BA tries to clear up confusion after strike called off

BRITISH AIRWAYS yesterday operated its full flying programme after a strike by cabin crew strike was called off at the last minute.

The two-day strike, officially announced last week, had been scheduled for yesterday and today.

British Airways in Cyprus said travellers had been informed that the strike was off by email, as well as press and trade announcements.

Before the strike’s cancellation the airline had offered alternative flight options to its customers flying to and from the island and also confirmed those who wished to fly on the reinstated British Airways services yesterday and today.

The airline said yesterday it welcomed the decision by the cabin crew branch of the Transport and General Workers’ Union to call off the strikes scheduled for this month and for two 72-hour periods next month.

BA added that it had issued a commercial policy following the union announcement that it had called off its series of strikes, giving people travelling between now and February 16 a series of options.

It said customers still wishing to travel on any reinstated British Airways service “must contact British Airways or their travel agent as soon as possible to have their travel arrangements confirmed…

“If customers have made alternative flight arrangements and are satisfied with these options, they do not need to rebook or reconfirm”.

Customers whose booking was made through a travel agent were advised to contact them directly. The airline also advised customers not to go to the airport unless they held a confirmed booking on a reinstated flight.

Meanwhile, customers who had requested a refund from the airline were told that this would be processed in the normal way. However if they wished to rebook onto their original flight, they would be able to purchase a new ticket at the same price as their original flight. They would also need to provide their original flight booking reference or ticket number when they make their new booking, BA said.

No information was yesterday available on what costs the airline had incurred over the disruption to its flight schedule.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.