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| Travel strikes: Your questions answered | Travel strikes: Your questions answered |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| With pre-Christmas strikes planned for Southern Rail, British Airways and UK airport staff, thousands of travellers are set to be affected over the festive period. Here, we try to answer some of your questions. | With pre-Christmas strikes planned for Southern Rail, British Airways and UK airport staff, thousands of travellers are set to be affected over the festive period. Here, we try to answer some of your questions. |
| Are any other rail companies planning to strike over the Christmas period? | Are any other rail companies planning to strike over the Christmas period? |
| Southern Rail is the only rail company affected by planned strike action, on Tuesday 20 December and 31 December until 2 January. Gatwick Express services will also be affected on these dates. | Southern Rail is the only rail company affected by planned strike action, on Tuesday 20 December and 31 December until 2 January. Gatwick Express services will also be affected on these dates. |
| But there are lots of lines which will be affected by maintenance work over the festive period: there are no less than 200 engineering projects planned. | But there are lots of lines which will be affected by maintenance work over the festive period: there are no less than 200 engineering projects planned. |
| No train services will run on Christmas Day and few services operate on Boxing Day. | No train services will run on Christmas Day and few services operate on Boxing Day. |
| Elsewhere, major disruptions include: | Elsewhere, major disruptions include: |
| Plan ahead with National Rail to avoid (more) frustration. | Plan ahead with National Rail to avoid (more) frustration. |
| What is Labour's view on these strikes? | What is Labour's view on these strikes? |
| Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott, has criticised Southern Rail and told the public to remember "it takes two to cause a strike". | Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott, has criticised Southern Rail and told the public to remember "it takes two to cause a strike". |
| She said that despite being potentially "disastrous" for people over Christmas, workers had the legal right to strike. | She said that despite being potentially "disastrous" for people over Christmas, workers had the legal right to strike. |
| This comes after slightly less sympathetic comments from her Labour colleague Meg Hillier, Public Accounts Committee chairman, who said unions needed a "wake-up call" about the impact on hard-working people over Christmas. She warned "they could be shooting themselves in the foot". | This comes after slightly less sympathetic comments from her Labour colleague Meg Hillier, Public Accounts Committee chairman, who said unions needed a "wake-up call" about the impact on hard-working people over Christmas. She warned "they could be shooting themselves in the foot". |
| Prime Minister Theresa May asked Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to condemn the strikes. He has not. | Prime Minister Theresa May asked Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to condemn the strikes. He has not. |
| How can I find out if strikes by BA cabin crew and airport baggage handlers will affect my flight? | How can I find out if strikes by BA cabin crew and airport baggage handlers will affect my flight? |
| British Airways says it plans to run a full schedule on Christmas Day and Boxing Day despite the proposed industrial action by cabin crew belonging to the Unite union. | British Airways says it plans to run a full schedule on Christmas Day and Boxing Day despite the proposed industrial action by cabin crew belonging to the Unite union. |
| BA says departures from London Heathrow, London Gatwick and London City should not be affected by the dispute. | |
| However, people booked on certain short-haul flights to and from Heathrow on 25 and 26 December can rebook if they would like. | |
| Rebooking is permitted on flights to and from Aberdeen, Basel, Belfast, Bergen, Bilbao, Bologna, Budapest, Dusseldorf, Gibraltar, Gothenburg, Hamburg, Hanover, Helsinki, Kiev, Krakow, Lisbon, Luxembourg, Manchester, Marseille, Oslo, Paris Orly, Pisa, Prague, Stavanger, St Petersburg, Stuttgart, Vienna, Venice, Warsaw and Zagreb. | |
| As always check the BA website for the most up-to-date information. The airline's Twitter account is also useful. | As always check the BA website for the most up-to-date information. The airline's Twitter account is also useful. |
| The other industrial action is the Swissport strike, which involves baggage handlers, on 23 and 24 December. | |
| Why is it not compulsory for companies and workers in dispute to attend conciliation until the matter is resolved? | Why is it not compulsory for companies and workers in dispute to attend conciliation until the matter is resolved? |
| Conciliation is the process offered to both sides of a dispute, with the aim of settling the matter without the need for a legal claim to be lodged. | Conciliation is the process offered to both sides of a dispute, with the aim of settling the matter without the need for a legal claim to be lodged. |
