British Airways will spend another day dealing with angry passengers after refusing to give stranded holidaymakers priority tickets over other travellers.
The airline is still dealing with a huge backlog at Heathrow airport despite more than 80 per cent of its 500 scheduled flights running as normal yesterday and up to 85 per cent of short-haul and 80 per cent of long-haul flights due to depart on today.
Up to 100,000 passengers have had their trips disrupted since BA staff walked out in sympathy on Wednesday with hundreds of catering workers sacked by in-flight meal supplier company Gate Gourmet.
Airport staff are working to reunite would-be travellers with 10,000 pieces of luggage that have become "stuck in the system" during the disruption.
However, those who have been stranded at the airport and suffered long delays are not being given priority tickets over people who are due to fly now, according to the company.
Instead they are being rebooked where seats are available, offered the chance to travel on another airline, or given a refund.
Marketing director Mr Martin George said passengers booked on cancelled flights were being dealt with on an individual basis.
He told Sky News: "We're working very hard on an individual basis to rebook them at a later time or on another airline, or offer them a refund."
BA said it was impossible to give exact figures for the number of passengers who were still waiting for flights because many had made alternative arrangements, but it is thought to be several thousand.
Services began operating again at about 8.30pm on Friday after the BA employees agreed to return to their posts.