New BA Cabin Crew Strikes - 18/5 - 22/5, 24/5 - 28/5, 30/5 - 3/6, 5/6 - 9/6 2010

[deka2]

I am glad you got the next flight. Though I am not flying BA until next weekend, I am a tad anxious. Can you please tell me if you phoned BA Australia or BA UK?

I phoned BA Australia. 1300 767 177, unfortunately they are only open Mon to Fri 9.00 to 5.00. The lady I spoke to could not have been more helpful, and even asked me if it was OK to be booked on the next flight.
She had to cancel our QFF ticket for that sector and issue on BA plate. Emailed both tickets within 5 minutes,

Good luck with your flight

 

[Voyages]

I phoned BA Australia. 1300 767 177, unfortunately they are only open Mon to Fri 9.00 to 5.00. The lady I spoke to could not have been more helpful, and even asked me if it was OK to be booked on the next flight.
She had to cancel our QFF ticket for that sector and issue on BA plate. Emailed both tickets within 5 minutes,

Good luck with your flight

Thank you, deka2. I have managed to change 1 flight online.

Though BA hasn't confirmed their schedules for flights after 1 June, one can certainly see some patterns in their cancellations.

 

[NM]

UK court overturns injunction, allows BA flight attendants to strike

More news from ATW Daily News:

British Airways started implementing its contingency plan to mitigate the effect of cabin crew strikes after the UK Court of Appeal yesterday overturned an injunction blocking the industrial action, which originally was scheduled to begin Tuesday.

 

[simongr]

Just checked on my flights next Monday and all seems to be ok still - BA663 LCA-LHR.

I was intending to switch to a BA flight to JFK on 4 June but I shall not risk that...

 

[Walter Plinge]

My story: Booked with Qantas to fly MEL to Washington via LHR on Monday 31st May, PE - LHR-IAD being a code-share with BA.

[FONT=&quot]The BA website noted LHR-IAD as ‘not confirmed’. I checked it again yesterday morning and, damn, it had been cancelled – rotten bad luck as the other two LHR-IAD flights that day were still operating. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]I rang Qantas and they were sympathetic and helpful. I said I didn’t mind flying via Los Angeles but everything was booked solid in the coming week. After several minutes the lass got me on a BA flight leaving later the same day – but not to Washington. It went to New York. Oh well, a pest but nothing could be done. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]I didn’t do anything until later early yesterday evening when I thought I’d better make the JFK-Reagan flight booking. I checked my Qantas booking first but couldn’t see it there so I went to BA and, stone me, the new flight had just been cancelled! I was now getting a bit panicky.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]I called Qantas again (it was now 6:30pm) and a helpful fellow checked through all the options again. There was nothing left for London-New York (and by now I didn’t want to go via London) but he did get me on a great alternative the next day: Melbourne / Hong Kong / Vancouver / New York on Cathay Pacific (CX104, CX888) , business class. There’s a two hour break in Hong Kong but, hey, that business class lounge will be pretty comfortable.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]This is actually an excellent deal. It ‘cost’ an extra 43,000 points (i.e. 50%) but the upgrade fee was waived given the circumstances and I get a refund of $125 as the UK Government’s carbon dioxide tax no longer applies. I lose a day’s holiday but, heck, I’m just glad to get settled on a reliable carrier. Actually I probably don’t really lose a day. With the previous arrangement by the time I got to the hotel at around midnight after a l-o-n-g journey I wouldn’t have been up to much the next day anyway.[/FONT]

I'm catching an Amtrak train to Washington for $66.60. Takes 3.5 hours but I've got plenty of time.

Nothing but praise for Qantas' handling of this.

 

[Voyages]

Thumbs up for BA Australia, BA UK, Qantas, and my travel agent for handling my 2 cancelled flights.

Flight 1: Although BA and QF gave me completely different availabilities, they were more than helpful in this situation. My travel agent managed to get me a flight on the same day (rather than staying overnight in London as QF suggested). What's better? The flight was in Y class and I got double status credits for that flight.

Flight 2: Just got off the phone with BA UK, and they're able to give me a new flight straight away, no questions asked. Great stuff.

