Another 1,500 cancelled British Airways flights and strike action by workers who refuel planes at Heathrow airport threaten to wreak havoc on the UK’s summer getaway. The airline warned on Tuesday that it would cancel the additional flights in the coming weeks as it struggles to cope with disruption and staff shortages, shortly before the airport workers said they were preparing to walk out on the first weekend of the school holiday. The union Unite said members employed by Aviation Fuel Services — one of four companies providing fuelling services at the UK’s busiest airport — would stage an initial 72-hour strike, from July 21 to July 24, in a dispute over pay. It warned the strike would cause “considerable disruption and delays” because the company provided services to almost 70 airlines operating at Heathrow — although it added that there was still room to reach a deal “if AFS returns to the negotiating table”. The threat of spreading strike action will add to airlines’ troubles as they seek to avert a repeat of the delays and cancellations that hit passengers during the UK’s school half term last month. BA’s operations at Heathrow would not be affected by any industrial action at AFS, as it uses different refuelling companies. But the airline faces the possibility of a strike by around half of its own Heathrow check-in staff, which could potentially take place on the same weekend — although the unions Unite and GMB have not yet set any date for action. BA on Tuesday said it would cut its summer flight schedule further because the aviation sector was facing “the most challenging period in its history”. It is also said to be reviewing whether to cut yet more flights later this week after the UK government announced an amnesty on strict rules that force airlines to use or lose their lucrative take-off and landing slots.<br/>
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Europe’s Airbus has raised the stakes in a dispute with Qatar Airways over damage to the painted surface of long-haul A350 jets by revoking the contract for a fourth airplane, three people familiar with the matter said. The two companies are locked in a dispute over the impact of surface scars on the jets, with Airbus insisting the aircraft are safe and the Gulf carrier claiming there are unanswered questions over airworthiness and refusing to take deliveries. In May, a British judge rejected a bid by Qatar Airways to force Airbus to stop formally trying to deliver more A350s to the carrier, the aircraft’s largest customer. The procedural ruling means Airbus is free to attempt to trigger payment clauses as more planes are built. It can also try to sell A350s that Qatar has rejected to carriers such as Air India, which industry sources say could step in as a buyer. The fourth A350 was canceled in late June and is expected to be reflected in first-half Airbus data due out on Friday. A fifth aircraft is due to reach the same stage in the pipeline by end-July, followed by a sixth later this year. Qatar Airways claims Airbus is wrongly trying to offer new jets for delivery, while Airbus claims the airline has broken its contract by refusing to take more A350s and is revoking orders for undelivered aircraft one by one, as they are built.<br/>
Qantas Airways' unionised licensed aircraft engineers are voting on work stoppages of up to 12 hours and overtime bans from next month after failing to reach a pay agreement with the airline, the union's head said on Wednesday. The move which affects around 1,000 engineers across Qantas and subsidiaries Jetstar and Network Aviation, comes as the airline is trying to minimise disruption to customers from worker shortages at airports that have led to increased flight delays and cancellations. "With the industry still recovering from the impact of the pandemic, the last thing it needs is the threat of industrial action," a Qantas spokesperson said. "Should the union proceed with industrial action, we have contingency plans to minimise any disruptions." The Australian Licenced Aircraft Engineers Association (ALAEA) last week was granted approval by the Fair Work Commission to hold the ballot on industrial action. ALAEA Federal Secretary Steve Purvinas said the ballot, due to close on July 30, was extended to Aug. 10 by the Australian Electoral Commission. The first industrial action could take place in the third week of August, though it would not target holiday periods to minimise disruption. Qantas has offered its 19,000 workers covered by union contracts a A$5,000 ($3,396.50) bonus when they reach new pay agreements, provided they agree to wage increases of 2% annually following a two-year wage freeze during the pandemic.<br/>