BAA’s June traffic numbers knocked by BA crew strike
STRIKES staged by British Airways (BA) cabin crew caused airports group BAA passenger traffic numbers to fall by 1.7 per cent last month.
The airport operator, which is majority-owned by Spanish infrastructure firm Ferrovial, said 9.5m passengers flew from its UK airports last month, down from 9.7m in June 2009.
BAA said without the impact of industrial action, which affected nine days of travel last month, passenger traffic at its largest airport, Heathrow, would have risen by 2.5 per cent as compared to the same period last year.
But as a result of the strike, Heathrow, which is BA’s main hub, saw 140,000 fewer passengers than it had estimated, with only 5.8m customers.
Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh also reported a significant drop in passenger numbers last month as the strike took its toll on short haul travel across the UK.
Scotland’s main hub, Glasgow, saw a seven per cent decline in passenger traffic.
Meanwhile, Aberdeen and Edinburgh reported a respective four and two per cent decline in numbers.
BA’s cabin crew were on strike for a total of 22 days this year as part of a long-running industrial dispute.
The airline has been hit by a series of strikes organised by the Unite union this year, which have so far cost it £150m.
BAA owns and operates seven airports across the UK and one in Naples.