BA defiant over 'final offer' as strike talks are held

Chief executive Willie Walsh said he believed the airline's "final" offer rejected by Unite members last month still formed the basis of a resolution.

He also made clear he was pressing ahead with contingency plans to deal with further strikes, saying he was confident of running 100 per cent of long-haul flights if there is more industrial action.

Cabin crew have taken 22 days of strike action since March and further walkouts could take place from September unless the peace talks, held at the conciliation service Acas, lead to a deal.

The wave of strikes by cabin crew, coupled with disruption caused by Iceland's volcanic ash cloud, sent BA 164m into the red for the three months to June.

Mr Walsh said: "We continue to train volunteer cabin crew and that programme is going very well. I am looking forward to hearing what the trade union has to say in light of the poor turnout in the last ballot.

"I want to reach a resolution but we are preparing for further industrial action. I am confident we will operate 100 per cent of our long-haul services and we are looking at the short-haul programme."

Mr Walsh said BA's last deal was the "best and final offer", adding: "If the union wanted to bring an end to the dispute, they would have looked to get an agreement and acceptance of the proposal. It addresses all the genuine concerns and I still believe it forms the basis of a resolution to the dispute."

Unite joint leader Derek Simpson said: "This is a dispute over 10m. Contrast that with the 164m in losses this quarter alone and questions must be asked about the direction of BA's management and the sense of them maintaining this dispute with cabin crew.

"It is important to remember that, on every call in this dispute, BA's management has got it wrong. It claimed that crew would accept the offer if Unite put it to them; they did not. Only 15 per cent voted in favour, with 85 per cent finding no appeal in it at all.

"BA also claimed that the majority of crew worked during the dispute but we have processed over 7,000 claims for strike pay - that means 70 per cent of Heathrow crew, the backbone of the BA operation, took strike action.

"These losses bring no pleasure to Unite. It is never our intention to see BA struggle. We would far prefer to see it thrive and the way to ensure this is to settle peacefully with cabin crew."