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
#2491
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,928
#2492
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 10,155
As someone who flies back and forth to the USA and elsewhere very regularly and are very experienced with such bookings/cancellations I very much defer to your real experiences and wisdom here Tobias-UK. I had a hunch you'd be along to help ^
#2493
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,477
Any idea on when refunds are going to be paid?
My mother (based in US on a US purchased ticket) has been waiting for over two months for the whole of her refund to be paid. Neither she nor I have been able to speak to anyone at Customer Care in the US or UK as every time we try telephoning we receive a recorded message refering us to the website, which isn't any help.
Does anyone have a suggestion of how to proceed with getting her money back? We've filled in online forms and emailed and have received nothing in return. I contacted BA through the Executive Club line and they just refered me back to Customer Care. I've suggested she contact her credit card company, but it really shouldn't be this hard as BA offered the refund on her cancelled flights and she accepted.
My mother (based in US on a US purchased ticket) has been waiting for over two months for the whole of her refund to be paid. Neither she nor I have been able to speak to anyone at Customer Care in the US or UK as every time we try telephoning we receive a recorded message refering us to the website, which isn't any help.
Does anyone have a suggestion of how to proceed with getting her money back? We've filled in online forms and emailed and have received nothing in return. I contacted BA through the Executive Club line and they just refered me back to Customer Care. I've suggested she contact her credit card company, but it really shouldn't be this hard as BA offered the refund on her cancelled flights and she accepted.
If there is third party involved BA may cancelled the ticket and returned the fund back to the source of payment by third party rather than your mother's card. You may need to check where the ticket is ticketed first.
#2495
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,146
This is becoming the ultimate click-bait thread ... can we wait for actual News, please?
I’m sure there are dozens of us with a direct interest, but please keep it quiet here until something definite happens.
I’m sure there are dozens of us with a direct interest, but please keep it quiet here until something definite happens.
#2496
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 47
The flight was booked direct with BA and the card is still valid. It's all very strange as she was refunded a small amount previously, but this didn't correspond to any taxes and the entire booking has disappeared from her profile.
It's possible she didn't do something in the instructed manner which is causing the delay, but we should still be able to speak to someone on the phone to resolve or receive a reply to an email.
#2500
Join Date: Apr 2008
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 151
So following the strike on 27/9 I have now been offered Ł41 for being downgraded from J to Y from GLA to LYS via LHR, this seems a very small amount, esp as we did not have any lounge access in GLA or DUB. For info we had to travel via DUB on Aer Lingus the day prior to our original booking. Does this seem quite a pitiful amount ?
#2501
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL (for now) and Lifetime Gold, Marriott fan thanks to Bonvoy Moments
Posts: 5,115
So following the strike on 27/9 I have now been offered Ł41 for being downgraded from J to Y from GLA to LYS via LHR, this seems a very small amount, esp as we did not have any lounge access in GLA or DUB. For info we had to travel via DUB on Aer Lingus the day prior to our original booking. Does this seem quite a pitiful amount ?
I would have thought BA’s calculation of fare differential would be higher, but obviously not!