Now BA passengers face SEVEN days of f light cancellations

HUNDREDS of thousands of British Airways passengers will be hit by a week of travel misery when militant pilots strike next month – even though walkouts are planned for just three days.

BA’s pilots caused outrage on Friday when they announced strikes on September 9, 10 and 27 in a dispute over pay. Their action is likely to affect at least 1,500 flights.

But aviation experts warn of an extra four days of cancellations and delays because aircraft and flight crew will be in the wrong place. Some flights have already been axed on September 8 and 11, with more likely on the 26th and 28th.

BA sent out text messages and emails late on Friday and early yesterday telling passengers to re-book or cancel. But customers blasted the airline after its website crashed and its customer service centre was inundated with calls.

One passenger wrote on social media: ‘How are your customer service numbers not in service? You drop cancellation bombs and then run away leaving customers helpless.’

Another said: ‘The website has crashed and the app doesn’t work. The telephone number provided says they can’t take the call right now and hangs up.’

Abby Deem, 32, from Cambridge, said her honeymoon plans had been ‘ ruined’ after her BA business class flight to Mauritius on September 9 with fiancé Jonathan was cancelled. The couple had to fork out an extra £ 500 to book economy flights with Emirates instead.

Anna Redding was among those struggling to get through on the phone to BA.

She was due to fly first class to Nairobi with her partner for their honeymoon on September 11 and return on the 27th. They received an email from BA saying their outward flight had been cancelled and the return flight would be delayed.

Ms Redding said: ‘Do we try to get another flight with someone else but lose the first class or do we wait just in case but risk not getting any other flights?’

About three-quarters of BA’s 4,311 pilots are expected to strike after they rejected a pay rise worth an extra £35,000 a year for the average captain.

The walkouts – in British Airways’ centenary year – will be the first time that the airline’s pilots have gone on strike, with t he vast majority of planes expected to be grounded.