If you were caught up in the last BA strike how helpful were they?

[raisinbran]

I know its only speculation at the moment re strikes for August, just wonder how helpful BA are likely to be at helping you get to your destination.

We are booked to fly Manchester to LHR then onto Newark on 10th August. We have one night lay over, before travelling with jet Blue the following morning to Orlando to start our holiday in Disney World. The children are so looking forward to it.

We booked begining of Jan and did it this way as direct flights were too expensive. (we nearly went with US airways but the reviews were so bad we swapped to BA!).

Just wondered if Ba would pay for a seat with another airline? eg manchester to newark with continental airlines, how much notice do you get. Would we be better making our own way down to LHR by car? (I am concerned doemstic flights might be cancelled but LHR may still operate some flights to NY, but we would be in the wrong place).

If we missed our onward flight to Orlando becasue of the strike delays would Ba be obliged to give us a flight straight to Orlando.

We do have insurance but its more damage limitation and making the most of the holiday without incurring major expense.We have paid for all our inclusive accommodation, park tickets,car hire..... aaarrghh. Only thing not yet booked is airport parking but need to decide in order to get a better rate.

Any thoughts or advice very welcome.

PAH!!!!

Not at all helpfull.

We travelled on 21st May, during strike time but unnaffected. Flight was run with less staff as usual. Not that we noticed because they are pretty un helpfull when fully staffed. But at least we got there.

Were due to return on 31st May. Kept watching the updates online all week. On the 26th May they announce on their site that our flight is cancelled. I tried phoning them. No answer. I emailed. No reply. So contacted Thomas Cook (Booking agent) who reluctantly rebooked us for a flight on 1st June.

The flight was understaffed again.

Sice getting home I have emailed 2 complaints and haven't had so much as an acknowledgement from them.

Goober thanks for your comments. I will take it as a positive that at least you got away.

I understand your frustration with complaints procedure they lost my mums luggage on the way out a few years ago and I went grey as a result of their incompetence!
Hope you get a response soon.

Is annoying that you pay all that saved money for a holiday of a lifetime (in my case) and expect full staff and good service, then are left to fend for yourself.

We flew back from US with BA during first strike in March. We were very concerned about our flight being cancelled, and being stuck in an airport with two small children. We investigated, and they have no obligation to pay for flights with other airlines - and in fact, wouldn't even consider it. Our strategy was to get as close to the airport as possible the night before (so yes, I'd drive to LHR if you happen to end up in the middle of a strike period, as they are more likely to cancel domestic flights), and keep an eye on it. If they cancel, you need to get to the BA desk asap and get your name on the next available flight - and get them to pay for your hotel while you wait (which they are obliged to do).

I am sorry to say, that if you are in a strike period, there isn't much alternative to having your fingers and legs crossed that your flight runs. They were cancelling flights about 24 hours beforehand in our instance, but I wouldn't take that amount of notice as a given. I also don't think that if you missed your connecting flight that they are obliged to re-route you... particularly as your onward flight isn't a BA one. Their only obligation is to get you to your destination, as soon as they can, on the route you've booked.

Or, you can cut your losses and book with another airline now, but no insurance company would pay out for that, so the cost would be yours I'm afraid, and it's a gamble. We looked at rebooking with Virgin once the strike dates were announced, and the cost was prohibitive - about 6x what we paid for BA... prices went up astronomically. So if you are willing to take the hit, I would rebook before the strike dates are declared, else it will be VERY expensive.

It's a nightmare... cherished family holidays potentially ruined - at least our issues were on the way home. I sympathise

A bit of a ramble, but HTH.

Forgot to say, if you've booked with a travel agent, it's a different scenario entirely as ABTA rules protect you more - but I don't know how that works. My experience was with independent booking.

We got caught up in it all back in December when they announced their first strikes which were due to be 12 days (if I recall rightly) It was all touch and go as to whether it would happen due to High Court action and we were advised by our travel agents that if we needed to be at our destination (which we did as otherwise would have had two children on their own back in the UK) then we should book via other airlines. BA were claiming that they would provide refunds for those rebooking as we did but then refused to do so. We therefore eventually managed to change our BA ticket for this summer and fingers crossed will be using that ticket in 10 days (not that I'm counting)
Sadly, due to all the mucking around that we experienced and the total lack of customer care, we will never fly BA again after this trip. I don't care how much cheaper they are or may be, I'd rather pay more and know I'll get where I want to go and have a bit of customer service.
We are going to Florida in Oct and the last two occasions have flown business class (DH and I and 3, now 4 DC) but this time Virgin are getting our business

I was flying to Geneva last weekend (2 days after a strike) and 6 days before I got a text saying the flight was cancelled as a knock-on effect of the strike. There was a number to call which I did. It was answered straight away, I was offered any of the 5 other flights that day, chose one & that was that - simple. I had already booked train tickets to Heathrow, so we ended up arriving rather early for the later flight, and we missed the evening party we'd been planning to go to as the flight was a bit too late. I don't think I can really claim anything for that though.

That was the second of 3 flights that were cancelled for that single weekend trip to France (I was dead unlucky!) and it was easily the easiest to deal with - the other two cancelled flights were with easyjet.

Thanks everyone for your input seems i will just need to wait and see, although its the not knowing that is maddening. Still I am glad I have found out some insite to the situation. Even if it has been at your misfortune.