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British Airways cabin crew held a third day of strike action Monday, prolonging travel misery for thousands -- as a business group warned the action threatens Britain's global reputation.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown is meanwhile battling to prevent the strike -- also threatening Easter holiday plans next weekend unless a deal is struck -- clouding his political hopes weeks ahead of a general election.

"The strike is reminiscent of a best-forgotten era," said Jo Valentine, head of business group London First on the last of an initial three-day strike over planned changes to pay and conditions.

"The message from BA's London-based business customers to both sides is: get back to the negotiating table, and to union members: get back to work in the meantime."

The dispute centres on attempts by loss-making BA to downgrade its employees' pay and perks packages, which are among the most lucrative in the industry.

BA and the Unite union -- which represents its 12,000 cabin crew -- disputed the strike's impact at the weekend. The airline claimed it had held up well, but Unite said fewer than 20 percent of crew had turned up for work.

On Monday BA again claimed many cabin crew were ignoring the strike call.

"We are operating our planned schedule of departures at Heathrow and Gatwick and we have been able to add flights into our schedule at both airports over the weekend as well as today," said a spokesman.

A full service is set to resume rapidly on Tuesday after the first three-day action ends, he said.

But unless a solution is found, staff will walk out again next Saturday for four days.

Brown and his finance minister Alistair Darling have both criticised the strike.

But with a general election expected in May, the main opposition Conservatives have accused the government of a limp response to the strike because Unite is a major donor to Brown's Labour Party.

"Once again, under Gordon Brown the vested interests triumph and the people lose out," Conservative leader David Cameron said at the weekend.

"Will the prime minister come out in support of those people who would cross the picket line? No -- because the Unite union is bankrolling the Labour Party," he added.

Labour, long languishing far behind the Conservatives in opinion polls, has clawed back to within a few points in recent weeks, fuelling speculation that there is all to play for in expected May 6 polls.

A spokesman for Brown said the premier was following developments very closely.

"The prime minister has always been conscious throughout this period that the people who really suffer are the customers," he said.

"And if there is any good news coming out of it, it is that some customers were able to get away this weekend. But clearly it is not satisfactory," he added.

Unite chief Tony Woodley meanwhile called for more talks with BA management.

"The economics of the madhouse should now be put to one side," he said, addressing workers near Heathrow Airport, west of London.

"We need to reach a sensible, fair deal, to get this company up and running again, to get passengers flying again, to get all of the planes off the ground."

AFP