BA strike to affect thousands of fliers

News at Gatwick 15/12/2009

BA battles it out with Unite : December 2009 : Dutch ask that scanners be mandatory at airports

Alternative airlines cash in

British Airways have said they will do all they can to ensure that their passengers, booked on flights during the strike period, will be given alternative arrangements. Rival airlines have leapt at the chance to increase their business and have been busy putting together advertising to encourage passengers booked with BA to change carriers.

The strike action will last 12 days and affect travellers booked on flights from December 22nd to January 2nd. Flights to places like New York have soared in price as the number of flights has been severely affected; some destinations have increased in cost by as much as three times.

The strike action by cabin crew working at British Airways is the result of months of bad feeling between the union that represents the employees, Unite, and the management of BA who have insisted that swinging cuts are needed from the work force as well as a change in working practices to insure the future of BA.

The union has said that 80% of its members had voted for strike action which will affect more than 7,800 flights over the festive period. BA has upset its workforce by implementing new work practices including asking senior flight attendants to serve passengers food. The airline has made cuts in its routes and has also stopped serving food on some short haul trips. The cost of the current industrial action is said to cost BA more than £500,000. Willie Walsh, boss of BA has said that his staff are currently earning far more than other airlines and with a record loss of £400 million in 2008, it can not afford to operate the way it has in the past.

BA battles it out with Unite : December 2009 : Dutch ask that scanners be mandatory at airports

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