Dealing with potential BA stike

[N860CR]

Well unfortunatley it seems some of us here may run into some issues in the coming weeks with the potential BA cabin crew strike.

I'm booked to travel SYD-BKK on BAi n J. It was booked through Qantas and is an award redeption, however I'm on the BA flight number not the QF codeshare.

Does anyone know what QF may do with this booking should the flight be cancelled. Given I'm on the BA code, I'm guessing they won't be offering too much assistance?

Who else is likely to suffer because of this?

 

[Mal]

To give an example, when the strike was set to occur over Christmas, I had a Qantas Award on BA (LHR-Europe). Qantas didn't care as the flight hadn't been cancelled etc etc, but did protect their own customers (who were on a BA codeshare) to LHR.

Have a look at their response in Dec, and expect similar from them this time if the strike is called:
About Qantas - Media Room - Media Releases - Qantas Statement on British Airways Industrial Action

Having an award booking with Qantas but flying BA is actually a pretty bad situation to be in IMHO. You lose the flexibility that BA is able to offer if you booked through them, but don't really gain any flexibility from Qantas.

Strike Ballot results are being announced about 23:00 SYD time tomorrow, so that will start contingency plans for BA and other airlines. The union probably won't announce actual strike dates until Mid week, and it's also quite likely BA will take them to court again (and probably block the strike based on BASSA's incompetence). Even if the strike does go ahead, I would expect it to fail after a few days at most.

 

[N860CR]

Hmm yes had feared as much.

I don't expect the strike to last long either, however with a 7th March departure I think I'm going to fall right in the middle of it. "Yes" annoucement tomorrow, say on Thursday they announce the dates which will be from 4th March onwards. Those of us travelling 4-9th or so may be in the worst position!

 

[codash1099]

So now that I'm not haunted by JAL, BA steps in to take up the slack. I'm leaving on QF in 3 weeks to LHR but then multiple BA flights in Europe and then BA from LHR to BOS.

Who's next in the queue?

 

[estate]

I had an intra-europe flight on BA on Boxing Day of last year - originally scheduled to be whilst the strike was on.

And I'm on BA10 to LHR next Sunday, so fortunately I'll miss this new strike (if it happens) by a couple of days.

Two near misses from the only two BA flights I've ever had!

 

[anat0l]

Does anyone know what QF may do with this booking should the flight be cancelled. Given I'm on the BA code, I'm guessing they won't be offering too much assistance?

As Mal mentioned, you probably aren't in the best situation with the award booking.

I'd be on the phone with QF now to discuss your options (if you want) otherwise immediately after if a strike is set in stone to go ahead.

It would be crass and very silly for QF not to rebook you if the strike went ahead or for BA to leave ticketed pax high and dry, although I can just see turning up at the airport with a QF e-ticket for BA then both sides playing the blame game (BA = it's not our ticket/money, QF = it's not our aircraft/flight) :-|

 

[N860CR]

I'll call Qantas tomorrow and discuss options, however seeing it's a J award I can't see them being too helpful (even as an SG). There is no J award availability and QF1 seems close to full in J that day anyway. Probably best I can hope for is a seat in Y on QF1, which is far from the ideal start to a holiday!

 

[Mal]

I'd be on the phone with QF now to discuss your options (if you want) otherwise immediately after if a strike is set in stone to go ahead.

Qantas won't care at the moment ... BASSA needs to declare a strike. The moment they do (and it affects my date of travel), then I'd be on the phone to Qantas requesting a change of carrier.

Flying SYD-BKK is a lot easier to get changed than LHR-Europe... but the important thing is to try and beat everyone else who has to have flights changed.

Qantas may not care for a little while until they publish their insturctions on how they will handle the strike.

But yeah, a QF ticket on BA isn't the ideal situation.

 

[anat0l]

I'll call Qantas tomorrow and discuss options, however seeing it's a J award I can't see them being too helpful (even as an SG).

