's interest and will cause unacceptable inconvenience to passengers . He urges the strike be called off immediately '' and the two sides return to bargaining . In addition to the three-day strike beginning Saturday , Unite has decided to strike for four more days beginning March 27 . Unite represents 95 percent of BA 's 15,000 cabin crew members , but not all of them plan to strike . The airline has unveiled an ambitious contingency plan to get as many passengers as possible to their destinations . Walsh said he hopes that by leasing aircraft and using replacement workers , BA will be able to deliver about two-thirds of its customers to their planned destinations during the strikes . In a full-page ad in British newspapers Friday , Walsh said a `` significant number '' of cabin crews do n't support the strike and will continue to work , supported by volunteers from across the airline . The airline said it has also made agreements with more than 60 other carriers to rebook customers free of charge if their British Airways flights are canceled during the strike period . Will a strike by British Airways affect you ?
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- British Airways cabin crew members went on strike Saturday , leaving thousands of would-be passengers ' travel plans during the next two weeks in disarray . The strike came after British Airways Chief Executive Willie Walsh and the joint general secretary of the Unite union , Tony Woodley , emerged Friday from a meeting and announced the effort to avert the walkout had failed . `` This company does not want to negotiate , '' Woodley said of British Airways . `` This company wants ultimately to go to war with my members and the union . '' Walsh said he `` deeply regrets '' the inconvenience the strikes will cause to passengers but said the company will still try to operate as many flights as possible . `` I am disappointed the union has not been able to see the sense of the proposal we tabled today , '' Walsh said . Advice for passengers British Airways posted lists on its Web site of flights that it plans to operate during the walkout . A spokesperson for Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he `` believes that this strike is in no one