Few things upset passengers lucky enough to secure cheap fares, be they cheap airplane tickets or cheap vacation packages, more than an airline strike. BAs (British Airways) cabin crew union, Unite, has publicly announced two planned walkouts, the first for three days starting March 20th, followed up by another walkout for four days starting March 27th. The dispute is over a pay freeze and changing work conditions.
Unite, represents 13,000 BA cabin crew members, and is accusing the airline of intimidation in the face of BA pulling its most recent offer off the table before the latest round of talks failed to produce any agreement.
Initially Unite was going to put BAs latest offer to the flight attendants for a vote, promising to call off the walkouts if its offer was approved. The union had announced that BAs offer was not adequate in its opinion and would not recommend it to its members.
In anticipation of these walkouts, BA has been training approximately 1,000 volunteer workers from other departments at the carrier to replace flight attendants if the threatened walkout occurs.
If there is a strike, BA says it plans to operate all flights from London City airport, and all long haul flights and approximately 50 percent of its short haul flights from Gatwick. The carrier claims that it will be able to fly a substantial part of it long and short haul schedules out of Heathrow.
Unite has attacked the airlines decision to train non cabin crew members to handle flight attendant responsibilities, claiming that this will place BA fliers at risk in emergency situations.
If the work stoppage goes forward, there will be no winners in that BA customers are showing no sympathy for the strike and BA brand loyalty will take a hit if flights are cancelled.
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