BRITISH Airways is hoping to resume more services today after two-thirds of staff agreed to return to work, ending misery for thousands of travellers.

Some baggage handlers and other employees reported for duty yesterday morning, and others decided to end their action after it was announced that talks would be held with employment intermediary Acas.

It is trying to resolve a row involving a company, which supplies food to the airline, and the Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU).

The airline cancelled all flights in and out of Heathrow up to 6pm but extended the time limit by two hours as talks with Acas continued.

An Acas spokesman said: "Following discussions between the company, the TGWU and Acas, the parties agreed to open discussions without prejudice, via the use of Acas, in order to resolve the major difficulties they face."

A limited number of flights took off from Heathrow after 8pm last night.

Tens of thousands of passengers have been left stranded because of the dispute, which caused travel chaos in one of the busiest weeks of the year for the airline industry.

The disruption had a knock-on effect on regional airports, including Newcastle International, which had to cancel six departures and five arrivals.

Passengers hoping to depart on the BA 1337 flight from Newcastle at 8.10pm were left disappointed after it was cancelled, as was a flight due to arrive from London at 7.20pm.

The flight from Heathrow which was due to arrive into Newcastle at 9.50pm, was scheduled to go ahead, and it was hoped today's 6am service in the opposite direction would run.

The cancellation of the flights yesterday is understood to have affected more than a thousand travellers wanting to fly to and from the North-East.

The airport received three diverted flights from New York, Tel Aviv and Hong Kong.

Passengers on these flights were coached and taxied from Newcastle by British Airways or offered accommodation in Newcastle until alternative arrangements could be made.

* Customers travelling to Heathrow in the next few days can contact the airline on 0800 727 800.