Qantas won't care at the moment ... BASSA needs to declare a strike. The moment they do (and it affects my date of travel), then I'd be on the phone to Qantas requesting a change of carrier.

Hmmm...I guess that makes sense. There'll be no training for the front line staff on how to deal with something like this and no reason (at least from the powers that had to be) to do so until it actually happens.

If I were an SG, I'd be on the phone as soon as the strike is called, even if QF haven't released the bulletin on their website yet, only because without the help (and speed) of Qantas Premium, lines will probably get jammed in quick time.

There is no J award availability and QF1 seems close to full in J that day anyway. Probably best I can hope for is a seat in Y on QF1, which is far from the ideal start to a holiday!

I wonder if QF would let you reroute through SIN or HKG instead. Mightn't work with your current plans, although it remains to be seen what additional "flexibility" (assuming you can get a little bit in the first place) will be afforded to you as a victim of BA strikes....


OTOH, if BA does strike, will the OP be protected in any part by the Euro regulations? (In as so far as the basic applicability criteria is concerned, does a worker strike qualify as exceptional circumstances for the airline to waive its obligations?)


I guess the moral is prepare some scenarios for rerouting/retiming but don't hit the panic button until the strike is called officially.

The way that these strikes are getting called and then shot down before they can occur is almost becoming routine/viral, but of course let's not be so naive as to think that it will never happen.....

 

[N860CR]

Fingers remain crossed. I'm flying into SYD the day before I leave for BKK so I'd quite happily accept a SIN or HKG routing (again, no award avail showing on CX either).

My only other hopes are that either the strike doesn't happen, is delayed a little (on my understanding, the union need to give BA 7 days notice, so if they agree to a strike at the meeting on the 25th, the earliest they could strike is the 4th - the aircraft operating my flight leaves LHR on the 5th ). Or... that BA decide to operate the Asia/Australia flights with their skeleton crews in favour of the more frequent Euro/America services.

Going to be a stressful few days!

 

[Mal]

Hmmm...I guess that makes sense. There'll be no training for the front line staff on how to deal with something like this and no reason (at least from the powers that had to be) to do so until it actually happens.

Yep, the frontline staff don't know very much until told something. That was also my experience when I casually asked a question before my flight was cancelled (although it wasn't actually cancelled!).

OTOH, if BA does strike, will the OP be protected in any part by the Euro regulations? (In as so far as the basic applicability criteria is concerned, does a worker strike qualify as exceptional circumstances for the airline to waive its obligations?)

My understanding is that the EU regulations will not apply when Industrial action happens.

I guess the moral is prepare some scenarios for rerouting/retiming but don't hit the panic button until the strike is called officially.

The way that these strikes are getting called and then shot down before they can occur is almost becoming routine/viral, but of course let's not be so naive as to think that it will never happen.....

Indeed. If Qantas wants to rebook onto QF1 etc, then issue will be averted. If they don't then until the first day of the strike happens ... presume nothing!

Going to be a stressful few days!

To quote the lovely campaign about Terrorism: "Be alert, but not alarmed!".

They are not on strike yet. The ballot hasn't even been announced (although I predict a 60% turnup of members, and a 75% approval of a strike ... time will tell if I'm correct!).

Follow the news closely and get a feeling for what is occuring and take it from there.

 

[serfty]

... My understanding is that the EU regulations will not apply when Industrial action happens. ...

This is true for cancellations (and, possibly delays of 3 hours or more).

Involuntary downgrades and delays (of less than three hours or possibly, more) may be a different matter as "Extraordinary Circumstances" exceptions are not specifically referred to in those provisions.

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2004:046:0001:0007:EN:PDF

...

Whereas:
...

(14)

As under the Montreal Convention, obligations on operating air carriers should be limited or excluded in cases where an event has been caused by extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. Such circumstances may, in particular, occur in cases of political instability, meteorological conditions incompatible with the operation of the flight concerned, security risks, unexpected flight safety shortcomings and strikes that affect the operation of an operating air carrier.​

(15)

Extraordinary circumstances should be deemed to exist where the impact of an air traffic management decision in relation to a particular aircraft on a particular day gives rise to a long delay, an overnight delay, or the cancellation of one or more flights by that aircraft, even though all reasonable measures had been taken by the air carrier concerned to avoid the delays or cancellations.​

...

