Jul 20, 2019, 3:27 am
Last edit by: corporate-wage-slave
Quick answers to FAQ:
Help! What do I do now?
Most importantly, don't panic and don't do anything in haste. Read these FAQ. Read the thread, particularly the posts starting from the time that the strike dates were announced. Identify your options. Think about what works for you. Then take action. If you do anything in haste, you may have thrown away good options, or you may have thrown away money that you needn't have spent.
NOTE: Some emails have been sent out by mistake notifying the cancellation of flights on 8 September and other dates. If your booking still looks OK in MMB then you don't need to take further action. A cancelled flight should be shown in MMB with struck-through text. If your flight details are not struck through, then it probably hasn't actually been cancelled. You could check ba.com to see whether BA is still taking reservations for the flight in question. If so, then the flight has not been cancelled. You may also try checking on ExpertFlyer, if you have access, to see whether your flight appears still to be operating and whether BA is still taking reservations. However, some afternoon/evening flights on 8 September have genuinely been cancelled. See main thread for details.
Has a strike been called yet?
Yes. BALPA, the pilots' union, has voted in favour of strike action, and the Court of Appeal has rejected BA's submission to have the poll set aside, so the legal process is now over. The two parties went back into talks after the legal proceedings and those talks were expected to continue into the week of 5 August.
BALPA on 23 Aug announced strikes on Monday 9 September Tuesday 10 September and Friday 27 September.
Any further strikes normally require 2 weeks notice under UK legislation.
What flights may be affected?
LHR and LGW based flights. Not LCY or STN flights. Both cabin and flight crew are in dispute with BA, but the pilots (captains, senior first officers, first officers) are closest to strike action.
How long would a strike last?
The initial strikes are for two days the a single day, with normal working in between. Any other strikes could be of any length. It would be rare in the UK for there to be a full time strike.
What would happen to my flights if it is a strike day?
A range of options have been announced, see post 1551 below for more information: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...l#post31451055
and BA Trade Site guidance here: https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...kba?faqid=7594
Rebooking is now allowed on Iberia, AA, Finnair, JAL and Qatar. Within Europe EI and Vueling are also allowed. This is for both revenue and redemption flights.
and the FAQ on BA.com here (this includes information on BA Holidays bookings which are substantially different): https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...st-information
Can I do anything with an existing booking now?
Yes. Your options are different depending on whether your flights are currently showing as cancelled or not. See the links above.
What about Heathrow staff - aren't their strikes planned there too?
Yes there is a separate dispute at the moment between Heathrow Airport (HAL) and their staff such as those who operate the security checkpoints. See the separate thread on the issue.
Am I protected by EC261 if there is a problem?
You are always covered by the Right to Care provisions of Regulation EC261. You could potentially be able to claim compensation for delays, cancellations and downgrades caused by BA staff action too, but not for HAL strikes (for cancellations only if there is flight is less than 14 day’s notice). See the main EC261 thread in the BA Forum Dashboard.
Help! What do I do now?
Most importantly, don't panic and don't do anything in haste. Read these FAQ. Read the thread, particularly the posts starting from the time that the strike dates were announced. Identify your options. Think about what works for you. Then take action. If you do anything in haste, you may have thrown away good options, or you may have thrown away money that you needn't have spent.
NOTE: Some emails have been sent out by mistake notifying the cancellation of flights on 8 September and other dates. If your booking still looks OK in MMB then you don't need to take further action. A cancelled flight should be shown in MMB with struck-through text. If your flight details are not struck through, then it probably hasn't actually been cancelled. You could check ba.com to see whether BA is still taking reservations for the flight in question. If so, then the flight has not been cancelled. You may also try checking on ExpertFlyer, if you have access, to see whether your flight appears still to be operating and whether BA is still taking reservations. However, some afternoon/evening flights on 8 September have genuinely been cancelled. See main thread for details.
Has a strike been called yet?
Yes. BALPA, the pilots' union, has voted in favour of strike action, and the Court of Appeal has rejected BA's submission to have the poll set aside, so the legal process is now over. The two parties went back into talks after the legal proceedings and those talks were expected to continue into the week of 5 August.
BALPA on 23 Aug announced strikes on Monday 9 September Tuesday 10 September and Friday 27 September.
Any further strikes normally require 2 weeks notice under UK legislation.
What flights may be affected?
LHR and LGW based flights. Not LCY or STN flights. Both cabin and flight crew are in dispute with BA, but the pilots (captains, senior first officers, first officers) are closest to strike action.
How long would a strike last?
The initial strikes are for two days the a single day, with normal working in between. Any other strikes could be of any length. It would be rare in the UK for there to be a full time strike.
What would happen to my flights if it is a strike day?
A range of options have been announced, see post 1551 below for more information: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...l#post31451055
and BA Trade Site guidance here: https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...kba?faqid=7594
Rebooking is now allowed on Iberia, AA, Finnair, JAL and Qatar. Within Europe EI and Vueling are also allowed. This is for both revenue and redemption flights.
and the FAQ on BA.com here (this includes information on BA Holidays bookings which are substantially different): https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...st-information
Can I do anything with an existing booking now?
Yes. Your options are different depending on whether your flights are currently showing as cancelled or not. See the links above.
What about Heathrow staff - aren't their strikes planned there too?
Yes there is a separate dispute at the moment between Heathrow Airport (HAL) and their staff such as those who operate the security checkpoints. See the separate thread on the issue.
Am I protected by EC261 if there is a problem?
You are always covered by the Right to Care provisions of Regulation EC261. You could potentially be able to claim compensation for delays, cancellations and downgrades caused by BA staff action too, but not for HAL strikes (for cancellations only if there is flight is less than 14 day’s notice). See the main EC261 thread in the BA Forum Dashboard.
