British Airways flights to Larnaca and Paphos Airports were cancelled today as BA pilots began a 48-hour strike, grounding nearly all its flights and disrupting the plans of thousands travellers in unprecedented industrial action over a pay dispute.

Two arrivals and three departures from Larnaca to Heathrow were affected, as was a flight to and from Paphos and Gatwick.

Another three departures and arrivals to Larnaca will be affected tomorrow.

The British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) last month gave the airline notice of three days of industrial action in September, in the first ever strike by BA pilots.