Thousands of British Airways (BA) travellers suffered flight cancellations Saturday because of a strike called by cabin crews over pay and working conditions.

The three-day strike, the first to affect the airline in 13 years, was called by trade unions after last-ditch talks with BA management collapsed.

BA said it had set up contingency plans aimed at flying around 45,000 customers each day, or 60 percent of the total, between Saturday and Monday. The airline normally flies around 75,000 passengers on a weekend.

Unite trade union officials said early indications suggested that most of its 12,000 members were supporting the action.

Less than two-thirds of scheduled long-haul flights operating out of Heathrow Airport were expected to fly over the weekend.

BA chief executive Willie Walsh, who was personally involved in marathon talks with union leaders Thursday and Friday, said the collapse of the talks was 'deeply regrettable'.

Unite in turn accused BA of 'wanting war' with the union.

The three-day strike which started Saturday was to be followed by four days of industrial action from March 27.