Strike leaves thousands stranded at Heathrow

At least 70,000 travelers were stranded Friday after British Airways canceled all flights to and from Heathrow Airport because of an industrial dispute, an airline spokesman said.

With almost 100 BA aircraft and 1,000 pilots and cabin crew out of position around the world because of the strike, Heathrow management warned that disruption at one of the world's busiest international airport could last for days.

Problems for British Airways' flights started on Thursday after baggage handlers and other ground staff joined an industrial dispute between the airline's caterer, Gate Gourmet, and its work force.

Overnight, about 1,000 people slept at Heathrow's terminals on floors and in seating areas, said BA spokesman Tony Cane. He said the airline had been able to put up about 4,000 others in hotels near the airport, the airline's main hub, although most of the stranded travelers had opted to return home.

Cane said about 500 BA flights had to be canceled - 250 in and another 250 out of Heathrow. The suspension would last until 1 p.m. EDT on Friday at the earliest, he said.

"We've requested that staff come back to work and we're now waiting to be advised of their plans," Cane said.

Qantas and Sri Lankan Airlines, which use BA ground staff, also canceled their flights from Heathrow on Friday.

BA appealed to customers booked on Friday's flights not to come to Heathrow but to check on their status online or by calling the airline.

Other airlines, including Ireland's Aer Lingus, said they were taking overflow passengers from BA on their flights.

Heathrow's managing director, Mick Temple, said there would be "significant disruption" for several days to BA flights.

Allen Sing, an American businessman from Hong Kong, said he had already checked in for a flight on Thursday when he was told no meals would be provided inflight and he was given a voucher to buy food at the airport.

"Eventually when it became clear all flights were going to be canceled, I wanted to return to my hotel but was told that if I left the airport I might not see my checked baggage ever again," Sing said. "I've been rebooked on another airline, but I still don't know how to retrieve my baggage."

He said he would be shopping for new clothes. He also said the phone number provided by BA for inquiries was constantly busy.

All BA flights from Heathrow were canceled and arriving flights were diverted to other British airports as the dispute escalated on Thursday.

A union representing Gate Gourmet, which provides onboard meals for British Airways flights, said the company had fired 800 workers on Wednesday. The company said only 667 workers had been dismissed.

British Airways' workers, including baggage handlers and loaders represented by the same union - the Transport and General Workers union - stopped work in sympathy with the fired catering staff.

Later on Thursday, another union representing British Airways check-in staff advised their members to stop work for health and safety reasons after disgruntled passengers took out their frustrations on staff.

"The way BA are treating people is disgusting," said Bill Holmes, 64, waiting for a flight to Boston. "We're done with this place. Some way to run a business."

British Airways chief executive Rod Eddington said in a statement Thursday that nearly 100 aircraft and 1,000 pilots and cabin crew were left "in the wrong places around the world" because of the dispute.

"It is a huge disappointment to us that we have become embroiled in someone else's dispute."

Gate Gourmet, which is owned by the US company Texas Pacific Group, claimed that workers staged an unofficial strike, but the Transport and General Workers Union accused managers of deliberately provoking the dispute.

The company reported a loss of $41.25 million last financial year, and was expecting a $44.84 million loss for the current year.