BA seeks alternative flights for strike-hit passengers

British Airways (BA) is seeking to reassure passengers who are due to fly out of Australia with the airline next week that their travel plans will not be disrupted despite a planned strike in the United Kingdom.

Cabin staff have voted to walk out for 48 hours from Tuesday, meaning the airline will not operate any flights into or out of Heathrow and Gatwick Airports.

Cabin crew staff called the strike over sick leave, pay and staffing conditions.

Passengers who are due to fly with British Airways from Australia next week are being contacted ahead of the planned strike action.

But the airline's Sydney office says it is confident disruption to passengers' plans will be kept to an absolute minimum.

BA regional general manager for the south-west Pacific, Roger Burr, says everyone who is scheduled to fly out of Sydney is being rebooked on alternative flights.

"Most of whom we've actually contacted already," he said.

"Alternatively passengers can visit www.ba.com for the latest information or contact BA on 1300 767 177 or their travel agent.

"Any passengers that choose not to fly on the cancelled days will, of course, be offered a full refund."

Mr Burr says passengers leaving from Sydney are being booked on flights with other airlines to ensure their plans do not need to be changed.

"As far as what we've done already, they'll be arriving the same time," he said.

"We're very fortunate with the number of flights from Sydney through both Bangkok and Singapore, but also through Narita, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, even Beijing, Shanghai, [it] means that there should be minimum disruption.

"Some people are flying a little bit earlier and arriving a couple of hours late but they're certainly arriving at their destination on the day of their original choice."