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
#1861
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: UK/Australia
Programs: BAEC Silver, UA2MM, QF Platinum, VA Platinum., Volare Executive Club
Posts: 2,512
Then, I think, it will end quite badly for all parties. Does BALPA really want to kill the goose that lays the golden egg? (Seems they might).
#1862
Suspended
Join Date: May 2011
Location: London
Programs: *A G, OW S.
Posts: 996
BA might be a goose laying golden eggs but only for senior managers, wasn't it a 65% pay rise Cruz had and for shareholders.
For staff it's a fairly rotten egg that needs to be replaced.
#1863
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 2,220
Putting the monetary claims and counterclaims to one side, there seems to have been a total breakdown in relations between BA and BALPA and it is totally incumbent on BA/IAG to break the impasse. Further strikes will be hugely damaging to both sides.
#1864
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: LGW.
Programs: Cunard WorldClub-Gold,Silverseas Venetian society,Alitalia Mille miglia,SPG,Fairmont,IHG.
Posts: 733
Taking (short) cancelled trips off their "line" of work and replacing it with a much longer trip,also cancelled and then docking the pay for that trip is just one of the dirty tricks many have suffered. Not to mention guys stuck down route for extra days, and BA turfing them out of the crew hotel to a less salubrious one, and not bothering to notify them of this, but letting the hotel tell them..along with claiming extraordinary circumstances allow BA to remove augmented crew from some routes...dirty tricks indeed....
#relationshipreset anyone??
#1865
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: London Stratford, E7
Programs: BAEC Gold! Thanks to FT
Posts: 3,376
It wouldn’t surprise me if they did something but I saw on twitter and Facebook yesterday people flying Flybe instead of BA. 2 hour delay and the boarding gate being patrolled by someone with a hand held credit card machine for oversized cabin baggage with their resolve never to travel on Flybe again. Also the likes of groups like this where people strive for status indicates whilst BA might lose the odd customer here or there they’ve got no major worries.
#1866
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: where lions are led by donkeys...
Programs: Lifetime Gold, Global Entry, Hertz PC, and my wallet
Posts: 20,340
It wouldn’t surprise me if they did something but I saw on twitter and Facebook yesterday people flying Flybe instead of BA. 2 hour delay and the boarding gate being patrolled by someone with a hand held credit card machine for oversized cabin baggage with their resolve never to travel on Flybe again. Also the likes of groups like this where people strive for status indicates whilst BA might lose the odd customer here or there they’ve got no major worries.
#1868
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,596
One guy had an email saying BA will be docking over Ł4k (from a very dodgy pay calculation),immediately followed by another from BA, appealing to his professionalism to volunteer for work to get things back on track !
Taking (short) cancelled trips off their "line" of work and replacing it with a much longer trip,also cancelled and then docking the pay for that trip is just one of the dirty tricks many have suffered. Not to mention guys stuck down route for extra days, and BA turfing them out of the crew hotel to a less salubrious one, and not bothering to notify them of this, but letting the hotel tell them..along with claiming extraordinary circumstances allow BA to remove augmented crew from some routes...dirty tricks indeed....
#relationshipreset anyone??
Taking (short) cancelled trips off their "line" of work and replacing it with a much longer trip,also cancelled and then docking the pay for that trip is just one of the dirty tricks many have suffered. Not to mention guys stuck down route for extra days, and BA turfing them out of the crew hotel to a less salubrious one, and not bothering to notify them of this, but letting the hotel tell them..along with claiming extraordinary circumstances allow BA to remove augmented crew from some routes...dirty tricks indeed....
#relationshipreset anyone??
#1869
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: LGW.
Programs: Cunard WorldClub-Gold,Silverseas Venetian society,Alitalia Mille miglia,SPG,Fairmont,IHG.
Posts: 733
Agreed, the programme relies on guys picking up overtime and goodwill. The goodwill bucket in most definitely empty! Word on the street is many uncovered flights this weekend...exacerbated by the fact that those who involuntarily had their trips extended, will qualify for extra days off on arrival home, thereby leaving more trips uncovered....house of cards..
#1870
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,194
i bet there are two parts of BA with one complaining about the amount and cost of overtime and an other refusing to recruit even though it would be cheaper and operationally better than relying on overtime,
one of the train companies relied too much on regular overtime so was stuck when the drivers said no to doing any more so cancelled trains a plenty
#1871
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: NT Australia
Programs: QF WP
Posts: 4,160
Given how BA is treating their current pilots why would anyone else want to go and work for them at the moment?
i bet there are two parts of BA with one complaining about the amount and cost of overtime and an other refusing to recruit even though it would be cheaper and operationally better than relying on overtime,
one of the train companies relied too much on regular overtime so was stuck when the drivers said no to doing any more so cancelled trains a plenty
i bet there are two parts of BA with one complaining about the amount and cost of overtime and an other refusing to recruit even though it would be cheaper and operationally better than relying on overtime,
one of the train companies relied too much on regular overtime so was stuck when the drivers said no to doing any more so cancelled trains a plenty
#1872
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: UK. BAEC AAdvantage
Programs: Mucci Des Oeufs Brouilles et des Canards
Posts: 3,671
#1873
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: LGW.
Programs: Cunard WorldClub-Gold,Silverseas Venetian society,Alitalia Mille miglia,SPG,Fairmont,IHG.
Posts: 733
Given how BA is treating their current pilots why would anyone else want to go and work for them at the moment?
i bet there are two parts of BA with one complaining about the amount and cost of overtime and an other refusing to recruit even though it would be cheaper and operationally better than relying on overtime,
one of the train companies relied too much on regular overtime so was stuck when the drivers said no to doing any more so cancelled trains a plenty
i bet there are two parts of BA with one complaining about the amount and cost of overtime and an other refusing to recruit even though it would be cheaper and operationally better than relying on overtime,
one of the train companies relied too much on regular overtime so was stuck when the drivers said no to doing any more so cancelled trains a plenty
Last edited by no longer atc; Sep 11, 2019 at 6:20 am Reason: sp
#1874
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,596
Well. If the Australian experience has any bearing on this, the answer is to make conditions crap so it’s hard to hire, wait for a conservative government and then approve short term sponsored work visas in order to bring in pilots from poorer countries who are less likely to complain
#1875
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: NT Australia
Programs: QF WP
Posts: 4,160
NZ serves a similar place as “poorer EU nations” here, visas have only started being allowed now that the NZ options have been exhausted