BA strikes over Christmas

[Neoshoegal]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8411214.stm

Short-sighted!
A 12 day strike!!! That just can't be helpful to their company in any way shape or form.
I feel so sorry for all the people that might have their Christmas holidays ruined now.

 

[disneyholic family]

terrible news for anyone booked on BA!

i really can't understand the union - the company is really in difficulty....do they think this will help?....or more likely push the company that much closer to the brink....and then they'll completely lose their jobs...

 

[Dimplenose]

terrible news for anyone booked on BA!

i really can't understand the union - the company is really in difficulty....do they think this will help?....or more likely push the company that much closer to the brink....and then they'll completely lose their jobs...

Nor can I. I've booked a weekend in Frankfurt this weekend - luckily I come home on 21st but I'm not sure if I'd want to use BA again after the stress I've been through for the past 2 weeks. If I'd been in a position to change my flights to another airline I would have done.

 

[tinks_1989]

I cant believe any ones strikes in a recession when people are desperate for work their are people doing this I think it's terrible

 

[choccieaddict]

we fly to Malaga with them on the 20th Dec and are 'supposed' to be coming home with them on the 27th, but who knows! I don't mind being stuck out there in the sunshine....as long as doesn't cost me any extra.
Oh and guess what, my insurance policy doesn't cover industrial action!

 

[welsh princess]

This has runied my Christmas

We are due to fly on the 29th with BA!!

We have had so much bad luck lately, first our friends pulled out of the holiday, then 2 weeks ago my FIL passed away (aged 60) very sudden, so we thought we would have to cancel as MIL would be on her own but she has told us we must go for the children, now this! I just want to cry

If anyone has any advise I would be so grateful as I dont know where to go from here, we booked with Jetsave if thats any help and are on the BA2037 11.40 flight on 29/12/09.

moan over

Thanks for listening

Emma
xxx

 

[gemmybear83]

We were in the same position over the Christmas period in 2008, and in the end it came to nothing and our flights to Orlando were fine. I have my fingers crossed for everyone, I did not enjoy the stress we went through!!!

 

[Jets fan]

Am really glad I booked Air France as I had an inkling that BA would do this. It's the type of ransom that unions want.

I really feel sorry for all the hard working people booked on a BA flight. I really hope the management can sort something out.

Tina

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

BA cabin crew are thw best paid in the industry with some Cabin Supervisors earning over £40,000 a year.
The airline cannot afford the generous wages anymore and like most airlines wants to reduce their staff on the flights to survive. Rather like the industires of old, (motors, steel workers, railways etc tec) the Unions don't want to reduce their perks regardless of the cost to the airline (I think they belive that the Government will bail out the countries airline if it goes bust)
I can see this going sour either way :-(
Either the unions will prevale and BA back down before the 22nd and makes a huge loss, or after a strike the unions back down and the staff are cut.

 

[mackay_j]

this happened with virgin xmas of 2007 (think it was a BAA strike), we managed (with a lot of hassel) to get moved from the 27th dec to the 24th, then had a mad panic to get a place to stay and xmas storted outthere for a child waiting for santa.

In the end however the strike was called off just before it was meant to happen (however cost me loads to get on diff flight pay flight price diff., find a condo as needed space for santa to get in and out without being seen! and order up pressies to collect when we landed, then finaly book a nice place for Xmas dinner, even though I had all that storted to have xmas at home, worst of I had to leave my parents and MIL on their own over xmas).

I am sure the same will happen here. However, that dosen't help the thousands who will today be close to tears as they see their Xmas plans fade away. The only suggestion I have is to contact who you are booked with and try and see if you can go early (as we did). The airline should be quite helpful (more than VH were to us as they had no info about VA being impacted by the strike), but if you are going to try that I would do it ASAP as many others will be trying the same

Why could they not hold off- Xmas is special, do you think that if they were going to strike they decieded that they may as well have a few more nices days off with their family -pitty about all those who may now not get to fly to visit theirs over Xmas!


