Article from BTNews 9 JANUARY 2017
BA downplays strike effect
A 48hr strike from tomorrow (10 January) by cabin crew working under “mixed fleet’” employment terms is unlikely to have a major effect on flights, British Airways announced yesterday.
The airline said it had drawn up plans to cope with industrial action and passengers would be able to fly to their destinations, though some flights from Heathrow would be “merged”. Flights to and from Gatwick and London City would operate normally.
A spokeswoman said: “We will be merging a small number of flights to and from Heathrow, (meaning) some customers will travel slightly earlier or later than their bookings. Customers affected are being contacted.”
The airline also made a fresh appeal to bosses at the Unite union to scrap strike action, which the union said was voted for overwhelmingly by its members. The December ballot was 79% in favour of strike action on a turnout of 60%.
The union said its members were legally required to take industrial action within 28 days of voting for it, unless BA agreed to an extension.
The 2,500 mixed fleet crew make up about 15% of the airline’s cabin crew and are said by Unite to earn just over £12,000, plus flight pay of £3 per hour when they start.
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