BA flight schedules to go haywire this week

New Delhi, Jan 28 (UNI) Passengers travelling from Indian cities on British Airways (BA) can expect trouble from Tuesday with a major strike closing down the London Heathrow hub.

The airline has cancelled close to 1,300 flights in all. While no flights will operate to Indian metros on January 30 and 31, the outgoing ones will be affected on February 1 and 2.

BA operates 43 flights per week to five cities in India. It operates a double daily service from London Heathrow to Mumbai and Delhi, a daily service to Bangalore, three times per week to Kolkata and five flights a week to Chennai.

BA's flight programme is complex and involves the combination of rosters for 15,000 cabin crew, 3,000 pilots and 234 aircraft operating up to 750 services in and out of Heathrow and Gatwick every day.

More than 8,000 crew have to be in the right place at the right time either on aircraft, at airports or in crew hotels in more than 140 cities in 75 countries every day.

With talks to avert a cabin crew strike breaking down late on Wednesday night, thousands of BA passengers have been warned by the airline they need to make alternative travel arrangements.

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