| It is facilitated by a conciliation service such as Acas. | It is facilitated by a conciliation service such as Acas. |
| However, it is voluntary and neither party is legally obliged to take part in conciliation and can stop whenever they wish. | However, it is voluntary and neither party is legally obliged to take part in conciliation and can stop whenever they wish. |
| This, according to industrial relations expert Prof Roger Seifert, is quite simply because by definition, you cannot force an agreement. | This, according to industrial relations expert Prof Roger Seifert, is quite simply because by definition, you cannot force an agreement. |
| If I'm only allowed to take hand luggage on a flight due to strike action, despite booking and paying for hold luggage, can I claim compensation? | If I'm only allowed to take hand luggage on a flight due to strike action, despite booking and paying for hold luggage, can I claim compensation? |
| Unite have said more than 1,500 workers at Swissport - which include check-in staff and baggage handlers - would walk out for 48 hours from 23 December. | Unite have said more than 1,500 workers at Swissport - which include check-in staff and baggage handlers - would walk out for 48 hours from 23 December. |
| Should the action go ahead, Ryanair has said it may be hand luggage only on its flights - in which case it would "update customers accordingly". | Should the action go ahead, Ryanair has said it may be hand luggage only on its flights - in which case it would "update customers accordingly". |
| Easyjet , which works with Swissport at Bristol, Newcastle, Birmingham, Belfast and Jersey airports - said it would contact customers who may be affected via text or email to update them on any changes. | Easyjet , which works with Swissport at Bristol, Newcastle, Birmingham, Belfast and Jersey airports - said it would contact customers who may be affected via text or email to update them on any changes. |
| The airline was not able to say whether passengers would be offered a refund or credit for any luggage they could no longer take until the outcome of the talks is known. | The airline was not able to say whether passengers would be offered a refund or credit for any luggage they could no longer take until the outcome of the talks is known. |
| But in this instance compensation is not an option, according to the Civil Aviation Authority. | But in this instance compensation is not an option, according to the Civil Aviation Authority. |
| The European regulation that gives passengers the right to claim if checked luggage is lost, delayed or damaged cannot be used in this case. | The European regulation that gives passengers the right to claim if checked luggage is lost, delayed or damaged cannot be used in this case. |
| Unfortunately strike action is one such "extraordinary circumstance" under which airline operators are not liable to pay out. | Unfortunately strike action is one such "extraordinary circumstance" under which airline operators are not liable to pay out. |
| In a situation like this, there is a chance the airline would get the luggage to you on a later flight once the strike is over. | In a situation like this, there is a chance the airline would get the luggage to you on a later flight once the strike is over. |
| But to avoid turning up at the airport with a full suitcase, only to be told you cannot take it with you, check with your airline for the latest advice. | But to avoid turning up at the airport with a full suitcase, only to be told you cannot take it with you, check with your airline for the latest advice. |
| Would these strikes be taking place at all if staff were given the same pay rises as MPs? | Would these strikes be taking place at all if staff were given the same pay rises as MPs? |
| From April, MPs are expected to get 1.4% increase, bringing their salaries from £74,962 to £76,011. | From April, MPs are expected to get 1.4% increase, bringing their salaries from £74,962 to £76,011. |
| BA cabin crew belonging to Unite voted to reject a 2% pay rise. They argue staff who joined since 2010 on "mixed fleet" contracts are starting on just over £12,000 plus £3 an hour flying pay. | BA cabin crew belonging to Unite voted to reject a 2% pay rise. They argue staff who joined since 2010 on "mixed fleet" contracts are starting on just over £12,000 plus £3 an hour flying pay. |
| Workers on Southern rail are striking over the guards' roles on new trains. Unions argue there are safety concerns over drivers taking on responsibility for opening and closing doors. | Workers on Southern rail are striking over the guards' roles on new trains. Unions argue there are safety concerns over drivers taking on responsibility for opening and closing doors. |
| Thousands of Post Office workers are protesting against pension changes, job security and closures. Weetabix workers have voted to strike in the new year over new shift patterns. | Thousands of Post Office workers are protesting against pension changes, job security and closures. Weetabix workers have voted to strike in the new year over new shift patterns. |