British Airways Has to 'Cancel Nearly 100%' of Flights

British Airways says it has had to cancel almost all flights Monday and Tuesday as a result of a pilots' 48-hour strike over pay. In a statement Monday, the airline said it had "no way of predicting how many (pilots) would come to work or which aircraft they are qualified to fly." As a result, it said it had "no option but to cancel nearly 100%" of its flights. BA said it stands ready to return to talks with pilots' union BALPA and that it is offering affected customers full refunds or the option to rebook, the AP reports. The union accuses BA of making massive profits at the expense of workers who made sacrifices during hard times. The union, which rejected an offer of an 11.5% pay rise for pilots, says the airline has threatened to withdraw travel perks from striking pilots for three years, the Telegraph reports. A further strike is penciled in for Sept. 27. BA operates up to 850 flights a day. (More British Airways stories.)