Aug 24, 2019, 4:29 am
Last edit by: corporate-wage-slave
Quick answers to FAQ
Update 18 September 2019: BALPA, the pilots union, has called off their strike for 27 September. We are awaiting a status update from BA on the next steps.
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, see post 540 for an example of a mistake cancellation, see post 818 for a genuinely cancelled flight.
Post 540 (mistake cancellation): https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/31451182-post540.html
Post 818 (real cancellation): https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/31454467-post818.html
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) have announced strike dates.
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 here
and BA Trade Site guidance here
The list of airlines that can be used for rebooking BA flights is now very long, and the list is available here:
https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/traveltrade/bookings-policies/policies/askba?faqid=7594
As of 27 August, this was the old list, and you can track the rollout of OAL via the main thread: Iberia, AA, Aer Lingus (Transatlantic routed limited to 09/10 Sep Only), Finnair, JAL, Malaysia, Qatar, SAS, Brussels, Egyptair, Precision Air, Cathay Pacific and Etihad, Saudia, Gulf, Qantas, Tradewind Aviation, Interjet, LATAM, Air France, KLM, Air New Zealand, Philippine Airlines, EVA Air, Kenya Airways, Aegean Airlines, Air Baltic, Air Atlantic, Croatia and Vueling. Between LHR/MAN and SIN only for Economy passengers, Singapore Airlines is allowed. Between LON and SOF only, Bulgaria is allowed. Between London and Newcastle, Leeds and Edinburgh BA can rebook via the LNER rail company. Suspended then but now allowed: Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian
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): here
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.[/left]
Update 18 September 2019: BALPA, the pilots union, has called off their strike for 27 September. We are awaiting a status update from BA on the next steps.
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, see post 540 for an example of a mistake cancellation, see post 818 for a genuinely cancelled flight.
Post 540 (mistake cancellation): https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/31451182-post540.html
Post 818 (real cancellation): https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/31454467-post818.html
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) have announced strike dates.
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 here
and BA Trade Site guidance here
The list of airlines that can be used for rebooking BA flights is now very long, and the list is available here:
https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/traveltrade/bookings-policies/policies/askba?faqid=7594
As of 27 August, this was the old list, and you can track the rollout of OAL via the main thread: Iberia, AA, Aer Lingus (Transatlantic routed limited to 09/10 Sep Only), Finnair, JAL, Malaysia, Qatar, SAS, Brussels, Egyptair, Precision Air, Cathay Pacific and Etihad, Saudia, Gulf, Qantas, Tradewind Aviation, Interjet, LATAM, Air France, KLM, Air New Zealand, Philippine Airlines, EVA Air, Kenya Airways, Aegean Airlines, Air Baltic, Air Atlantic, Croatia and Vueling. Between LHR/MAN and SIN only for Economy passengers, Singapore Airlines is allowed. Between LON and SOF only, Bulgaria is allowed. Between London and Newcastle, Leeds and Edinburgh BA can rebook via the LNER rail company. Suspended then but now allowed: Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian
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): here
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.[/left]
Help Desk: practical assistance for those affected by strikes on 9, 10, 27 Sep
Aug 24, 2019, 8:16 am
#616
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Lausanne Switzerland
Programs: BA Gold; Swiss Blue
Posts: 1,244
Many thanks, she was very calm when I spoke this morning... she has had a warning email, but nothing cancelled yet on that date.. some of the booking might just be BA blocking so they can move customers.... might suggest if they can go a day earlier to try and move to the non-overnight stop flight...
Aug 24, 2019, 8:20 am
#617
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,596
Not sure what the best option is for separate tickets, neither of which were booked via BA for various reasons... I've looked at options and none of them are ideal.
Booking one via AA:
PHX-LHR-DUB, the latter flight is showing canceled but is the day before the strike (received an email, it's in red in MMB but does not have a strikethrough in the booking)
Booking two via Travel Agent:
DUB-LHR-SPU-(Croatia Airlines)-VIE-LHR-DUB, both the DUB-LHR and LHR-SPU are on the strike date and showing canceled.
All segments except the short SPU-VIE are in business class.
Option 1: Move PHX-LHR-DUB and DUB-LHR-SPU one day earlier. Cons: I don't really want to travel a day earlier, and all of the better CW seats are occupied.
