Judges delay decision over BA strikes

Judges have delayed their decision over the legality of strike action by British Airways staff until tomorrow (Thursday).

Unite, the trade union representing more than 90% of BA cabin crew, appealed against a high court ruling on Monday that 20 days of planned strikes were unlawful.

The ruling was based on a technicality over whether Unite followed rules in contacting its members with strike result details.

Unite immediately lodged an appeal at the Royal Courts of Justice and yesterday senior judges sat to consider the appeal.

However, they have delayed their decision until 9.30am tomorrow.

If Unite wins the appeal the strike could be back on as early as midnight.

The first of a series of four five-day walkouts had been due to start yesterday.

Further strikes were planned for 24-28 May, 30 May-3 June, and 5-9 June.

With permission from Travelmole

Unite union wins appeal against last Monday's injunction

The Court of Appeal has just overturned Monday's High Court ruling which blocked industrial action by BA cabin staff.

This now clears the way for strikes to go ahead from next week, starting with a 5-day strike from Monday 24 May, unless a negotiated settlement is found before then. Two further 5-day strikes are planned to start on 30 May and 5 June.

British Airways will now implement its strike contingency plans.

David

All set for tomorrow and a taxi to London. Flying out with AA to Miami but still won't know about the return flights. Booked with BA but I assume that like the outbound flights BA and Celebrity will sort it for us. I am just so glad to be going this time around.

To the others out there who are about to travel good luck and enjoy you break.

Sue

Im flight on BA279 on 1st june to Los Angeles,i have booked a packaged deal with Haynes and Jarvis.They say i wont know until wednesday 26th May if the flight is going or cancelled...I have yet to book airport parking/airport hotel..Im really stuck with what do do,has anyone any information about the flights on june 1st?and if it will be cancelled what happens then,do i get transferred to to another flight that day? i just don't know what to do bout the parking and hotel,if i leave it till next week the price will go up and if i book it now and the flight gets cancelled i will lose a lot of money any information will be great as the web site does not say much....thanks

I think most Long Haul flights are going.
It is short haul and domestic in/out of heathrow that are problematic

EDIT: BA269 to LAX on 1 June is operating. That is the late afternoon flight. The BA website does have quite alot of information on what flights are operational

Thanks helen,
I have been checking my flight number on BA website and for this weeks 5 day strikes it shows my flight number as cancelled,i have been on live flightware and it shows that my flight actually went?

cymrulad1106,

I wouldn't always rely on the information on flightaware, there are sometimes discrepancies. Having said that, BA279 has operated as normal so far. Todays flight left pretty much ontime operated by G-CIVD.

Darren

thanks darren,how come its stated as cancelled on BA website but has been running? thanks

cymrulad1106 wrote:

thanks darren,how come its stated as cancelled on BA website but has been running? thanks

The aircraft left today with or without passengers.

Darren

Unite tells BA: settle dispute by Tuesday or we ballot

Cabin crew union Unite has told British Airways that it has until June 29 to settle the long-running dispute between the two or face the consequences of a summer strike action ballot.

Talks have repeatedly failed between the union and BA management and even conciliation service Acas has failed to resolve the dispute, which now hinges on restoring travel perks taken away from strikers back in March.

Chief executive Willie Walsh has always stood firm against the industrial action that has plagued holidaymakers this spring, training up BA staff to replace cabin crew who have walked out.

Now Walsh and his team must decide whether their commitment to make BA a stronger airline and not susceptible to constant strike action is worth turning millions of passengers off the airline.

If a ballot goes ahead, it will open on Tuesday and could pave the way for strikes as early as the start of August.

Unite has issued a plea to BA to drop its "position of confrontation" and start talking but BA has countered by calling the plan to disrupt summer travel "deplorable".

Meanwhile, Walsh has pledged that he will operate all of Heathrow's long-haul flights and a "substantial proportion" of its short-haul flights.

With permission from Travelmole

BA makes 'final' offer to cabin crew

British Airways could be spared a summer of misery as its cabin crew have delayed a ballot on further industrial action.

They are considering the management's 'final' offer to settle their long-running dispute.

The cabin crew's union Unite said it is not recommending members accept the offer from management, but it has postponed the strike ballot that was due to begin tomorrow to give crew time to consider the management's proposal.

