Dealing with potential BA stike

[Mal]

Update:

BA have rejected the unions offer. There is a BASSA press conference tomorrow around lunchtime (UK time) - so perhaps 10-11pm Australian time. It is expected a strike will be called.

So if travelling between 19th-26th March, watch out...

 

[Mal]

Strike dates have now been announced:

Three days from 20 March and for four days from 27 March.

(20-22 March and 27-30 March).

http://www.britishairways.com/travel/strike-ballot/public/en_gb?refevent=HOME_URGENT_CENTRE

British Airways cabin crew strike

We are extremely disappointed that Unite, the union that represents the majority of British Airways (BA) cabin crew, has announced that it intends to take strike action on the following dates:

* 20, 21 and 22 March 2010
* 27, 28, 29 and 30 March 2010

We are very sorry for the stress and disruption Unite's decision will cause.

We are currently considering our response to this strike threat and what action we will need to take to minimise disruption.

All our flights are operating normally at the moment.

We will be updating this page with further details as soon as it is available.

 

[Danger UXB]

3 days from the 20th , 4 days fron the 27th. BUGGER
I fly on 24th late .Do you reckon the schdule will be will be back on track by then? Or do I use my backup plan with SQ
Danger UXB

 

[codash1099]

20th hits me - 2 flights scheduled for that day. Still, could be worse.

 

[codash1099]

Perhaps a faint glimmer of hope provided the union members wake up to how much they will lose by striking (see last para).

The union, however, is still talking tough.

BA cabin crew union warns of second wave of strikes

 

[Andyzx]

Seems that there could be additional issues to deal with
1) Additional strikes in April
2) Will BA survive - whilst I would not panic if you have a current booking (like me) it does give one cause for thought on future booking BA. Quote form The Australian Monday 15th
THE FUTURE of British Airways is at risk if the threatened strikes by cabin crew go ahead, the Transport Secretary has warned.
Lord Adonis appealed to members of the Unite union to "put the public first and put the company first" and call off their action.
Using the strongest language of any Cabinet minister so far in condemning the stoppage planned by Unite, which is one of Labour's big financial backers, Lord Adonis said that he "absolutely deplored" the strike and that it was "totally unjustified".
He called on both sides to use the brief opportunity before this weekend's first planned walkout to return to the negotiating table.
Union sources condemned the Transport Secretary's "unhelpful" intervention and urged the Government to put pressure on BA to retable a deal that it withdrew on Friday.
Passengers booked to fly with BA over the strike period will learn today if their particular flights will operate, when the airline publishes a revised schedule for the next two weekends.
The airline says that up to 70 per cent of flights will operate. Despite the Transport Secretary's dire warning, BA insisted that its cash reserves would enable it to weather protracted industrial unrest.
Lord Adonis said: "The stakes are incredibly high in this strike. The impact will not only be deeply damaging on passengers, it will threaten the very existence of British Airways."
The union expects thousands of its cabin crew members to walk out for three days from this Saturday and for four days from the following Saturday, March 27, in a dispute over cost cutting. The action could mean travel chaos for half a million passengers booked with BA before and after Easter.
Although Unite says it will not strike during the first two weeks of April, further dates will be set on April14 if no deal is reached. "The Australian"

 

[anat0l]

Seems that there could be additional issues to deal with
1) Additional strikes in April

Gotta love how the union effectively holds the airline to ransom.

I guess even if BA goes bust, one still maintains their dignity. Or do they?

Lord Adonis appealed to members of the Unite union to "put the public first and put the company first" and call off their action.
Using the strongest language of any Cabinet minister so far in condemning the stoppage planned by Unite, which is one of Labour's big financial backers, Lord Adonis said that he "absolutely deplored" the strike and that it was "totally unjustified".
He called on both sides to use the brief opportunity before this weekend's first planned walkout to return to the negotiating table.

For actually once, the unions are right to be enraged at this comment. Lord Adonis obviously has no idea what to do, and a statement like that especially with absolutely no action is worse than ridiculous; it's closer actually to sickening. Someone should give him a mighty thrashing with an umbrella.

"Call on both sides to go back to the table?" What do you think has been happening over the last few weeks? How effective has that been? Hitting your head against a brick wall would be ten times more effective than what he is recommending. What an idiot.

If you're going to participate in this heated affair, do something useful. Adding mindless, stupid, uneducated commentary is tantamount to questioning the reason, purpose and worth for one's very existence.

 

[kamchatsky]

Just wondering, with all these looming strike by the BA unions over the years, why would anyone still pick BA over QF/CX for Aust-LHR flights, given that QF and CX would be a lot more secure (esp Australia-SIN/BKK/HKG-LHR route)? Are their flights so much cheaper (which I do not believe)? Why getting yourself so much hassle? Is it because BA has much more superior flight times? I do not believe BA has superior service/seats compared with CX/QF?

That was the reason I avoided BA last year when redeeming my QF OW Award to UK and rest of Europe. I flew CX for HKG-LHR and AY on LHR-HEL instead of BA (and yes BA award was available for both legs), even though I was curious about BA as I have never flown before. I just could not see myself sweating about UK union striking on a regular basis.

 

[anat0l]

Well BA have put up a large section of their website giving information about the strike:

BA cabin crew strike 2010 - general information - British Airways

Some BA services will be cancelled, some will be operated by charter airlines, and of course some will continue as normal. Longhaul from LGW and all LCY services are unaffected due to different unions. Reduced services will feature on most flights, particularly medium and long haul. Most stark feature will be no hot or special meals (including in First!), however catering in BA lounges is supposed to compensate (note to pax: pig out in lounge - you will need it).

 

[WWTFC]

When do you need to get anxious about connectors with BA in May & Jun.
Long hauls with Qantas but London to Nice and London to Stockholm with BA.?

Is it a wait and see or do you start to look for alternatives?
Thanks in advance

Col D

 

[codash1099]

Well BA have put up a large section of their website giving information about the strike:

BA cabin crew strike 2010 - general information - British Airways

Some BA services will be cancelled, some will be operated by charter airlines, and of course some will continue as normal. Longhaul from LGW and all LCY services are unaffected due to different unions. Reduced services will feature on most flights, particularly medium and long haul. Most stark feature will be no hot or special meals (including in First!), however catering in BA lounges is supposed to compensate (note to pax: pig out in lounge - you will need it).

I can tell you from personal experience of 2 that have been cancelled

 

[flyer4703]

I had flights cancelled to Dubrovnik , managed to get seats on Austrian, probably an easier connection than BA, I had to get to Gatwick for the BA flights, with Austrian I only have to change terminals at Heathrow.

 

[drron]

BA have upped the ante and it may become even nastier-
British Airways permanently axes perks for striking cabin crew

Striking British Airways cabin crews may soon get the stay-at-home blues after the airline permanently cut off their access to free and discounted travel on its routes.
Airline officials say they have the right to eliminate the travel perks because it is not protected by any contractual agreement

 

[codash1099]

BA have upped the ante and it may become even nastier-
British Airways permanently axes perks for striking cabin crew

Well they were warned.

2 more flights until I'm free of this particular worry. Now for the potential UK rail strike

 

[Danger UXB]

so I got to Monday morning 22/3/10 and then BA decide to canc my hkg to lhr leg on the 24/3/10 (yes only 48 hrs notice!!!). Ba say they can do nothing to help and qantas say the same. Thank heavens for plan B and SQ. Arrived after a wonderful trip in new J. Now I just have to work out when to try to rid myself of the last of these bloody QFF points again
Cheers Danger UXB