London: Up to 3,500 British Airways staff — including 1,000 pilots — are prepared to work as stewards and air hostesses to help break a potentially disastrous strike by cabin crew.
With so many staff willing to intervene, it is likely that the airline will be able to run a limited service if the 12,000 cabin crew walk out.
BA is obviously not going to be able to run a normal operation, but with so many volunteers they could run more than just a skeleton service, said a union source.
The result of the strike ballot will be formally announced tomorrow and the Unite union and BA management expect a vote in favour of industrial action.
Cabin crew are striking over jobs, pay and working conditions. Last week a High Court judge ruled that BA had not breached contracts by cutting cabin staff on some flights.
Reluctance
Cabin crew union members who earn an average of about £29,000 (Dh164,714) a year have already made it clear that they are not willing to strike over Easter and that they will not walk out for longer than three days.
It is understood that a number of cabin crew may be reluctant to take action at all if their valuable travel perks are removed.
BA has told the union that strikers will lose that right, which is worth thousands of pounds a year. BA staff and their immediate family can travel long haul for ten per cent of the normal fare.
Union leaders realise they could face disaster and they are working flat out to come up with a face-saving solution. Insiders expect a few token stoppages before a peace deal is signed with strikers getting back their lost travel perks.
