BA says 90 percent of long-haul flights to operate

LONDON (AP) - The union representing British Airways cabin crews is asking a court for the right to appeal a decision which blocked a strike hours before it was scheduled to start.

Unite is challenging an injunction obtained late Monday by the airline in which a High Court judge ruled that the planned strike was unlawful because of regularities with the union's ballot.

Union officials called the decision an "absolute disgrace" and immediately said they would challenge. Earlier this month, cabin crews announced their intention to strike for 20 days in May and June, a period that includes school holidays in Britain and the beginning of the football World Cup in South Africa.

It was the second time in less than six months that BA has successfully averted a strike by Unite by claiming voting irregularities in a High Court. A planned walkout over Christmas and the New Year was stopped the same way.

The airline said Tuesday that some services had been affected, but that they would operate 90 percent of long-haul flights. British Airways had originally anticipated running about 60 percent of its long-haul flights but revised the figure Tuesday morning. About half of the airline's short-haul services are expected to operate.

Tony Woodley, the union's joint general secretary, told the BBC that the union had abided by the rules, but had been caught by a "minor technicality."

Woodley said the judge's decision "really does bring into question now whether we have a right to strike in this country."