Last edit by: corporate-wage-slave
This thread is about the now deferredindustrial action (strikes) by Heathrow Airport Limited staff. Click here for the official and detailed BA advice, particularly for departing and connecting passengers.
The strikes planned for Monday 5 and Tuesday 6 August have now both been cancelled and normal services can be expected, with the possible exception of some catering changes on shorthaul services. A revised pay offer is being put to the workforce and in the meantime strike action has been postponed.
This is a different and unrelated dispute to the possible BA strike (there is a separate thread for this). It only affects LHR but all airlines, all terminals
As things stand the next strike days are Friday 23 - Saturday 24 August, there may be further dates announced. The impact is on departing and connecting passengers, with restrictions on hand baggage (one small item only), no First Wing or Fast Track security, and changed catering arrangements on some shorter services. See links above for details, there are no changes noted for passengers arriving into Heathrow, other than the catering changes. On Sunday BA will announce any service changes, usually this comes around 17:00 hrs London time. BA is offering a Twilight Check-In service from 18:00 hrs the night before travel to allow passengers to get their bags into the system before the day of travel.
BA is allowing short haul bookings from LHR on 5-6 August to be rebooked to either LCY or LGW - or to other dates from Heathrow on or before 12 August so long as they avoid 5-6 August. This include redemptions. Tickets need to be booked on or before 31 July. It would appear that currently flights TO Heathrow are not in scope.
The strikes planned for Monday 5 and Tuesday 6 August have now both been cancelled and normal services can be expected, with the possible exception of some catering changes on shorthaul services. A revised pay offer is being put to the workforce and in the meantime strike action has been postponed.
This is a different and unrelated dispute to the possible BA strike (there is a separate thread for this). It only affects LHR but all airlines, all terminals
As things stand the next strike days are Friday 23 - Saturday 24 August, there may be further dates announced. The impact is on departing and connecting passengers, with restrictions on hand baggage (one small item only), no First Wing or Fast Track security, and changed catering arrangements on some shorter services. See links above for details, there are no changes noted for passengers arriving into Heathrow, other than the catering changes. On Sunday BA will announce any service changes, usually this comes around 17:00 hrs London time. BA is offering a Twilight Check-In service from 18:00 hrs the night before travel to allow passengers to get their bags into the system before the day of travel.
BA is allowing short haul bookings from LHR on 5-6 August to be rebooked to either LCY or LGW - or to other dates from Heathrow on or before 12 August so long as they avoid 5-6 August. This include redemptions. Tickets need to be booked on or before 31 July. It would appear that currently flights TO Heathrow are not in scope.
LHR strikes (HAL employees) - 23/24 Aug 2019 [called off for now]
#242
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: LHR/ATH
Programs: Amex Platinum, LH SEN (Gold), BA Bronze
Posts: 4,489
That's always the case, BA always lets you check in hand luggage, I always do it as I carry liquids and I never have had an issue.
#243
Join Date: Oct 2017
Programs: Honors Diamond
Posts: 1,610
Bit of a communications failure here in my view as it is now nearly 20 hours since HAL said they will cancel flights. It obvious that if that if they do it will impact on BA. So really BA should be acknowledging this, even if they can’t yet say which flights and/or if they want to wait to see if there is a deal today.
#244
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: BRS
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 4,958
#245
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Windsor
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 909
I have to say I have a reasonable level of scepticism of the level of service that will be possible at LHR should the strikes take place given the need for suitably trained and security checked staff to do the security screenings and the need for a suitably trained replacement fire service.
#246
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: London Stratford, E7
Programs: BAEC Gold! Thanks to FT
Posts: 3,338
im sure that’s the initial line in the dispute because it’s gone from that to there’s no fast track or first security and just one small bag and arriving 2-3 hours before your flight.. it’s snowmageddon all over again. Sr Cruz is already dusting off his hi viz.
#247
#250
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,585
#253
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 1,731
I am in the USA flying back to LHR, then amsterdam, LHR, LBA. All in 1 A (so no underseat)
I travelled with 1 small hand luggage size bag which I checked (but often dont) which is full and 1 other bag. The other bag cant be checked as it is soft sided (very soft sided) and has all my laptops in it. It isn't large (it can be in expands) but isn't a personal item. I have an overnight stay in the mix above and cant get any more in the other bag.
Do I buy another bag in the USA that can be checked? Or just go for it?
I sense that I could spend a lot of money and then get really annoyed at others sailing through with half a house
I travelled with 1 small hand luggage size bag which I checked (but often dont) which is full and 1 other bag. The other bag cant be checked as it is soft sided (very soft sided) and has all my laptops in it. It isn't large (it can be in expands) but isn't a personal item. I have an overnight stay in the mix above and cant get any more in the other bag.
Do I buy another bag in the USA that can be checked? Or just go for it?
I sense that I could spend a lot of money and then get really annoyed at others sailing through with half a house
#254
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,467
I travelled with 1 small hand luggage size bag which I checked (but often dont) which is full and 1 other bag. The other bag cant be checked as it is soft sided (very soft sided) and has all my laptops in it. It isn't large (it can be in expands) but isn't a personal item. I have an overnight stay in the mix above and cant get any more in the other bag.
Very soft sided bags isn't per se an issue, I've seen LDPE bags (bags for life type bags) go through the system, the West Africa flights have a lot of these bags on board. Laptops on the other hand wouldn't be my choice of item to have checked, even if next week there may be plenty of that going on.
#255
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 1,731
Is the "other bag" a wheelie of some sort? My suspicion is that is what they will be looking for. The fact that row 1 has no under seat storage is irrelevant here, all bags will be going overhead, they are just try to stop people bring large or multiple bags through passenger security. Hence it's needs to be a bag that could potentially go under the seat in front like a backpack or shoulder cabin bag. What no-one can say is how rigorous the enforcement will be, it is an unusual situation, however BA have successfully restricted cabin baggage on 3 separate occasions that I can recall.
Very soft sided bags isn't per se an issue, I've seen LDPE bags (bags for life type bags) go through the system, the West Africa flights have a lot of these bags on board. Laptops on the other hand wouldn't be my choice of item to have checked, even if next week there may be plenty of that going on.
Very soft sided bags isn't per se an issue, I've seen LDPE bags (bags for life type bags) go through the system, the West Africa flights have a lot of these bags on board. Laptops on the other hand wouldn't be my choice of item to have checked, even if next week there may be plenty of that going on.
I have traveled with the wheeled cabin bag that I am checking and this as my second bag dozens of times and never been pulled up on it (even on a more budget airline). I was given a yellow under the seat tag for it on the way out (which I took even through in 1A) so I assume it must look small enough.
That said Amsterdam and LBA are prime cancellation flights. I assume if my checked bag gets to Amsterdam but I don't have time to collect it (ie If I end up having to go back on the plane I arrive on) that I will get it at some point. In theory I arrive in on the 5pm and out on the one at 21.20 and so plenty of time to collect and recheck, but I know they sometimes select an Amsterdam to remove as they are so frequent, the one before me on the way out was cancelled.
The other option is not to check anything and dash out at T3 and take my bags to hotel at T4, which on another day would work well but with just over 3 hours before connecting I am not sure that I will have the time as I would then have to scan back in at T5.
Last edited by Barnaby100; Aug 3, 2019 at 9:54 am