BA's Scotland services to resume

Glasgow was among the airports affected by the dispute

British Airways passengers flying from Glasgow to London have been advised to turn up as normal on Saturday.

The news came on Friday as BA's Heathrow timetable was getting back to normal after unofficial strike action.

The company's manager at Glasgow Airport, Gerry Fox, said he hoped to run a "near normal service" at the weekend.

Thousands of BA passengers travelling from Scotland to London were caught up in the dispute sparked on Thursday.

BA had cancelled all flights to or from the London airport until 1800 BST on Friday.

Baggage handlers and ground staff at Heathrow walked out the day before in support of sacked catering staff.

Flight diverted

Mr Fox said on Friday: "It has been a difficult period and it has been very disappointing.

"At the moment, cost is not a priority for us.

"It is absolutely essential that we look after our passengers and that we treat them in a way in which we will hopefully regain their confidence."

As the strike's effects rippled beyond Heathrow, BA advised those travelling from Scotland to stay at home.

About 600 BA passengers flying from the US to London spent an unscheduled night in Glasgow after being told there was no room for their aircraft to land at Heathrow.

More than 300 travellers on a flight from Melbourne in Australia found themselves diverted to Prestwick.

They then faced a bus journey to Heathrow or Glasgow for connections to Europe and the US.

BA operates more than 60 flights between Heathrow and Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen and a total of 300 cross-border and internal flights in Scotland.

The dispute began when Gate Gourmet, which supplies food to BA flights, dismissed 600 staff.

This led to a shortage of catering supplies on BA flights, and a decision to ground all Thursday's flights and divert 14 inward-bound flights followed.

The dispute escalated when hundreds of BA baggage handlers, loaders and other ground staff represented by the Transport and General Workers' Union staged an unofficial secondary walk-out.