British Airways suspends short-haul flight ticket sales

British Airways on Tuesday suspended ticket sales for short-haul flights to domestic and European destinations.

Existing customers will be allowed to rebook where necessary, announced the airline after Heathrow Airport said it would cap capacity in an attempt to deal with widespread air travel disruption, baggage delays, and flight cancelations.

The London airport said the measure has led to better outcomes, though airlines such as Emirates and Virgin Atlantic sharply criticized the move.

In a statement, British Airways said: "As a result of Heathrow's request to limit new bookings, we've decided to take responsible action and limit the available fares on some Heathrow services to help maximise rebooking options for existing customers, given the restrictions imposed on us and the ongoing challenges facing the entire aviation industry."

The move comes amid ongoing turbulence in the UK air travel sector.

British Airways' check-in staff at Heathrow threatened to go on strike over pay last month, but a settlement was found.

Elsewhere, Ryanair's cabin crew union in Spain -- one of the UK's most popular travel destinations -- announced that they would strike four days every week until January over pay and conditions.