Staff problem leads to empty BA flights from U.K. to North America

LONDON -- British Airways has been flying planes from Britain to North America this month without a single passenger aboard because of a cabin crew shortage, the airline said Wednesday.

One environmental group sharply criticized the "phantom" BA flights, saying they indicate once again how indifferent the aviation sector can be to the world's battle against global warming.

Since Nov. 1, about one BA flight a day from Britain to the United States or Canada has left Heathrow or Gatwick airport carrying only pilots and cargo because of a cabin crew shortage, BA spokesman Tony Cane said.

The empty flights allowed BA to pick up passengers in North America who have reservations to fly to Britain, he said.

BA said it is working hard to resolve the problem, caused by the difficulty it sometimes has coordinating the separate schedules of its 15,000 full- and part-time cabin crew members, 3,000 pilots and 240 planes operating around the world. This sometimes leads to a lack of cabin crew for a specific flight.

Greenpeace criticized the use of such "phantom" flights at a time when the world is trying to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

"At a time of climate crisis it's absolutely scandalous that BA should be flying empty planes across the Atlantic," said Ben Stewart, a spokesman for the environmental campaign group in London.

"Global warming is the greatest threat we face, but by doing this, British Airways is flying in the face of the science and public opinion. The public wants companies to act responsibly these days."

BA denied a report in Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper that said the airline also was operating the "ghost" flights to avoid losing its valuable takeoff and landing slots at Heathrow Airport, one of the world's busiest.

British Airways PLC controls 41 percent of the sought-after slots at Heathrow Airport -- more than any other airline -- and like other flyers it must use them 80 percent of each year to retain them.

Earlier this year, British Mediterranean Airways, or BMed, a struggling carrier then operated as a BA franchise, was accused of using "ghost" flights between Heathrow and Cardiff to retain its slots at the London airport. In October, the airline stopped operating as a BA franchise, and it is now owned by BMI.