British Airways plans full Christmas and Boxing Day service despite strike plan

British Airways plans to run its full service on Christmas Day and Boxing Day despite a planned strike by cabin crew.

Members of Unite are due to walk out in a dispute over pay involving staff who have joined the airline since 2010 and work in the so-called Mixed Fleet.

Talks aimed at resolving the row are being held at the conciliation service Acas.

Alex Cruz, British Airways chief executive and chairman, said: "We are making sure that this attempt to ruin Christmas for thousands of our customers fails.

"Over the weekend we have been working on detailed contingency plans to ensure that we are able to operate our normal flight programme from all our airports on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

"We urge Unite to abandon this strike call, which is serving only to cause anxiety among our Mixed Fleet cabin crew colleagues.

"Our Mixed Fleet crew do a tremendous job for our customers. They earn a competitive salary package, with all crew working full-time receiving a minimum of £21,000 a year.

"We are seeking to improve this package and we encourage Unite to start a positive dialogue with us about our proposals.

"We continue to seek a non-disruptive solution to issues of concern to our Mixed Fleet colleagues. That is why we initiated the talks at the conciliation service Acas today."