British Airways strike: Which flights are affected and advice if you are flying

British Airways staff based at London's Heathrow airport will go on strike this week in a dispute over "poverty pay".

More than 2,500 members of the airline's "mixed fleet" - mostly lower-paid cabin crew - will take industrial action on Tuesday 10 and Wednesday 11 January.

Will my flights be delayed or cancelled?

British Airways have confirmed flights from London Gatwick and London City airports will operate as normal. The airline has also said a "very small number" of flights to and from London Heathrow will be merged during the strike, which means some customers will have to travel slightly earlier or later than they originally booked.

The airline has said customers whose flights will be affected are being contacted with options, but you can also check your flights here.

Although the strike is taking place, the airline has said all passengers will be able to fly to their destinations as planned. The carrier said the "vast majority" of flights to and from Heathrow will operate as normal.

BA said in a statement: "We look forward to welcoming more than 200,000 customers onto our flights across the two days and ensuring they can all proceed with their holiday breaks, visits to friends and family or business meetings.

"Customers can book flights as normal through all of our usual sales channels including ba.com.

We urge Unite to abandon its strike plans which are serving only to cause anxiety among our Mixed Fleet cabin crew colleagues who do a tremendous job for our customers. We continue to be available for further dialogue with Unite."

What is behind the dispute?

The row is over the pay of British Airways cabin crew who have joined the company since 2010 on mixed fleet contracts, which means they fly a combination of short and long-haul flights.

Unite, the union representing around 2,900 mixed fleet staff members, says they are underpaid by the airline - stating earnings for the posts were advertised between £21,000 and £25,000 but wages for new staff are significantly lower, at just over £12,000 plus £3 an hour in flying pay. This claim is disputed by British Airways.

An earlier strike planned for the Christmas period was suspended after a new pay offer of a 2% rise in the first year and 2.5% in two subsequent years, but the offer was subsequently rejected by union members.

Unite regional officer Matt Smith said in a statement in December: "Our members have overwhelmingly voted for strike action because British Airways' pay rates are indefensible and the crew are at breaking point. The airline's boss Willie Walsh has pocketed €8.8 million and the parent company IAG reported profits of €1.4 billion.

"Mixed fleet crew earn just over the minimum wage and below the national average. Significant numbers of crew are taking on second jobs, many go to work unfit to fly because they can't afford to be sick. British Airways bosses need to wake up to the anger and the injustice here."

"Not only are the pay rates indefensible but in aviation, low pay is a safety issue."