Option 2: Switch PHX-LHR to the earlier in the day AA flight (original flight is too late to connect to BA's flights to SPU), postpone the LHR-DUB until a much later date. Ask TA to split the DUB-LHR into a separate booking for a later date and keep the remainder of the itinerary but LHR-SPU a day earlier. Cons: AA flight doesn't have great seats available, potential pain to claim ORC? Need to check a bag and doubt my bag would get through checked.
Option 3: Ask AA to reroute PHX-PHL-DBV, and then determine my own way to SPU. Poor seat options.
Option 4: Reroute via LAX to arrive earlier in the day, then LHR-SPU as in option 2
Option 5: Leave my bookings alone and wait for AA or BA to find me a way to SPU when I arrive in London from Phoenix.
I had wanted to spend a night in Dublin, but I can cancel that. I would prefer retaining a better seat if possible. I'd like to still make it to Split by the original date.
Any suggestions on how I should handle this? I rarely book BA flights with someone besides BA, so needing to deal with AA and Propeller across separate tickets may raise some challenges. Note the reason it was booked this way is that it was impossible to book as a single ticket, and BA was unable to price up the ticket with the Croatia Airlines flight in the middle for the VIE-SPU segment.
Booking one via AA:
PHX-LHR-DUB, the latter flight is showing canceled but is the day before the strike (received an email, it's in red in MMB but does not have a strikethrough in the booking)
Booking two via Travel Agent:
DUB-LHR-SPU-(Croatia Airlines)-VIE-LHR-DUB, both the DUB-LHR and LHR-SPU are on the strike date and showing canceled.
All segments except the short SPU-VIE are in business class.
Option 1: Move PHX-LHR-DUB and DUB-LHR-SPU one day earlier. Cons: I don't really want to travel a day earlier, and all of the better CW seats are occupied.
Option 2: Switch PHX-LHR to the earlier in the day AA flight (original flight is too late to connect to BA's flights to SPU), postpone the LHR-DUB until a much later date. Ask TA to split the DUB-LHR into a separate booking for a later date and keep the remainder of the itinerary but LHR-SPU a day earlier. Cons: AA flight doesn't have great seats available, potential pain to claim ORC? Need to check a bag and doubt my bag would get through checked.
Option 3: Ask AA to reroute PHX-PHL-DBV, and then determine my own way to SPU. Poor seat options.
Option 4: Reroute via LAX to arrive earlier in the day, then LHR-SPU as in option 2
Option 5: Leave my bookings alone and wait for AA or BA to find me a way to SPU when I arrive in London from Phoenix.
I had wanted to spend a night in Dublin, but I can cancel that. I would prefer retaining a better seat if possible. I'd like to still make it to Split by the original date.
Any suggestions on how I should handle this? I rarely book BA flights with someone besides BA, so needing to deal with AA and Propeller across separate tickets may raise some challenges. Note the reason it was booked this way is that it was impossible to book as a single ticket, and BA was unable to price up the ticket with the Croatia Airlines flight in the middle for the VIE-SPU segment.
Aug 24, 2019, 8:21 am
#619
Join Date: Aug 2016
Programs: BAEC - Lowly blue
Posts: 282
Flying 8th, LHR-Hong Kong BA31, can’t tell if cancelled or not at this point. A reward booking. Was gonna try and go the week after anyway so not a massive deal if it is cancelled but can’t tell at all from the site!
Aug 24, 2019, 8:22 am
#620
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: 63,769
A minor query when compared to others but would appreciate thoughts: My JFK-LHR is cancelled on the 9th. Waiting for client’s TA to organise alternatives. I was relying on this flight to get my fourth flight on BA metal and 125 ticket so I can qualify for another Silver next year.
If I get rebooked onto AA or another airline will I be able to claim it anyway as it’s not my choice to have cancelled?
If I get rebooked onto AA or another airline will I be able to claim it anyway as it’s not my choice to have cancelled?
Aug 24, 2019, 8:22 am
#621
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 2,330
Aug 24, 2019, 8:22 am
#622
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,596
Apologies for being yet another person seeking advice.