 

[Andyzx]

Re: New BA Cabin Crew Strikes Now Additional Ballot to Strike Aug

New stike ballot for Aug to Sept :evil::evil: Ballot only but based on history it will happen

BA cabin crew in new ballot for 12-week summer strikes | News
BA cabin crew in new ballot for 12-week summer strikes
British Airways flights face more disruption this summer from a 12-week walkout by cabin crew.
The Unite union is to ballot for a third time over a new round of strikes which could ground flights from 3 August until 25 October.
Those hoping to travel to European destinations could bear the brunt of the dispute if a resolution between the union and airline cannot be reached.
The ballot is over the use of staff from other parts of the business as cabin crew during the strikes, the “vindictive” withdrawal of travel concessions for those who walked out and disciplinary action against 55 union members.
BA's chief executive Willie Walsh said: “It is clear that Unite have been unable to ground BA, that their strike action has failed and that they would never ground BA.”

 

[Princess Fiona]

Re: New BA Cabin Crew Strikes Now Additional Ballot to Strike Aug

New stike ballot for Aug to Sept :evil::evil: Ballot only but based on history it will happen


British Airways flights face more disruption this summer from a 12-week walkout by cabin crew.
The Unite union is to ballot for a third time over a new round of strikes which could ground flights from 3 August until 25 October.

BA's chief executive Willie Walsh said: “It is clear that Unite have been unable to ground BA, that their strike action has failed and that they would never ground BA.”

Not sure if I'm posting this in right thread or not. I have a BA flight booked SYD-LHR in September (sitting in my favourite seat 62A). This strike has me looking at changing flight. I was thinking of changing to QF through HKG, a route which would also help maximise SC for retaining WP this year. What are AFFers experiences of this route like? ( I have to fly on QF flight number with a route that is not too exotic as 1 week turnaround and work related trip)

 

[Andyzx]

I'ts only a ballot at this stage but probably will happen.:evil:

Options areQF A380 via SIN, 747 via BKK and HKG. You should get the same SC's on all flights if they are ticketed as the same flight numbers. QF747 have flat beds but not fully flat like BA. A380 are fully flat

Being WP I would have thought you would have been in a good position for an Op UP. Via MEL HKG LHR you have some options as they usually sell QF29 at a 3 class and hold the first class cabin for emeralds. Not sure about ex syd
Or you can have a day shopping like a Queen in HKG and catch the BA flights to LHR. :arrow:

CX via HKG there is better posts elsewhere.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Thanks for that advice. I have changed the flight to QF087/ QF029. The HKG/LHR is showing as 4 class on both QF and expert flyer at present. Have selected upstairs cabin on QF29 and fingers crossed for op-up.

 

[Andyzx]

Lastest news, here's hoping
Union delays British Airways strike vote
June 27, 2010 - 8:44PM
AFP
The main union involved in the British Airways strikes said on Sunday it would defer a fresh ballot on industrial action planned for next week after the airline made an "interesting" new offer.
Tony Woodley, joint general secretary of the Unite union, told Sky News television it would be "suicidal and indeed inexplicable" if members were not consulted on the offer put forward by BA on Friday.

 

[ANstar]

Lastest news, here's hoping
Union delays British Airways strike vote
June 27, 2010 - 8:44PM
AFP
The main union involved in the British Airways strikes said on Sunday it would defer a fresh ballot on industrial action planned for next week after the airline made an "interesting" new offer.
Tony Woodley, joint general secretary of the Unite union, told Sky News television it would be "suicidal and indeed inexplicable" if members were not consulted on the offer put forward by BA on Friday.

I think it has more to do with the fact that BA sent them a strongly worded letter that said the 3 items they are balloting on were actually items brought up in the last dispute. BA asked them to carefuly reconsider the ballot as by going ahead they would put members at risk. (ie the action would be illegal, so strikers could be dismissed for no shows).


Instead UNITE will ballot the members on the offer, rather than strimke action. Of course the militant BASSA members are up in arms, but hopefully sense prevails with the majority of members and gthey accept it.

The offer is also open for non-union members to accept at their leisure.