I wish I'd been offered 3%!!! We were offered 1.8% but as a good will gesture, it was upped to 2%. While I can understand they want more than they've been offered, why do they always have to do it on a bank holiday weekend when they know it will disrupt so many peoples plans. That's obviously the reason they are doing it then but they'll get no sympathy from the travellers who get mixed up in it all.

Darren

I see this is another company that is not British owned,I hope they are barred from bidding when their contract is up for renewal.This is again what happens when 1 company has too much power at London airports BAA they should be split up.Again they try and blackmail the travelling public who indirectly pay their wages.

What happens now though? I am due to go to Ibiza this thursday and come back into Gatwick bank holiday monday? Will flights be cancelled or maybe only hand luggage allowed? What a nightmare
Thanks in advance

I've just seen other airport staff (Manchester) are looking at strikes as well. I'm flying out on 29th August so I hope they don't join in.

Darren

Hi

We're flying from Manchester on the 29th. If they do strike at Manchester does anyone know if this will affect only those airlines that use Swissport or all flights. Is it likely flights will be cancelled. Any info much appreciated.

I'm also flying from Manchester on the 29th. From news reports at present it seems only Swissport are affected. Swissport handle Monarch ,Virgin and KLM amongst others. The companies state they have contingency plans to minimise disruption. Im flying with Thomas Cook and believe at the moment I will not be affected. I would be grateful if anyone has any further news.

BAA have no involvment directly with this dispute, The staff striking are employed by ground agents in this case swissport so BAA cannot intervene and have not caused this.

You are right though on the BAA issue- their airports are atrocious and need to be split up.

Sorry but Swissport is owned by Ferrovial of Spain guess who owns BAA yes Ferrovial

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7563411.stm

Guess who is due to fly on one of those dates?

I was talking to a bloke who worked for BA for 32 years (and was chief steward on Concorde) today.

He told me that we should still be ok

He said in the past...

Passengers have been allowed to take their own cases out to the aircraft and the managers have
put them on the planes...?

The airlines call upon loads of staff from all over their companies to get the cases onto the planes.

Do you really think that either one of these scenario's will happen?

Am worrying myself sick incase they cancel our flight....

Milly_Molly,

That may have happened prior to 9/11, but it's unlikely to happen now. Airport security procedures are very tight these days so it's unlikely things will be as smooth as you suggest. Only personal who hold current authorisations can work air-side and on the ramp. I doubt they'll be able to drought people in with the correct paperwork at this short notice. They'll get some to help out, but probably not enough. If they strike at Manchester, I'm expecting delays to my flight even though it's not the handlers directly involved. There'll be a backlog and disruption as handlers try and cope best they can.

Darren

Hi Darren,

I didn't think it would be allowed. I agree - maybe before 9/11......

Thanks for the info Coyote.

Guess who is flying with an airline that uses Swissport...

Grrrr......we have flown with Jet2.com every year since they started out.
For the first time in ages, this year we have booked to fly with Monarch,
and this happens.....

I really am worried sick now incase our flight is cancelled.

I am worried incase I cant get home from Ibiza on the monday. As nice as it would be to stay longer, we all have families and work to get back to.

I have just found this on Monarch airlines web site - Manchester hasn't been mentioned -yet!
(Hope this is ok admin peeps )

** Edit to remove copyright material. Please feel free to replace with a weblink or a summary in your own words. luci HT Mod **

I guess we'll just have to keep checking their website.

Fingers crossed for everyone flying on the dates that may be involved.

We are also meant to be flying on the 29th, from Gatwick, with First Choice Total nightmare! There always seems to be something like this when we go on hols. I am really annoyed, there must be another way round it than disrupting peoples holidays. Just hope we are not delayed too much, I hate hanging around waiting and we already have a late flight.
Milly I have read Monarch saying they will be ok so you might be alright - apparently they are starting some itv2 show on the 29th with celeb cabin crew!

Hi Guys,
Guess who is flying on Bank holiday monday, from Gatwick, with Thomson...... You guessed it, ME!!!!
I am so worried.
I spoke to someone at my Travel agents, who i booked the holiday with. They have told me to phone either Thomson nearer the time or even Gatwick. I will probably get the same answer from them which will be to travel there and try your luck!!!
They also told me to double check i am covered with my travel insurance just incase there are delays. I have checked and i am covered although this does not give me my day(s) holiday back that i am going to lose.
I am going to DR and, to add more salt to the wound, they have just had a hurricane!!!!
It just seems like to me that things are going from bad to worse!!!
If anyone gets any more info please let me know.

Im due to fly out on monday 25th aug, and am gutted at the thought of the strikes.Me and my family have been looking forward to this holiday for ages as my dad passed away in October and it was the only thing we had to look forward too, now it maybe ruined.Im so annoyed they are being so selfish, a 3% rise is better than nothing and more than what i got. Everybody is struggling with the cost of living not just them.grrr
I keep praying they will come to some agreement and they wont go ahead.
Does anyone know what time they are going to strike from? will it be like 12am monday morning?

Oh Michyb,
I am sorry to hear the news about your Dad.

I know exactly what you are saying about the pay rise. Don't get me wrong, i know they do work funny hours but that was the choice they decided to make on taking the job.
I would have loved to have got a 3% pay rise this year. This might be the last holiday for a lot of us with the prices of everything going up. Next year none of us might not be able to go on holiday then who is going to pay them there wages then as there will not be any jobs to do.

I have no idea what time they are starting the strike. I would assume it would be as soon as the clock hits 12 as it will be the bank holiday.
My flight is at 10:30 so i suppose i am stuck wither way.

I know they go on like they are the only ones struggling with the cost of living but everyone is affected but we dont all go around going on strike, you just have to get on with it.Its just going to make more work for them.

Im flying with Monarch at 6.45am but I was reading somewhere i think it was back in May they had strikes and the baggage people were gunna start their strike from 8am, but im think that is wishful thinking there.lol

I keep looking on the website but it just says the flights will be as normal until further notice, and to keep looking but until the actual morning of the strikes, we wont know will we?which is cutting it fine as i need to leave by 3am.
I just wanna know how long the flight maybe delayed for at its worst.

I spose the upside to it is theres around 28% who arent striking and atleast its not a 48hr stike.

Apparently it will not be as bad as everyone expects- after talking to Swissport staff about this- they stand to lose around £200 for not showing up on a bank holiday(double/triple pay) so most are advocating a "work to rule" policy- one of the things they will now do(what they "officially" should do every time they drive a different tug) is check it inside out/brakes etc...

I fully support the strike it will cause headaches for many customers, friends and myself but if this is what management need to give people fair wage increases then so be it- I would find it very difficult to actually find a senior manager/director at BAA/Ferrioval who has not had at least 3% pay rise/bonus over the last 12 months...

Qatarman- Just because Swissport and BAA share same ownership does not lay blame with BAA.
Swissport and BAA are the kids and Ferrioval are the parents(for the want of a better analogy)- the blame lies solidly with the "parents" who run the individual companies.