AFP - British Airways management and union leaders clashed again Monday over the impact of a cabin crew strike, as the industrial action caused disruption for a third straight day.

The airline said it had operated 83 percent of long-haul flights over the weekend, up from 78 percent during a three-day strike the previous weekend, as well as 67 percent of short-haul flights -- up from 50 percent a week earlier.

The company also said it had leased only half as many non-BA aircraft with crews -- 11 compared to 22.

BA carried nearly 119,000 people over the weekend, after the start Saturday of a second, four-day strike due to end on Tuesday, it said.

The second strike was costing 5.5 million pounds per day compared to seven million pounds per day the previous weekend, it said.

But the Unite union said 50 percent of staff were on strike at the weekend and on Monday, adding that many BA aicraft were flown empty, to downplay the impact of the strike.

The union announced that it was allocating 700,000 pounds of union funds to support striking BA staff.

"This is an unprecedented move and it shows that Unite is absolutely determined to give our members all the support they deserve in winning this battle against the BA bullies," said Unite chief Tony Woodley.

"We continue to search for a decent settlement in this dispute but cabin crew are not going to be driven back to work for lack of resources," added Woodley, whose union represents 12,000 BA cabin crew.

Talks between BA and Unite, Britain's largest trade union, broke down on the eve of a first wave of strikes on March 20 and there is no date for them to resume.

The strikes centre on what the union says is BA chief executive Willie Walsh's "slash and burn strategy" to cut costs, which Unite claims would lead to a two-tier workforce and damage standards of customer service.