• Finnair cancels 200 flights as strike accelerates

HELSINKI (AFP) - Finland's national carrier Finnair cancelled a further 180 flights Tuesday, as several unions launched punitive measures against the airline in support of the week-long strike by the Cabin Crew Union.

At 7:00 am (0500 GMT), the Transport Workers' Union ceased delivering fuel to Finnair flights, while other unions took measures that will affect catering, check-in services, ground handling, de-icing, cargo and postal services.

Later Tuesday, the Finnish Aviation Union (IAU) announced it expanded the list of airport services it would deny Finnair in support of the strike to include maintenance, repairs, and inspections of the company's planes.

These measures also affect Finnair flights run by other airlines which Finnair has contracted to fly some of their routes.

In addition, charter holiday flights, which were initially excluded from the support strike, are now being cut off from these services as well.

"This hasn't really changed the situation very much so far. We still plan to operate as we have been doing until now," Finnair spokeswoman Inka Ikonen told AFP.

She added that enough employees are at work that the airline feels it can keep flying around 30 percent of its flights.

Talks between the union and Finnair stalled Monday when the union rejected a compromise proposal from state labour mediator Esa Lonka.

Since the strike began on November 30, more than 1,400 flights have been cancelled, affecting more than 74,000 travellers.

The unions accuse Finnair of encouraging Cabin Crew Union members to cross the picket line because of an email the airline sent to all cabin crew employees telling them how they could return to work if they wished.