BA wins court injunction to stop strike

British Airways won its bid for a British High Court injunction today to prevent a series of crippling Christmas strikes by thousands of cabin crew.

Mrs Justice Cox, sitting in London, granted the order to BA, which challenged the union Unite’s ballot of its 12,500 cabin crew members.

During the proceedings, which began yesterday afternoon, Bruce Carr QC, for BA, told the judge that the balloting process contained “serious and substantial irregularities”.

The strike, due to start next Tuesday, would deprive “literally millions of people of a happy Christmas”, he said.

Unite said the decision was a “disgraceful day for democracy”, adding it will hold a fresh ballot unless the dispute is resolved.