Unite joint general secretary Tony Woodley, said: "As a consequence of the company's last and final offer the union and its representatives will have no choice but to delay our vote in order to allow our members to consult on the offer.

"The company has made it clear that the offer on the table will be removed if the strike ballot starts on Tuesday.

"It would be therefore be inexplicable if we did not put this offer to our members, and I expect this course of action will be confirmed by our cabin crew representatives when they meet tomorrow."

However, Unite has warned that it is not in a position to recommend the BA proposal to members because it does not fully reinstate staff travel arrangements stripped from crew who took lawful industrial strike action in March and May.

With permission from Travelmole

my flight is BA2055 15th july at 10pm. i know its a silly question but does anyone know if the inflight meal is an evening meal or breakfast as the meal should be about 1am ish. thanks

ali781,

It should to be an evening meal.

Darren

I heard on the news this morning that BA cabin crew are being balloted again from today. Does anyone have an idea on the possible time-scale for further strike action if the deal is rejected?

I am due to go on holiday with BA on 24 July so am concerned that I'll get caught-up with it.
My flights are MAN-LHR then LHR-SFO. In previous action the LHR-SFO flight has operated but the MAN-LHR hasn't, so I suppose at worst I'll have to make my own way to LHR.

Thanks for any updates,
Paul

I flew with BA to Miami during the last lot of strikes. We had booked Heathrow and left out the Manchester element just in case as we knew that the domestic flight might be cancelled.
BA had 2 flight per day to Miami and they ran the 09.35 but cancelled ours which was for 13.40 but BA in conjunction with Celebrity Cruises got us out with AA.
Our return flight ran as scheduled.
We had decided that we would go by taxi to Heathrow and we went down the night before. If you need a hotel we stayed at the Radisson Edwardian and at £51.70p per room for single occupancy of a double room was great.
If the Manchester flight is cancelled you would get that part of your flight refunded. I suppose maybe BMI might have a flight and they might get you on that.

Sue

thankyou dazbo.
ali

BA cabin crew reject latest pay offer

British Airways cabin crew have rejected the airline's latest pay offer, raising the prospect of further strikes.

BA management had called the proposed 2.9 per cent rise with 3% the year after its "final" pay offer but cabin crew members of the Unite union rejected it 3,419 votes to 1,686. The offer also included a partial re-instatement of staff travel benefits to those who have taken part in the industrial action.

There are 11,000 members of BA cabin crew in Unite and the total number of votes cast is significantly less than in previous ballots. The union itself made no recommendation as to whether members should accept or reject the deal.

Unite said it would be meeting with cabin crew to discuss the next steps.

BA says Unite support is 'ebbing away'

British Airways says today's cabin crew strike ballot shows support for Unite is "ebbing away."

Cabin crew voted to reject BA's latest pay offer but in a statement the airline said: "We are encouraged by the result of this ballot which shows that 73 per cent of our cabin crew did not reject our offer.

"With only around a quarter of our cabin crew voting against the deal, support for Unite is ebbing away. The union has lost the moral authority to represent the views of our cabin crew.

"Such a low turnout raises serious questions for Unite and shows it does not have a clear mandate to reject our offer. We would urge them to come back to the table to sign the agreement and end the dispute.

"We have made a fair offer that includes two years of guaranteed rises in basic pay on top of annual increment pay increases and gives certainty to crew about their future earnings. There are no cuts in pay and our current Heathrow crew remain the best rewarded in the UK airline industry.

"After the worst recession in aviation history, we must reshape ourselves to achieve the kind of sustainable profitability that will enable us to invest for the benefit of our customers."

With permission from Travelmole

Thinking of flying to South Africa next May.
Flight options are BA59 from LHR to CPT then return is BA54 from JNB to LHR or
South African Airlines SAA221 from LHR to CPT then return is either SAA236 or SAA234 from JNB to LHR.
Can anyone advise seat configuration and IFE please.

Jim

jim98,

LHR-CPT (BA059) are operated by a Boeing 747-400
JNB-LHR (BA054) are operated by a Boeing 747-400.

IFE and seating plans are on BA's website.

Darren