I'm currently booked on BA1433 EDI > LHR on 28th, connecting to BA227 LHR > ATL. If the EDI flight goes on time then I'll have about 3 hours at LHR, which is a reasonable buffer to absorb a delay. However both these flights are showing as red in MMB so BA is obviously considering them to be at risk.
Would the learned experts here suggest I try to rebook? Or hold tight and hope the crew and metal are in the right places?
Many thanks.
I'm currently booked on BA1433 EDI > LHR on 28th, connecting to BA227 LHR > ATL. If the EDI flight goes on time then I'll have about 3 hours at LHR, which is a reasonable buffer to absorb a delay. However both these flights are showing as red in MMB so BA is obviously considering them to be at risk.
Would the learned experts here suggest I try to rebook? Or hold tight and hope the crew and metal are in the right places?
Many thanks.
Aug 24, 2019, 8:23 am
#623
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Jersey
Programs: BAEC Gold, HH Silver
Posts: 178
A quick one if I may - I have a JER-LGW//NCE-LGW-JER booking in Club Europe outbound on the 9th back on the 12th. I need to keep the return sectors from Nice - I trust they will protect those? And whilst i have not real expectation of a refund for the JER-LGW sector I have a very real need of the 40TP's to hit Gold again. Would they give me the TP's as a ORC in lieu of a refund?
Aug 24, 2019, 8:23 am
#624
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: 63,769
Have a look at the wiki, the screen shot in post 540 and use the classic layout in Manage My Booking.
Aug 24, 2019, 8:26 am
#626
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 275
Depending on your wishes you may call BA again, quoting the latest Customer Guidelines and re-book back onto the originally booked flight
Aug 24, 2019, 8:26 am
#627
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: 63,769
A quick one if I may - I have a JER-LGW//NCE-LGW-JER booking in Club Europe outbound on the 9th back on the 12th. I need to keep the return sectors from Nice - I trust they will protect those? And whilst i have not real expectation of a refund for the JER-LGW sector I have a very real need of the 40TP's to hit Gold again. Would they give me the TP's as a ORC in lieu of a refund?
Aug 24, 2019, 8:28 am
#628
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: 63,769
Have a look at the wiki (see the section in bold there), and perhaps some of the recent posts in this thread, it is a mistake.
Aug 24, 2019, 8:28 am
#629
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Arizona
Programs: BA (GGL G4L), AA (Gold), HH (Diamond); Marriott (Gold)
Posts: 3,011
OK, quite a few hypotheses there. Can we perhaps agree that booking one is OK? And is caught by the mistake cancellations mentioned above? If so, does that not change the points above? In other words only DUB-LHR-SPU is cancelled?
I can't work out the dates from that post, but suffice to point out that Aer Lingus has direct services to Split.
I can't work out the dates from that post, but suffice to point out that Aer Lingus has direct services to Split.
EI does not fly to SPU on Sunday the 8th or Monday the 9th so it doesn't seem to be an option.
The September 8th cancellation may be a phantom cancellation where they sent out the email, but MMB only shows it in red with the warning about the strike, but it's not crossed out in MMB. Regardless if I leave that booking alone then my options look pretty limited from DUB.
Aug 24, 2019, 8:28 am
#630
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: UK
Programs: BA Silver (temp demotion), *A Silver, HH Gold, IHG Diamond
Posts: 490
Another experience ... as CWS advised on a QR (157) ticket, I called them.
They are very happy to re-book us onto another flight (only segment is the return DOH-LHR) and were very customer friendly but not helpful because .... we've checked in for our outbound flight (today) and not flown it yet. They claim the ticket is locked until we fly (at least to Doha, they claim). So we have venture to the Far East and hope that it can be sorted while we are away.
This seems crazy but I'm going to roll with it. Fingers crossed.
They are very happy to re-book us onto another flight (only segment is the return DOH-LHR) and were very customer friendly but not helpful because .... we've checked in for our outbound flight (today) and not flown it yet. They claim the ticket is locked until we fly (at least to Doha, they claim). So we have venture to the Far East and hope that it can be sorted while we are away.
This seems crazy but I'm going to roll with it. Fingers crossed.
As others say, having a suggestion for alternatives makes that discussion much easier.
Good luck to others