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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Q&A: How the BA strike affects you | Q&A: How the BA strike affects you |
| (2 days later) | |
| The background to the dispute | The background to the dispute |
| Union members at British Airways have voted to take strike action. | Union members at British Airways have voted to take strike action. |
| The industrial action will take place over 12 days from 22 December to 2 January. | The industrial action will take place over 12 days from 22 December to 2 January. |
| This is the first walkout by British Airways cabin crew since 1997. | This is the first walkout by British Airways cabin crew since 1997. |
| The action could affect up to one million air travellers. | The action could affect up to one million air travellers. |
| How disruptive will the strike be? | How disruptive will the strike be? |
| Union and airline officials will start negotiations and a hearing on whether the strikes are illegal is due to be heard in London's High Court, so there is a chance that the strikes might not go ahead. | |
| If they do, the seriousness of the disruption will depend on how many staff decide not to turn up to work on the 12 days of the strikes. | If they do, the seriousness of the disruption will depend on how many staff decide not to turn up to work on the 12 days of the strikes. |
| It is not yet possible to say which flights will be cancelled. BA says it is currently reworking its flight schedules for the strike period and aims to announce the new ones as quickly as possible. | It is not yet possible to say which flights will be cancelled. BA says it is currently reworking its flight schedules for the strike period and aims to announce the new ones as quickly as possible. |
| During past industrial action, the airline has chosen to cancel domestic UK flights first and keep as many international services flying as possible. | During past industrial action, the airline has chosen to cancel domestic UK flights first and keep as many international services flying as possible. |
| The reasoning is that passengers on domestic routes have the option of taking the train instead. | The reasoning is that passengers on domestic routes have the option of taking the train instead. |
| I've got a flight booked with BA, what should I do? | I've got a flight booked with BA, what should I do? |
| British Airways says it will inform affected customers directly by e-mail or text by using the contact details provided at the time of booking. So it is asking passengers to make sure these details are correct and up-to-date. | British Airways says it will inform affected customers directly by e-mail or text by using the contact details provided at the time of booking. So it is asking passengers to make sure these details are correct and up-to-date. |
| If you have a flight during the planned strike period - or 48 hours either side of it - BA has said you can change it now for another leaving any time in the next 12 months at no extra charge. | If you have a flight during the planned strike period - or 48 hours either side of it - BA has said you can change it now for another leaving any time in the next 12 months at no extra charge. |
| People with fully flexible tickets can change them online without charge, but others will need to ring the BA phoneline, or face being charged for changing on the website. One BBC News website reader reported a queue on the telephone line of an hour on Tuesday morning. | People with fully flexible tickets can change them online without charge, but others will need to ring the BA phoneline, or face being charged for changing on the website. One BBC News website reader reported a queue on the telephone line of an hour on Tuesday morning. |
| But if you do not decide to swap it in advance and your flight ends up being cancelled because of strike action, BA says it will offer you the option to refund your ticket, rebook on to a different flight or reroute your journey on another BA flight. | But if you do not decide to swap it in advance and your flight ends up being cancelled because of strike action, BA says it will offer you the option to refund your ticket, rebook on to a different flight or reroute your journey on another BA flight. |
| Full details can be found on the BA website. | Full details can be found on the BA website. |
| In general, customers are extremely unlikely to have any extra claim for compensation, because the cancellation is not "within the airline's control". | In general, customers are extremely unlikely to have any extra claim for compensation, because the cancellation is not "within the airline's control". |
| What about all those extra holiday costs? | What about all those extra holiday costs? |
| A cancelled holiday means potential losses over other holiday costs such as car hire and hotels. | A cancelled holiday means potential losses over other holiday costs such as car hire and hotels. |
| Rochelle Turner from Which? says people 'just have to wait' | Rochelle Turner from Which? says people 'just have to wait' |
| If you booked a package, then the travel agent or operator has a responsibility to provide all the elements of that package. | If you booked a package, then the travel agent or operator has a responsibility to provide all the elements of that package. |
| So customers should contact their agent or operator as soon as possible. The agent or operator will try to find alternative flights but, if that is not possible, will refund the cost of the whole package holiday. | So customers should contact their agent or operator as soon as possible. The agent or operator will try to find alternative flights but, if that is not possible, will refund the cost of the whole package holiday. |
| The Atol protection scheme run by the Civil Aviation Authority does not kick in because this is designed for when an airline goes out of business. | The Atol protection scheme run by the Civil Aviation Authority does not kick in because this is designed for when an airline goes out of business. |
| For those who booked the separate elements of their holiday themselves, the picture is slightly more gloomy. | For those who booked the separate elements of their holiday themselves, the picture is slightly more gloomy. |
| If their holiday is cancelled, they will need to try to claim the extra costs through their travel insurance. Alternatively, if it was booked on a credit card, then they might have a claim through their credit card provider for costs of over £100. | If their holiday is cancelled, they will need to try to claim the extra costs through their travel insurance. Alternatively, if it was booked on a credit card, then they might have a claim through their credit card provider for costs of over £100. |
| This comes under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act explained on the Office of Fair Trading website. | This comes under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act explained on the Office of Fair Trading website. |
| What happens now? | What happens now? |
| Many details have yet to emerge about exactly which flights could be affected. | Many details have yet to emerge about exactly which flights could be affected. |
| It will be one of the first examples of the use of text messages to keep customers abreast of how their particular flight is affected. | It will be one of the first examples of the use of text messages to keep customers abreast of how their particular flight is affected. |
| There are other issues related to timing. | There are other issues related to timing. |
| Buying a second ticket with an alternative airline now, only to find that the strike is cancelled or alternative flights found, would leave a passenger with two tickets and no right to a refund. | Buying a second ticket with an alternative airline now, only to find that the strike is cancelled or alternative flights found, would leave a passenger with two tickets and no right to a refund. |
| Anyone who tries to claim for holiday costs through their insurance, if their flight is cancelled, would need to have bought the policy and made their bookings before 2 November. This was when Unite announced a strike ballot - from which point the strike was no longer "unforeseen". | Anyone who tries to claim for holiday costs through their insurance, if their flight is cancelled, would need to have bought the policy and made their bookings before 2 November. This was when Unite announced a strike ballot - from which point the strike was no longer "unforeseen". |
| The Association of British Insurers has guidance about buying travel insurance. | The Association of British Insurers has guidance about buying travel insurance. |
| If your flight is seriously delayed, it would be worth getting some written confirmation of the length of delay if you decide to claim on travel insurance. | If your flight is seriously delayed, it would be worth getting some written confirmation of the length of delay if you decide to claim on travel insurance. |
| Other airlines say that they will find alternative carriers if they have an agreement to use BA flights for connecting services. | Other airlines say that they will find alternative carriers if they have an agreement to use BA flights for connecting services. |