KARFA

Neither EDI or ATH are MF routes so it would be very unlikely there would be any impact at all if you booked it and MF happened to be on strike during your travel period.

BA.MF.CSM

As someone who did not join the strikes during the first run, post bonus, a lot of CSMs signed up to support, myself included. Union numbers this time are bigger, and I hope everyone remembers WHY they now support the cause, whether there from the beginning, or later joiners. Our company is in the sorriest state it has ever been in, and so the majority of us have nothing to loose.

I was quoted £8m as a cost to put everyone's pay up by £2k in a year. The company wouldn't budge and then goes and runs up a potential £100m bill with the IT fiasco. The expression false economy comes to mind, and a complete disregard for a hard working workforce who, despite being repeatedly told that we perform well, continue to be insulted every time we open our pay packets.

I would love to ask our head of cabin crew, what is it like to have a workforce that despises you? When you started your role, was it your aim to turn your workforce against you? How do you sleep at night and have any level of self esteem at all when your words and actions are so misjudged and recieved so poorly?

Thankfully, following a lot of emotional turmoil, debating and upset, I can see clearly now and am at peace with my stance. The ones I love in my life are important and deserve my time, not an entity that has been driven into the ground by corporate greed on an unceasing quest to piss off its staff, customers and former supporters.

Kind regards

BA.MF.CSM

Familyvacay

Thanks. I didn't realize loads were visible - how full are those flights? (we are booked in premium economy but haven't paid to select seats). We are supposed to fly LHR-TLV on BA 165 on July 2, at 8:10am, so that one is nice and early in the day. But we are booked for TLV-LHR on BA 164 on July 12 at 16:35, so I guess that could be problematic (we are planning to spend 3 days in London before returning to the USA so at least we don't have a connection that day).

What do people mean when they talk about making contingency plans? Can you book on other airlines without paying non refundable fares? Here in Virginia, the only flexible option is Southwest, which will let you can change plans without a change fee, but nobody will let you book tickets for free and cancel. (We have the option to cancel within 24 hours of booking, but that doesn't seem like it would help...)

MPH1980

It really depends on the individual circumstance and your affordability.

The best thing you can do is know the alternatives and be aware what's likely to happen if the flight you are on is going to be cancelled.

E.g. if you're flying on a route with two flights a day, if your flight was the one that was cancelled - could you move yourself to the earlier one and if not - could you go a day earlier/later? Can you clear your plans a little so that if it is required, you could do it?

In my case - I've evaluated the situation and decided that even though the chances are very low - if it did happen that my flight was cancelled, it would be a problem - so I've cancelled my flight with BA (because I could - it was an Avios booking) and bought a non-refundable with another airline.

If I hadn't been able to cancel with BA - it would have entirely depended on how much money I'd spent with them in the first place.

And hey - if money is no object and you are happy to pay twice - then book a refundable flight with someone just in case and if the BA flight runs - then you can cancel the refundable flight.

whimsey21

Along the lines of contingency planning, during past strikes has BA known in advance which flights they won't be able to run, and if so, how long in advance? I'm booked on flights between LHR and PSA during the strike period which are MF (according to another thread). There aren't a lot of easy alternatives for me to get home should the PSA-LHR flight get cancelled, but with a day or more advance warning, I would have some options. Would I likely know a day or more in advance, or is it a matter of BA only figuring out on the day of travel (or even a few hours before travel) if they'll have enough crew for a given flight? Sorry if this is a silly question or has been answered many times before-- I haven't had any flight during the past strike periods, so haven't had to think about this before.

KARFA

BA announce the cancellation plans around 1-3 days before the start of the strike.

Scillybear

The wiki post suggests that the 3rd (March) Ballot had the lowest Yes vote (56%) of the three. Turnout is given at 72% for this 3rd ballot but not listed for the other two.

Yet, despite this, it seems apparent from the posters who work for BA that support for the next strike will be higher this time and this will affect operations more.

Does this mean that Turnout increased on the 3rd ballot compared with the previous two or that feelings have strengthened since that third ballot ?

I have bookings during the next strike period, but I wish the strikers good luck anyway.

makin'miles

Based on a UK point of sale, 02JUL17 BA165 is booked as follows:

F1 A0 J1 C0 D0 R0 I0 W5 E1 T0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 G0

This means that BA are willing to sell only one more seat in First, one more seat in Club, five more seats in World Traveller Plus, and nine or more seats in World Traveller. Nine is the most they ever show, but given that they are also willing to sell seats in lower economy fare categories (B/H/K), I'm guessing there are more than nine seats available.

The premium cabins have all sold very well. While you can never be sure on these things, all else equal I'm sure BA would prefer to cancel a lightly loaded service over a heavily sold one if forced to cancel something - and this appears to be a heavily sold flight indeed.

On the return, the flight is more lightly loaded. 12JUL17 BA164

F1 A0 J9 C9 D9 R8 I0 W9 E9 T5 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N9 Q0 O0 G0

While First is down to one seat, it looks like well over nine seats are available in each of the other three cabins. That said, I wouldn't worry at all at this point- there is no reason. Worse case, you'll be rebooked the next morning or, with a couple of days notice, but rebooked for an earlier flight the same day. Although I still think its unlikely.

No sense, at all, spending your entire holiday worrying about this. The decision is out of your control anyway. And what's the worst that happens? You spend an extra afternoon in Tel Aviv. The beach is great... just roll with it!

ESFLYER95

I am flying CDG-LHR-KUL on the second of July. I am pretty sure neither of these routes are MF? Need to be sure as tight for time in KL. Thanks

NWIFlyer

Per the link to the routes in the wiki, KUL becomes MF on 1st July. However, I would be extremely surprised if it was cancelled.

source05

I'm flying NCE-LHR-YYC on 16th July, from the wiki the NCE-LHR flight in not mentionned as MF but YYC is MF. Should I look for a plan B as I have hotels and car rental booked for a driving tour starting in Calgary.
Thanks for your thoughts

MPH1980

Long haul is the piece BA are likely to preserve first.

BA is going to cancel flights which have a high number of rotations and where people can be redistributed over them first, then it'll fall back to other options.

whimsey21

thanks! Any guesses on whether the LHR-PSA flights will be affected?

KARFA

As noted by MPH1980 long haul cancellations are much less likely. I would do nothing in your shoes.

KARFA

I am trying to remember if PSA was particularly affected at the last strikes but I don't think it was. Alternatives even if it were could include rebooking from LGW instead.