Lock-out by Qantas hits UK travellers

HUNDREDS of passengers were stranded at London Heathrow yesterday after Qantas withdrew all of its flights amid a bitter industrial dispute.

The Australian national carrier grounded its fleet indefinitely and vowed to lock out ground staff and pilots after failing to agree a deal on pay and conditions. The lock-out is due to begin tomorrow night.

A Heathrow spokesman said four Qantas planes had been due to take off yesterday, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded.

British passengers hoping to fly home from overseas with Qantas are also affected.

The Foreign Office issued a statement advising those due to travel with the airline in the next 48 hours to check on the Qantas website or consult their tour operator.

Qantas said its staff would not be required to turn up at work and will not be paid, although employees overseas would continue to receive wages.

The airline had been forced to reduce and reschedule flights for weeks because of a series of strikes over staff concerns that their jobs were being moved abroad.

In a statement, Qantas said the strikes would have cost £13 million a day. Approximately 70,000 passengers have been affected and more than 600 flights cancelled.

Flights already in the air when the announcement was made continued to their destinations.

The airline said customers booked on Qantas flights should not go to airports until further notice, and added that a full refund would be available for all those affected.