Good luck to anyone who is affected by this

 

[T16GEM]

This is terrible news, I hope that everyone affected by it gets their flights sorted asap with as little hassle as possible.

I honestly do not think that these people quite understand the impact that they have.

 

[choccieaddict]

This has runied my Christmas

We are due to fly on the 29th with BA!!

We have had so much bad luck lately, first our friends pulled out of the holiday, then 2 weeks ago my FIL passed away (aged 60) very sudden, so we thought we would have to cancel as MIL would be on her own but she has told us we must go for the children, now this! I just want to cry

If anyone has any advise I would be so grateful as I dont know where to go from here, we booked with Jetsave if thats any help and are on the BA2037 11.40 flight on 29/12/09.

moan over

Thanks for listening

Emma
xxx

Emma, I think if you booked through a travel operator you need to contact them, and if you booked through BA themselves you have to wait for contact from them to see if yours is one of the affected flights (that's me)... or try and ring them (I'm not even going to attempt to try for a good 24 hours, I reckon I'll be on hold forever!)
Everywhere I have read online today suggests that BA must offer a refund, or allow you to change to another flight within 6 months (fat lot of good that would be for most of us with more than just the flight arranged), or get you on another BA flight (again, how can they get you on another flight if 92% of union members won't be manning the flights )
Good luck, and let's hope it all gets called off very soon so we can stop fretting.
Tina
x

 

[Cyrano]

Disappointing that management are using the current economic climate to erode the rights of workers but will probably cry foul over the government's suggestion of a pay reduction for the highest paid earners. All the previous years of abuse of the pension fund in the glory years now comes home to roost.

Most of all I feel sorry to any who will no doubt be stressing over the impact this will have on their holiday plans. Sending you all that an amicable solution is found and you can enjoy your Disney trip

 

[nemmie]

I personally find the situation disgusting (as I did with the Royal Mail saga) and am so sorry for anyone's Christmas plans that are now in tatters. Like others have said maybe they will call it off but today must be incredibly upsetting to so many people. BA crew should be happy they even have a job let alone one of the best paid in the industry.
Stepping down from my soap box.
Again very sorry for everyone this effects and I hope you can find a way around the situation.

 

[jockey]

I think this is terrible, it could be the end of BA, I think their union need to look at the current economic climate, it's not the 70's. Hopefully they will "WISE UP"

 

[nannyj]

This has runied my Christmas

We are due to fly on the 29th with BA!!

We have had so much bad luck lately, first our friends pulled out of the holiday, then 2 weeks ago my FIL passed away (aged 60) very sudden, so we thought we would have to cancel as MIL would be on her own but she has told us we must go for the children, now this! I just want to cry

If anyone has any advise I would be so grateful as I dont know where to go from here, we booked with Jetsave if thats any help and are on the BA2037 11.40 flight on 29/12/09.

moan over

Thanks for listening

Emma
xxx

Oh Emma what a sad time you have had. Sorry I have no advice I can offer but just hope that things get sorted out for you! Chin up!!!

 

[zippy99]

We were in the same position over the Christmas period in 2008, and in the end it came to nothing and our flights to Orlando were fine. I have my fingers crossed for everyone, I did not enjoy the stress we went through!!!

We were similar we flew with Virgin on 17th January 2008 on our first trip to Florida and a strike was planned for that day - thankfully it came to nothing.

I've seen first hand the stress it can cause (my mum was due to fly to Portugal on a Mark Warner holiday the day XL collapsed)

Try not to worry guys, I'm sure all will be fine - must admit though - I was deciding between Virgin & BA for my trip next year - this has helped me make the decision.

 

[mackay_j]

nannyj - have you been able to find anything out about your dates, fexability etc. - fingers (and toes) crossed for you

 

[disneyangel]

We are due to fly on 01JAN10 and are awaiting our fate

This is our first family WDW holiday and we will be very disappointed if it has to be cancelled

 

[Dimplenose]

I've just been watching the news and I can't get over what a smug g** the union rep was. He is ruining million of people's Christmases and doesn't think it's his fault at all. It would be a different thing if BA were doing well.