LHR/LGW pilots (BALPA) industrial action 9 Sep, 10 Sep, and 27 Sep
Aug 31, 2019, 12:09 pm
#1546
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK.
Programs: SQ LPPS, A3 *G, BA Silver aiming for Bronze
Posts: 1,506
What as opposed to striking would you suggest they do next and how much longer would you like them to wait and when do you think BA management will come round and offer something acceptable?
I'm sure BALPA will be glad of your wise counsel as you seem so opposed to their actions so presumably you have some excellent ideas that no one else has thought of.
Aug 31, 2019, 12:20 pm
#1547
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYZ
Programs: BA Gold/Marriott Gold/HH Diamond/IC Plat Amba
Posts: 5,989
I wonder just how much money and passenger goodwill BA is prepared to lose to make their point on this. We all know that it eventually has to be settled and they will have to concede more than they are offering now to get that done.
Aug 31, 2019, 12:24 pm
#1548
Join Date: May 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 5,380
They might be holding out and being tough on this in order to save money in the long term by discouraging strike action because they would then show it doesn't yield results.
Aug 31, 2019, 12:27 pm
#1549
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,145
Yep ... I keep getting VS and AA offers in my in-box (and AZ and QR, come to that).
Time to broaden our travel horizons, once we get (hopefully) back from IAD in a couple of weeks ... we are missing the published strike dates.
Time to broaden our travel horizons, once we get (hopefully) back from IAD in a couple of weeks ... we are missing the published strike dates.
Aug 31, 2019, 12:32 pm
#1550
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,596
However much you bang on about this you are not getting anybody talking so just give up and stop trying to sow the seeds of dissent.
Aug 31, 2019, 12:37 pm
#1551
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: BAEC Gold, EK Skywards (enhanced Blue !), Oman Air Sindbad Gold
Posts: 6,399
No way we will see BA pilots returning to full / normal work rosters unless they receive a better settlement.
BA are only delaying the inevitable, and causing themselves, and their passengers, a lot of trouble and frustration in the meantime.
Aug 31, 2019, 12:53 pm
#1552
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,596
Aug 31, 2019, 1:31 pm
#1553
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Perth WA/ UK
Programs: BA Gold, Priority Club Gold, Accor Silver, Virgin Australia Gold
Posts: 1,750
We shall see what the outcome is. I told the captain last night on my inbound from France that I was pretty pi**ed off and had even booked Air France for my next X2 to Paris. Simply, have business to attend to and cannot trust BA and really cannot be bothered with the hasle of dealing with called strike dates. For a 45 minute flight might just stick with AF if it works. I am sure others are doing the same for many destinations.
Aug 31, 2019, 2:30 pm
#1554
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK.
Programs: SQ LPPS, A3 *G, BA Silver aiming for Bronze
Posts: 1,506
We shall see what the outcome is. I told the captain last night on my inbound from France that I was pretty pi**ed off and had even booked Air France for my next X2 to Paris. Simply, have business to attend to and cannot trust BA and really cannot be bothered with the hasle of dealing with called strike dates. For a 45 minute flight might just stick with AF if it works. I am sure others are doing the same for many destinations.
Interesting strategy. Look up their record before you spend too much money there.
Aug 31, 2019, 2:38 pm
#1555
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Perth WA/ UK
Programs: BA Gold, Priority Club Gold, Accor Silver, Virgin Australia Gold
Posts: 1,750
Not a strategy but currently more reliable. I know fine well AF background. I know also currently BA. Thank you for your wisdom though. .😒
Aug 31, 2019, 4:29 pm
#1556
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,061
Well, that and the fact no one - not even BALPA - can really explain what it is they actually want, other than shares, which it is not actually in BA’s power to give anyway.
Aug 31, 2019, 11:05 pm
#1557
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: YYC
Programs: BA bronze, Aeroplan peon
Posts: 4,746
Or more likely the labour pool realizes that in order to get a serious offer from BA you need to go on strike. A strike then becomes part of the normal negotiating process, thus a strike becomes the first response not the last.I think that would cost BA a lot more then it would cost their employees, if the chaos we are seeing with rebooking happens with a simple threat of a strike.
Aug 31, 2019, 11:41 pm
#1558
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,924
If a flight is cancelled and reinstated with less than 14 days notice, does that make passengers who moved from 9th, to (say) 11th, and then back to 9th eligible for compensation?
Sorry if it's not entirely appropriate for this topic, just trying to better my understanding.
Sorry if it's not entirely appropriate for this topic, just trying to better my understanding.
Sep 1, 2019, 2:23 am
#1559
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine
Programs: Mucci, BA Gold, TK Elite, HHonors Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 7,691
Same as using ridiculous words as 'seeds of dissent.'There is nothing wrong with wanting to know what this dispute is about in order to discuss it. Otherwise there is no point for this thread to exist.
Sep 1, 2019, 2:42 am
#1560
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: NT Australia
Programs: QF WP
Posts: 4,160
To be fair those who have a genuine interest in knowing the historical background to the strikes, pay cuts over the years, what is wanted etc, don’t have to look that hard for a thread discussing exactly these things
it’s just not being discussed on here since most of the questions about it postdate BALPA asking their members to be mindful of social media exposure
of course it could be that people have no interest in the facts and are just trolling. But how can we possibly make a fair assessment of that.....
it’s just not being discussed on here since most of the questions about it postdate BALPA asking their members to be mindful of social media exposure
of course it could be that people have no interest in the facts and are just trolling. But how can we possibly make a fair assessment of that.....
