A couple of airline news stories I am running together. The one affecting passengers most directly is that budget airline Flyglobespan has gone into administration, leaving thousands stranded and more without a Christmas flight. And a strike called by BA cabin crew has been declared illegal because of a technical flaw in the ballot.
 

Edinburgh-based low-cost airline Flyglobespan went into administration on December 16th, and closed its operations almost immediately. It was estimated that 4,500 people were stranded yesterday, December 17th, mainly in Spain (Malaga, Alicante and Palma, de Mallorca), Portugal, Cyprus and Egypt.  The Civil Aviation Authority is expected to take care of 1,100 flyers whose flights were included in holiday packages or otherwise ATOL protected. Ryanair and other airlines are arranging extra flights and offering seats at special prices to Flyglobespan passengers. Flyglobespan had been Scotland's largest airline and of the country's business success stories. Its collapse is being blamed on cash-flow problems related with the company processing its online booking, E-Clear.

More information:
Flyglobespan
BBC: Flyglobespan collapse strands thousands of passengers
Ryanair Globespan Rescue Fare

The 12-day Christmas strike planned by BA cabin crew was declared illegal by the High Court yesterday, December 17^th. The strike had the massive support of BA's 12,500 cabin crew, 80% of whom turned out to vote last weekend, over 90% of them in favour of the strike. It had been widely condemned by business observers, because of BA's fragile economic situation, and by the general public, for BA cabin crew are among the best remunerated in the sector and the strike's timing would have caused maximum inconvenience, but BA's heavy-handed management has caused great resentment among employees in the last two months.

More information:
British Airways: Cabin crew strike - called off
BA Strike News
Unite BA
BBC: What's the dispute about?