Britain approves BA use of Qatar Airways planes

British authorities have given British Airways the go-ahead to use Qatar Airways planes and staff during a planned two-week strike by members of its cabin crew, a spokesman for the Department for Transport said on Friday.BA has committed to fly all its customers to their destinations during the strike, which begins today.BA, owned by IAG, had applied to use nine Qatar planes and staff in an arrangement with Qatar Airways, which is a close partner of BA.Staff in the mixed fleet crew, which flies shot and long haul routes, plan to strike for 16 days in a long-running dispute over pay and sanctions on employees.The spokesman said that the transport department’s decision had been taken on the advice of Britain’s Civil Aviation Authority.Qatar to comply with new USairline security measuresHE the Minister of Transport Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti said yesterday that Qatar will comply with enhanced security measures for flights to the United States designed to prevent expanding an in-cabin ban on laptops.The measures, which European and US officials said on Wednesday would begin taking effect within three weeks, could require additional time to screen passengers and personal electronic devices for possible explosives.“We will respect it,” the minister said in an interview in Montreal, where he is meeting officials of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).