airports as the biggest strike action in the airlines 100 year history begun. More than 1,500 flights have been cancelled as the company was accused of bullying its own staff by union bosses, who warned they could continue the action until the end of the year, The Telegraph reported. The strike is set to continue on Tuesday affecting some 280,000 people. A statement by the company on Monday read: “ We understand the frustration and disruption BALPA’s strike action has caused our customers.” "After many months of trying to resolve the pay dispute, we are extremely sorry that it has come to this” the Airways said. The airline said it remains willing to return to talks with the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA). Unfortunately, with no detail from BALPA on which pilots would strike, we had no way of predicting how many would come to work or which aircraft they are qualified to fly, so we had no option but to cancel nearly 100 per cent our flights, it further said. “Our customer teams - supported by additional colleagues - have been working tirelessly to help as many of you as possible and to provide options, including a full refund or re-booking to a different date of travel or alternative airline,” it stated. The British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) last month gave the airline notice of three days of industrial action in September, in what is the first ever strike by BA pilots.