British Air - Latest news on proposed cabin crew strike

I was just on the site looking at prices for a possible spring trip back and saw this....thought I would post in case anyone has plans to fly BA in the near future.


The Transport and General Workers Union's (T&G) cabin crew branch has announced that it is planning industrial action on January 29, 30 and 31; February 5, 6 and 7; and February 12, 13 and 14. We would like to assure you that we remain committed to resolving this dispute through continued talks.  We have today asked the conciliation service Acas to assist us in taking this process forward with the T&G.


http://www.britishairways.com/travel/flightops/public/en_gb

It's really sad, but we just don't book on BA anymore because it seems that they are always having strikes or problems of some sort.

My Mom was looking at a BA ticket last month (she is over here right now). At the time my husband suggested that she book with another carrier, despite the fact that the BA flight was very cheap and she likes BA, because there have been so many issues and problems lately. It turns out it was a good idea, because she is flying back (on Continental) on one of the days that they are planning to strike.

It's too bad because we used to think of it as a really good carrier, but it just seems to be going downhill.

It's really sad, but we just don't book on BA anymore because it seems that they are always having strikes or problems of some sort.

My Mom was looking at a BA ticket last month (she is over here right now). At the time my husband suggested that she book with another carrier, despite the fact that the BA flight was very cheap and she likes BA, because there have been so many issues and problems lately. It turns out it was a good idea, because she is flying back (on Continental) on one of the days that they are planning to strike.

It's too bad because we used to think of it as a really good carrier, but it just seems to be going downhill.

Eeek!

Luckily im flying out on the 8th....:-/

i'm so ticked as i NEED BA miles as that was going to be my free one way back to the USA! I only need a flight more and i can't go next week on BA OR the week after ARGH!

Hiya,

I personally vowed never to fly B(sh)itish Airways way back in 1996. first time I flew with them and I was expecting very high standards ...
trouble started immediately at heathrow - overbooked flight, so our party of 5 was split, even though we'd booked at checkin together. mediocre service throughout the flight. Got into JFK and some issue with baggage handlers and our luggage was delayed. F.Fwd 12 days and even though we'd confirmed our seats 72 hours prior to flying, we got to JFK and BA informed us they had no record of confirmation on our tickets! ludicrous or what! - so we had to wait for the next flight. I wasn't happy. Slept the flight home, no doubt service was mediocre. Got back into LHR, and waited around 1.5 hours for my luggage, all my friends had got theirs and had gone home - except me. Turns out they hadn't loaded it on my flight but instead on a later flight, so I had to wait around another 2 hours or so, then got my luggage.

I probably won't fly with them again, since that, every Virgin flight I've been on has been good - so if I fly a UK carrier it'll be these guys until they screw up !

A friend of mine mum used to work for BA, a mid management position in the IT dept. and some of the 'insider' knowledge of how they operate as a business really has turned me away from BA! - that said, recently they have improved and so it 'might' be time to give them another try (I've been reading how they've really used IT to improve the business and customer service recently)

But if a ticket comes along thats cheaper even by a few pounds, i'll still go with them rather than BA!

DtM! West London, Slough UK! & Heathrow being a 2nd home for me!

Well, just heard on the radio that they are postponing calling the strike for 24 hours to have more talks. Hopefully it will all get worked out!

I"m supposed to fly on the 17th and 24th. They sent me an e-mail to let me know about the potential strike. I hope I don't run into any problems.

Latest article on the BBC


Thousands of British Airways passengers will have to make alternative travel arrangements next week because of a two-day strike by cabin crew.
After the breakdown of talks with the union, BA said no flights would leave Heathrow on Tuesday, 30 January and Wednesday, 31 January.

All domestic and European BA flights to and from Gatwick will also be halted. 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6297059.stm


The bit that shocked me was Starter pay rates for crew members, overall pay grading and promotion opportunities are also subject to dispute, with the union unhappy that the starting wage for staff is £10,000. 

I just for the life of me can't get my head around some of the salaries over here? They have got to be joking! How can anyone afford to live on that anywhere in the UK?

I"m supposed to fly on the 17th and 24th. They sent me an e-mail to let me know about the potential strike. I hope I don't run into any problems.

Strange, we're booked to fly on the 17th but haven't receive any email from BA...

I received the email too even though I am not flying. It looks like something that probably went out to everyone that has an online account with BA.

I received the email too even though I am not flying. It looks like something that probably went out to everyone that has an online account with BA.

My dad's flight was cancelled for the 31st.....so rescheduling is in order!

 

Sorry to hear...what a pain! Hope he gets it sorted out.

Sorry to hear...what a pain! Hope he gets it sorted out.

well coincidentally enough, my dad had injuried himself a few weeks back...needed surgery and before this whole fiasco with BA, managed to get permission to switch his outgoing date of travel....then this happened and he got an email stating that he can change his flight date regardless....so, all that hassle to change it...and then this strike stuff happens.

I've been getting the emails and I don't have a flight booked until March and June.

Some of us don't have much of a choice when making a long haul flight from the UK to the west coast. Personally, I will suck up lost/delayed luggage and not my preferred airport of choice over connecting flights which have a greater risk of delay, missing flight or luggage... not to mention you get to the destination all in one go!

I just got an e-mail saying the strikes have all been called off. The e-mail said that some disruptions still may occur on the 30th and 31st, but they are working to have minimal cancellations and delays.