Article 5
Cancellation​

1.

In case of cancellation of a flight, the passengers concerned shall:​

...

3.

An operating air carrier shall not be obliged to pay compensation in accordance with Article 7, if it can prove that the cancellation is caused by extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken.​

...

.

 

[Danger UXB]

So Danielribo I guess we are both at the lower end of the flight chain ( I think we have no chance of either BA or QF helping us out here). I like you have 3 business reward seats on BA26 out of HKG but not until 24/3/10 so I'm hopeing the strike will have run it's course by then. Just out of interest it seems likely to go ahead for 10 days if the latest from the UK is anything to go by
British Airways cabin crew push for 10-day strike action | Business | The Guardian
Bearing in mind the title of the thread my way of dealing with it was to transfer a pile of AMEX points to krisflyer and booked 3 business redemptions MEL to LHR a couple of weeks ago for the same dates as the QF/BA trip (sooo much more availability with SQ). If the strike goes ahead I cancel the QF/BA booking ( and I'll be buggered if they are going to sting me for the cancelation points!) and if I'm not affected then I cancel the SQ booking and loose a few thousand krisflyer points or pay the US$ fee.
I must say these are my last QFF pionts and I really don't want them back. This whole episode has been another nail in the coffin to my QFF membership.
I will cross my fingers for your trip but I think you are going to get stuck. Please let us all know the outcome
cheers Danger UXB

 

[N860CR]

It's a Yes vote

80.7% in favour of industrial action (pretty close Mal!).

Now just wait and see I guess. Meeting is on Thursday where strike dates are due to be released. By my understanding, earliest strike could begin March 4th.

Given I'm flying March 7th, with my aircraft departing the UK March 5th... I'm getting concerned!

 

[Mal]

80.7% in favour of industrial action (pretty close Mal!).

Yeah, appears to be ~81% approval, 80% turnout. A huge difference from their poll late last year...

I suggest again that you keep an eye on things and deal with them as they happen. There is little use in worrying about things that may or may not occur.

 

[anat0l]

Rather interesting text on BA's Strike FAQ:

* Will you pay compensation if there is a strike?

We will comply with our passenger care obligations (e.g. provision of meals, hotel accommodation etc. as appropriate) under European regulation 261/04. Regulation 261/04 categorises industrial action as 'extraordinary circumstances', which means that BA is not obliged to pay compensation.

This seems to say both positive and negative things in the same paragraph!

 

[serfty]

... This seems to say both positive and negative things in the same paragraph!

"Passenger Care" (Article 9) comes under the delay provisions (Article 6) which have no clause for exclusion due to "Extraordinary Circumstances".

"Compensation" (Article 7) comes under cancellation provisions (Article 5) to which the "Extraordinary Circumstances" clause does apply.


http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2004:046:0001:0007:EN:PDF

 

[Mal]

This seems to say both positive and negative things in the same paragraph!

Serfty summed it up well earlier in this thread.

 

[straitman]

We were in this situation several years ago when BA cabin crew called a strike. We were travelling on J around the world with one paid and one rewards ticket. The leg in question was HKG-LHR.

As soon as the actual dates were announced I called QF who sorted out alternate flights with BA for us. Ultimately the strike was cancelled and we moved back to our original flight as they were more suitable. It seems though that most people did not move back as the a/c was nearly empty. I counted about 20 in Y and about 6 in J. (No idea about F)

The point is that QF and BA went out of their way to assist with the flight changes for both the paid and rewards tickets.

 

[N860CR]

It appears that QF have stopped selling J seats on QF301 (ie: BA10), so perhaps they are starting to make some plans. Still selling Y though.