British Airways strike starts

Picket lines have been mounted at Heathrow Airport as British Airways cabin crew launched the first of a wave of strikes which threaten to disrupt flights for weeks.

The walkout by members of the Unite union went ahead after hopes of a last-minute deal collapsed, with the two sides engaged in a war of words.

The row has continued, with Tony Woodley, Unite's joint leader, accusing BA's chief executive Willie Walsh of wanting "regime change" in the union's cabin crew branch Bassa. Mr Woodley said BA had achieved its original aim of cutting 1,700 cabin crew jobs, but had since "broadened" the dispute.

"Those savings are in the bank. This dispute has been broadened, so this is not just about cost-downs, it is about regime change. It is personal because of the dislike and trust of the branch."

Mr Woodley told a radio programme that the strike would have been suspended if BA had accepted an offer he made on Sunday to call off the action if the airline returned travel concessions to staff who took part in strikes in March.

BA said it was concentrating on its contingency plans to deal with the five days of action this week, pledging to carry 70% of its customers.

The airline has accused Mr Woodley of negotiating via the media rather than through the conciliation service Acas and pointed the finger of blame at the union for failing to continue with talks on Sunday. BA has also attacked Unite's joint leader Derek Simpson for giving a "running commentary" on his Twitter account of talks at Acas on Saturday.

The company said in a statement: "We have already offered to reinstate travel concessions to cabin crew once all elements of our offer have been implemented. Of more concern to us is Tony Woodley's comment to the media that he wants to revisit certain proposals in our offer, when previously he had indicated that these were agreed.

"This position reinforces our view that Bassa (the British Airlines Stewards and Stewardesses Association), at the centre of this dispute, is not serious in trying to come to a negotiated agreement with British Airways - and that Tony cannot control Bassa."

Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said: "A strike is not going to resolve the outstanding issues, however difficult they are. The parties need to keep talking. The jobs of all BA staff depend on the airline's future competitiveness and the loyalty of all its customers and, in order to protect both, I now urge BA cabin crew to keep flying and keep talking."