British Airways Stops Heathrow Flights

LONDON – British Airways canceled flights in and out of London’s Heathrow Airport on Thursday after baggage loaders and other workers stopped work in sympathy with fired catering staff.

The airline said it canceled a total of 30 arriving and departing flights due to the walkout. All of the flights were domestic or European services.

The Transport and General Workers Union said 800 workers at catering company Gate Gourmet had been fired since a dispute flared at Heathrow on Wednesday.

The union has called on BA to put pressure on the caterering company, accusing it of unilaterally reducing the pay and work conditions of its staff.

“We are working to resolve the issues, and will resume our schedule as soon as possible,” a spokeswoman for British Airways PLC said.

The airline has about 550 flights a day in and out of Heathrow. It wasn’t immediately clear if any more of them would be affected.