Aug 1, 2019, 2:54 am
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]
Aug 5, 2019, 9:54 am
#437
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: 63,840
Yes, thanks, here is the Unite press release:
I'm sure this will be confirmed shortly, but I think it's going to be a normal day tomorrow, with the possible exception of some catering oddities on shorter services.
A strike by more than 4,000 workers at Heathrow due to start tomorrow (Tuesday 6 August) at 00:01 and finish at 23:59 has been suspended while the workforce votes on an improved pay offer, Unite, Britain and Ireland’s largest union, said today (Monday 5 August).
Unite said it would not be revealing the details of the improved offer until its members involved in the ongoing pay dispute have had an opportunity to consider and vote on the new package.
However, Unite said that the strikes already announced for Friday 23 August and Saturday 24 August remained on the table until the result of the ballot was known.
Unite will not be commenting further until its members have considered the improved offer.
BA would normally cancel flights at about this point (see, um, yesterday) but they probably saw the writing on the wall, so nothing cancelled or moved for tomorrow.Unite said it would not be revealing the details of the improved offer until its members involved in the ongoing pay dispute have had an opportunity to consider and vote on the new package.
However, Unite said that the strikes already announced for Friday 23 August and Saturday 24 August remained on the table until the result of the ballot was known.
Unite will not be commenting further until its members have considered the improved offer.
I'm sure this will be confirmed shortly, but I think it's going to be a normal day tomorrow, with the possible exception of some catering oddities on shorter services.
Aug 5, 2019, 10:31 am
#439
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2003
Location: SW18, UK
Programs: Mucci Diamond Hairbrush. And Nouveau Bronze
Posts: 1,393
T3 running smoothly this afternoon. Fast Track empty and quick. Our flight was delayed so went of a lounge crawl (CX, QF, BA F lounges). Nice to try the different offerings. CX remains best but I get fidgety after an hour so being able to forage elsewhere is nice.
Aug 5, 2019, 10:32 am
#440
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,929
Aug 5, 2019, 1:17 pm
#442
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,203
I would say no on the same basis that there are proactive weather cancellations and those flights aren't eligible even if the expected bad weather fails to appear.
Aug 6, 2019, 3:03 am
#443
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: LON
Programs: BA Bronze
Posts: 75
Report from 6 August
I’m going to tempt fate here. Having been in a few late-into-the-night negotiations myself, the pattern that is emerging suggests to me strongly that Tuesday’s strike will also be called off, and I’d be prepared to bet that the ones later in August will be too. Whether the union is being strung along or making progress towards its goal, I don’t know (and may genuinely depend on which side of the table you sit), but it looks like the threat of a strike is extracting a response, one way or another, that averts it.
Aug 6, 2019, 3:45 am
#445
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: 63,840
There is a story in this morning's Telegraph of some passengers - clearly not FT readers - who were on the initially cancelled BA service to Vienna and spent £700 (for what I think was two passengers) to buy tickets from another unspecified airport to make their journey. They will get a refund on their BA ticket, and that is the EC261 protection here, but they will probably end up paying the rest themselves, even though the VIE service did actually run on time. There isn't a lot of detail here, so there may be other complexities.
Moral of the story is to proceed with caution in these cases, and only rebook alternative flights if you are 101% sure of what you are doing.
Aug 6, 2019, 4:39 am
#446
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,929
Aug 13, 2019, 6:40 am
#448
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: London Stratford, E7
Programs: BAEC Gold! Thanks to FT
Posts: 3,381
The previous two strikes were called off at the last minute so I expect it’s far too early to say. I believe unite have gone to their members with an offer. As things stand the strike is still on.
Aug 13, 2019, 6:51 am
#449
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, ITA Club Executive, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,599
I am due to fly out of LHR on the 24th, but I have booked a flight out of LGW on the 23rd with double Avios as a contingency plan.
I can't remember the timings for the previous strike, but I am hoping I will know whether I'll be able to fly on the 24th before the deadline that would allow to cancel the double Avios booking without losing the Avios.
I can't remember the timings for the previous strike, but I am hoping I will know whether I'll be able to fly on the 24th before the deadline that would allow to cancel the double Avios booking without losing the Avios.
Aug 13, 2019, 7:31 am
#450
Moderator: Qatar Airways
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: LHR/NCE/MIA
Programs: BAEC GfL & GGL, SQ Gold, Amex Centurion, Mucci des Chevaliers des Bons Mots et Qui Savent Moucher
Posts: 8,949
I am due to fly out of LHR on the 24th, but I have booked a flight out of LGW on the 23rd with double Avios as a contingency plan.
I can't remember the timings for the previous strike, but I am hoping I will know whether I'll be able to fly on the 24th before the deadline that would allow to cancel the double Avios booking without losing the Avios.
I can't remember the timings for the previous strike, but I am hoping I will know whether I'll be able to fly on the 24th before the deadline that would allow to cancel the double Avios booking without losing the Avios.
M