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British Airways Crews Strike, More European Airline Strikes to Follow?

Locations in this article:  Amsterdam, Netherlands Brussels, Belgium Paris, France

British Airways Plane After a Christmas-time court injunction narrowly saved British Airways from a costly 12-day holiday walkout, the airline finds itself paying the piper as it enters a third day of strikes on Monday.

More than half of BA’s 1,950 normally scheduled flights have already been canceled, costing the company an estimated $95 million in losses.

With no sign of surrender from either side, passengers can expect another four days of walkouts and cancellations this coming Saturday.

Reports on the effects of the strike vary. Unite, the union that represents BA’s striking cabin crew members, claims that only 300 of the 2,200 crews members scheduled to work showed up this weekend.

Strikes by airline pilots and crewsBA has reported a more favorable turnout with most of its Gatwick staff reporting for work and more than half of its Heathrow workers showing up.

Heathrow airport has been especially hard hit by the strike. The airline reported that 46 of the 101 scheduled flights departing from the airport have been canceled.

Most cancellations have affected domestic service flights, but major European destinations such as Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam are also feeling the effects. On the other side of the pond, flights to New York and South America have been terminated.

The strikes are the result of a long-running and hostile dispute over the airline’s attempts to cut costs by reducing the staff levels on every flight by at least one crew member.

Previously: No Strike: Court Rules in Favor of British Airways

Heathrow Airport - Terminal 5Union leaders have made it clear that unless BA agrees to modify these changes, strikes can be expected to last until mid-April. In turn, British Airways has claimed that unless they scale back wages and staff, the company will not survive financially.

The BA strikes are just the first of several European airline strikes that are expected to put a serious damper on spring travel to the continent.

Air France crews are expected stage a four-day walkout beginning this Sunday. Pilots of TAP Portuguese Airlines are also planning to walk off the job this week. According to the airline, TAP pilots are planning a six-day strike starting this Friday.

More strikes are expected next month. After announcing Monday that negotiations with management had stalled, pilots at Lufthansa, Lufthansa Cargo and Germanwings are planning to strike for four days beginning April 13.

By Adriana Padilla for PeterGreenberg.com.

Related links: BBC, Sacramento Bee, Reuters, The Guardian (UK), New York Times, The Times (UK)

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