Another summer of discontent at the check-in desk

Rod Eddington, BA's outgoing chief executive, had hoped to leave the company next month after five years in the job on a high. He almost managed it, reporting last week the best set of profits the airline has produced in nine years. Increasing competition from no-frills airlines and a downturn in travel after the 11 September attacks have combined to make business extremely tough for BA. But after cost-cutting and a revamp of the company, the airline has started to soar once again and was looking forward to a bumper summer.

That was until workers at Gate Gourmet, the company that supplies its in-flight meals, walked out on Wednesday afternoon, leaving BA flights with no food. At first it was a simple matter of satiating passengers before they boarded, doling out food parcels and vouchers. But when more than 1,000 BA staff joined in the walk-out, BA was suddenly in the midst of what has become increasingly familiar summertime strife. The wildcat strikes mark the third summer in a row that the airline has had to grapple with discontented staff, stranded passengers and cancelled flights.

Last August, a strike of check-in staff and baggage handlers was only narrowly avoided after management succeeded in getting unions to support a new three-year pay deal. Threatened industrial action over the August bank holiday was called off at the last minute, but even after securing staff support, the airline was then hit by technical difficulties. More than 100 flights had to be cancelled over six days because of staff shortages and technical problems. Senior directors had to take to the airport floor in an attempt to boost morale. Mechanical faults had grounded a number of flights, leading to crews being in the wrong place and forcing further cancellations.

This had followed a disastrous summer in 2003, when all flights from Heathrow Terminal 1 had to be cancelled because of an unofficial strike. Ticket and baggage handlers staged a 24-hour walk-out in protest at a new swipecard entry system, which allowed managers to monitor their working hours. Staff were worried that the system would lead to workers being sent home during quiet periods.

An estimated 10,500 passengers were left stranded during the ensuing days when 500 flights were cancelled, with many customers complaining that the airline had not done enough to keep them informed.

The strikes cost the airline between £30m and £40m after paying out compensation to delayed passengers, including hotel accommodation, and food and drink. Passengers had to be housed in temporary marquees until the backlog cleared.