LONDON, March 21 (UPI) -- A union representing striking British Airways cabin crew members urged the airline Sunday to resume talks to end a strike that's "in no one's interest."
The Guardian reported Tony Woodley, the joint general secretary of Unite, Britain's largest union, wants to reopen negotiations over staffing cuts that ended abruptly last week.
"I am now appealing to the BA chairman and sensible members of the board to use their influence, put passengers first and return to the negotiating table for the good of everyone," Woodley said as the strike entered its third day. "It is quite obvious this strike is in no one's interest. We need a negotiated settlement."
The airline hopes to restore a normal schedule when the strike ends at midnight Monday, but a threatened four-day strike would begin Saturday.
British Airways' chief executive Willie Walsh, who said Saturday the airline's performance during the strike by 12,000 flight attendants was "better than expected," noted some cabin crew members had crossed picket lines.
But some striking crew said those who crossed the lines did so because they feared losing their travel privileges or their jobs.
As rows of empty planes sat at London's Heathrow airport, Unite said the strike had grounded numerous flights.
BA claimed it had flown two-thirds of passengers to their destinations during the strike and said about 50,000 passengers reached their destinations Sunday.
The airline said it was flying some "ghost" flights carrying cargo but no passengers.
