British Airways Flights Canceled as Crews Strike

(March 20) -- Thousands of British Airways flights have been canceled amid a three-day strike by cabin crew that's throwing a kink into vacation plans for tens of thousands of travelers beginning their Easter break.

The strike could also spell trouble for Prime Minister Gordon Brown ahead of what's already expected to be a tough election campaign this spring. The airline's union is the single biggest financial backer of Britain's Labour Party, and its political director is Brown's former spokesman.

Talks between BA's union and management broke down on Friday, and the strike began at midnight. Workers are protesting pay freezes and job cuts the airline proposed to cope with decreasing demand, volatile fuel prices and increased competition from low-cost carriers. BA has about 12,000 crew.

The airline has chartered planes from rival airlines, drafted volunteer workers from other divisions and re-booked some passengers on other services -- but still was forced to cancel thousands of flights. It's the airline's first strike in nearly 15 years. Just hours in, it's already cost an estimated $37 million because of cancellations and contingency costs.

The airline's chief executive, Willie Walsh, issued a direct apology to passengers via YouTube, saying he's "deeply sorry" and calling it a "terrible day today for British Airways."

Protesters are readying picket lines outside London's Heathrow Airport, as would-be passengers fret inside. The airline said that even though the strike is supposed to last three days, the affects of canceled flights will probably last for weeks, backing up into another strike the union has said it'll hold March 27-30.

"We're in limbo land," Susan Danby, a school worker from the northern English city of Hull, told The Associated Press. She is due to fly March 29th to Las Vegas with friends to celebrate their 50th birthdays. "This is our dream trip, we booked it last August and we've been planning it for years."

"We all want more money and better conditions, but people shouldn't ruin other people's holidays," Danby said.

The union, Unite, has garnered some support from labor groups in the United States, but so far has failed to get fellow unions to sign on to a coordinated action that would prevent airlines from being able to refuel and service their planes in other countries.

The U.S. International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represents 40,000 aviation industry workers, issued a statement saying it's "keenly aware of British Airways' operations in the United States and the cities served by the airline." "We continue to look at this situation as it evolves and are keeping our options open," it said.

The U.S. Association of Professional Flight Attendants also expressed support for BA, saying it was concerned about the use of volunteer crew throughout the strike period, AP reported.

About 60 percent of passengers who are booked on flights this weekend will be able to fly, British Airways said. "We are going to fly as many of our customers as possible. We are going to fly you safely in secure conditions and we are going to fly you in comfort," Walsh said on the video.

On top of the BA walkout, another strike is also looming in Britain. Railway signal workers voted Friday to go on strike, but peace talks are planned for next week. It would be the country's first national rail strike in 16 years. Trains are already expected to be packed with airline passengers seeking a more reliable alternative.