Originally Posted by
WarrenUK
I have seen a few posts on this thread and others that show despair at the possible strike action ahead but it occurs to me (at least me personally) that the Unions are off target. The premium passengers, on which BA seems to depend so much, are a pretty hard nosed and resilient bunch.
In these strikes our annoyance (anger even) is generally not directed at Willie or BA Management but at those on strike. Our thanks and gratitude are extended to those that break the strike or those with the sense not to be led by the short sighted.
I spotted at least one post saying that if BA Management doesn't sort out the unions, sack the strikers etc, that advocated deserting BA for another carrier and that may be a fair response but for me, I will support BA even more strongly, give them the premium passenger muscle to help them win in the struggle with the Union.
BA will carry me on 6 Club or First long haul sectors in the next 3 weeks. I will not change or cancel those bookings on the back of a Strike threat. I may book some alternate seats with other carriers on the same routes, just as a back up, but I will give Willie and his volunteers a chance to get me there first. Roll-on BA209 to MIA on Monday and I won't be losing sleep (or loyalty) over the likely strike date announcements.
I kind of agree with your sentiment (having put up with this before) but I find it very difficult to totally agree with you, and am actually one of those consumers that are rapidly losing patience with the current situation.
I am on 4 separate CW return tickets in May (to NYC, LAX, SFO and CPT), my tickets are all paid for by my company and are fully flexible (which I assume is the case for large proportion of people who have tickets paid through companies), therefore how terrible is it really, if BA strikes?
Well it takes what, 10 minutes to arrange another flexible fair and with another airline, and if the strike happens on your route you cancel the BA flights whilst feeling like you are continuing to support BA.
On the other hand, and I think it is fair to assume that a fair share of BA's overall premium tickets/ or total inventory are also booked on restrictive terms (whether personal, CW, First, or companies looking to save a buck or two, MFU and so on), this strike causes yet again, more annoyance, negative perception, actual changes of plans, cancellation of (maybe even fully paid) hotels, higher short term costs of booking other airlines to the original destination and so On.
I like many others, have personal premium travel paid and booked for (and out of my own pocket) potentially during the new strike dates. If and as the case may be, that BA does strike, I would seriously consider taking my business elsewhere. I recognise (and experienced) that during the previous strikes, LH flights still mainly operated, however the service level, whilst understandable, is just totally unacceptable for the “premium” price tag, and on reflection booking another airline is starting to look more and more reasonable, reliable and justified.
I appreciate that I may not be as close to the situation as a lot of people on this board, and that people within BA are doing all that they can to ensure that flights operate, (which I totally commend and within an archaic system of unions etc), however the perception of BA or at least IMHO, is just abysmal and falling through the floor, which again leads me to just consider booking elsewhere in the first place and with an airline that can actually get me there (ash permitting lol).