British Airways (BA) is to equip staff with the necessary skills to manage services in the event of further strike action with its in-flight caterer.

Seven hundred flights were grounded last summer when Gate Gourmet staff undertook unofficial strikes against the airline.

BA plans to train its own staff to use the caterer’s loading trucks to ensure food and supplies will be available to passengers should Gate Gourmet stage further walk outs.

A BA spokeswoman said: “Gate Gourmet prepares our food but, just as importantly, it offers important logistical support, including loading cutlery, first-aid kits and toilet paper.”

She explained that the crisis situation held on August 10 last year was due to a lack of staff skills training.

“Because we can’t use its equipment and don’t have staff trained to operate it, we ended up in [that] position last summer,” she said.

Gate Gourmet’s Vice President, Richard Wells said a summer of strikes is a possibility.

“There is no reason it should happen again this summer because of the changes we’ve since made, but you can never say never,” he commented.