British Airways passengers could be set for fresh disruption following the announcement of a second four-day strike by cabin crews in a long-running dispute over pay.
The Unite union, which is representing the striking workers, says they intend to "pile on the pressure" by staging the walkout beginning on the 22 February.
It comes on top of a previously announced four-day strike planned to start on Friday.
Staff working for Britain's flagship airline have already held 11 days of strike action so far this year.
The dispute centres around 2,500 so-called "mixed fleet" cabin crew members who joined the company in recent years.
According to Unite, they are paid less than other BA cabin crew staff - often averaging just £16,000 a year including allowances, it says.
The union has described the rates as "indefensible".
But British Airways has denied the pay amounts to "poverty pay" and says that all crew working full-time receive a minimum of £21,000 a year.
Previous talks between the union and the airline have failed to produce a solution, with Unite further criticising the firm for refusing to allow the mandate of the strike ballot to be extended to "allow meaningful talks to take place".
Unite regional officer Matt Smith said: "For every hour British Airways 'wet leases' an aircraft from another airline to cover striking cabin crew it costs in the region of £2,000 to £3,000.
"Our estimates put the amount of money British Airways has spent on defending the dispute and poverty pay at £1 million.
"This is money which the airline has taken a conscious decision to give to other airlines rather than addressing pay levels which are forcing hard-working mixed fleet cabin crew into financial hardship."
British Airways has said all of its flights from London Gatwick and London City airports will operate as normal on Friday, as will the "vast majority" of those scheduled to depart from Heathrow.
The company said it would be releasing more details on plans to deal with the new walkouts in the coming days.
In a statement, the airline said a pay offer it has already extended to striking workers was "consistent with deals agreed with Unite for other British Airways colleagues, including many Unite members".
"It also reflects pay awards given by other companies in the UK and will ensure that rewards for mixed-fleet remain in line with those for cabin crew at our airline competitors," the company said.
"More than 9,000 cabin crew, represented by a different Unite branch, this week voted overwhelmingly to accept the deal."
Posted in: BRITISH AIRWAYS
The Brain Behind this Blog
