passengers who left Bermuda last night to be re-routed to Stansted Airport northeast of London.

The airline's flight 232 departed Bermuda on schedule shortly after 8 p.m., British Airways spokeswoman Mrs. Sallie Singleton said.

But the 129 passengers on board were informed in advance that the plane would not be landing at Gatwick -- just south of London, as normal due to a 24-hour walk-out by British Airways cabin crew and ground staff in London.

The workers, represented by the Transport and General Workers Union, called for a strike after talks with the airline failed to resolve a dispute over pay and conditions.

The airline, in a marathon emergency meeting yesterday, persuaded union leaders to seek a quick end to the strike by giving written assurances over pay and job security.

But the agreement came too late to avert last night's disruption.

However, Mrs. Singleton said every passenger on flight 232 was re-booked on other airlines.

And transportation was arranged to take passengers who needed to get to Heathrow.

"At Stanstead there are good train and coach services into London,'' Mrs.

Singleton added.

Noting that British Airways would be unable to check baggage beyond London, she suggested passengers travelling to domestic points in the UK should travel by road or rail.

Just on the heels of the 24-hour strike, the airline's pilots' union announced its members had voted by a 7-to-1 ratio to authorise a separate strike.

Union leaders can call the walkout anytime in the next 28 days.

British Airways angered its unions with plans to transfer short-haul European flights out of Gatwick to a subsidiary that pays about 30 percent less.

Last night the general secretary of the pilots union, Mr. Chris Darke, is reported to have said he released results of the strike vote a day early to send the airline a message that tougher negotiations were on the way.

He said the pilots will not settle for assurances about pay and working conditions but instead will insist on a system-wide contract for all members who fly British Airways planes.