V-Flyer

All doom and gloom

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but according to BBC.co.uk, BAA are voting to strike at LHR and LGW at the end of the year.[n]

[url][/url]http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7109535.stm

Eeek! And to think we were worrying about the VS strike!! [:0]

If all the BAA Security staff go on strike, will anyone notice? [:D]

Oh yes, shorter queues. [}:)][:D][:I]

Nick

Protest at the plan to stop new staff joing a final salary scheme....

Can't see the employees winning that one.

I agree completely as I have just recently got a new job and I'm not on a final salary scheme but at my old position I was. Lots of businesses are going the same way.

I'm trying to remember about a Public Sector business that also had it's employees strike over the same reason (could be Royal Mail but the last strike was about pay and overtime) and it failed.[?]

A strike could see BAA airports closed from 27 December, leading to chaos during the New Year travel period.




Hmmm. So as a passenger due to arrive 28 December, should LHR be closed down, where would my plane go (assuming it has a VS crew) ? Which are NOT BAA airports in UK?

RR

Manchester, Newcastle, Prestwick, Bournemouth, EMA, Bristol, Amsterdam, Paris ... all the airports used when London gets shut down due to weather - probably rubbing their hand with glee at the extra business and the imminent break up of BAA.
More of the union drive to suicide.

Final Salary Pension Schemes are not affordable for any firm - currently contributions cost firms about a quarter of people's salary. It's not the cost now though, it's the fact that it creates a liability of unknown size for the future. Any decent company won't offer it to new staff.

On a personal note, between VA and BAA my VS023 on the 27th looks abit under threat..[:#]

A strike like this is never good news but this time it's personal! [}:)] We'll be flying home from London on December 30th.

Any idea how long these kinds of formal strikes last? I would think that, given the disruption this would cause to many many holiday travelers, both sides of the issue would not like for it to be a long walkout.

abby

dont know if they are definately striking but i would assume they will as they dont really care about disrupting several million people over the holiday period. if they do virgin will be limited to where they can go, as the size of the aircraft makes us a little big for some airports, (luton would be ideal but i think we are too big and they struggle with room at the best of times) anyone know which non BAA airports can take a 747 or 340?

Originally posted by johnvscrew
anyone know which non BAA airports can take a 747 or 340?

...... Manchester [}:)]

David

I'm flying VS to DXB on Dec 29th so will be watching this with interest.

They wont get anywhere striking over the closure of their final salery pension scheme for new staff, as already mentioned, these are quickly becoming a thing of the past in the UK. We've had to put our contributions up by 2% to keep ours open at work so unless they are all prepared to contribute more every month nothing will change.

Regards

Arse. Have three flights between Xmas and New Year, all involving LHR or LGW.

I don't see flights operating from alternative airports if BAA staff do go ahead with this. It'd be an operational nightmare! Maybe BAA could charter some jets and bring over TSA personnel from the West Colonies [}:)]

Does anyone work for BAA and have any information on how the strike vote is going ?
We are due to fly to LAX on 27th Dec to join a cruise and a strike (even for a day) is seriously going to scupper our plans along with everyone else flying that day.
I want to try and keep a close eye on the vote but cant seem to find any forum on the web relating to BAA or BAA staff to gauge opinion. I have tried Pprune etc. but no info as yet. Can anyone suggest where I can get some up to date news??
[:)]

BAA have posted this on their LHR section of their web site:

Potential strike action

We regret that the threat of industrial action over the Christmas period is creating uncertainty for our passengers and their families. We're working hard to resolve this issue with the unions involved and are meeting again very soon. Our priority is to ensure that there is no disruption to our passengers and their travel plans.

Regards

I would be amazed if this came to pass. Can you imagine the carnage of closing LHR over that period, let alone all the other BAA airports. The ensuing inevitable legal threats, thousands upon thousands of people all around the world inconvenienced and Garfunkels stuck with five hundred kilos of inedible food (not much change there then).

I have a LHR flight on Dec 31 so I for one will be interested to see how this plays out.

I also think it is unlikely they would strike over a pension issue for future employees but you never know.
It may work out better for them financially to have a 1 or 2 day strike then get overtime for the next week or so it would take to sort the mess out at the airports..Stranger things have happened..Anyway that's why I was wanting the inside track off a BAA union member to see what the workers think.[:?]

Potential strike action

We regret that the threat of industrial action over the Christmas period is creating uncertainty for our passengers and their families. We're working hard to resolve this issue with the unions involved and are meeting again very soon. Our priority is to ensure that there is no disruption to our passengers and their travel plans.

Does anyone have anymore information on the proposed BAA Industrial action, please[?]

Thanks

Originally posted by goanmad

Potential strike action

We regret that the threat of industrial action over the Christmas period is creating uncertainty for our passengers and their families. We're working hard to resolve this issue with the unions involved and are meeting again very soon. Our priority is to ensure that there is no disruption to our passengers and their travel plans.

Does anyone have anymore information on the proposed BAA Industrial action, please[?]

Thanks

Sorry i havent replied to your PM Gonemad im too tight to become a member.

But as far as i know we wont know anything until 20/12

Sorry i havent replied to your PM Gonemad im too tight to become a member.

Like it, there was no need for a response anyway, think we made ourselves clear?

Originally posted by goanmad

Sorry i havent replied to your PM Gonemad im too tight to become a member.

Like it, there was no need for a response anyway, think we made ourselves clear?

Oh yes [y]

..I am a BAA worker and I have voted yes for industrial action (and I know most my friends at Gatwick have too).

We are the engine behind the airport, it's about time that the spanish management recognised that without us... there is no airport.

If I were a doing the same job in France I would retire on full sallary (not even a final sallary scheme like I get). Why do the people loading the planes not not deserve equal pay and conditions to the people offloading them?

I'm sorry people have to loose their holiday - but they need to stop being so selfish - there are more important things at play here than their reschedulable holiday.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/sho ... l?t=611267


Comment above from MSE but it looks like a strike may be on the cards,rumour has it that it will be a 3 day strike starting on 1st Jan. Can't believe they are considering striking over an issue which does not affect them but only new starters. Seems like they are worried that it's the thin end of the wedge for their final salary pension scheme if they don't oppose the closing of the scheme to new starters....Any chance of Virgin flying direct to LAX from Newcastle (Non BAA airport) ?? [:w]

Originally posted by TOMCAT

..I am a BAA worker I'm sorry people have to loose their holiday - but they need to stop being so selfish - there are more important things at play here than their reschedulable holiday.

I wonder whose 'reschedulable holiday' that is? Certainly not mine. If we can't be back in the UK on the morning of the 3rd, we can't go.

Paul

We are due to fly back MIA LHR on 4th January and I have just booked fully flexible tickets on Silverjet EWR - LTN - only would have to pay fee if we cancel. Its an expensive thing to do but my daughter has AS retake when we get back and she cant miss school on the Monday. However its no guarantee if NY gets snowed in. But thats another story.

We are in much the same position, we are due to fly Belfast-Heathrow (BD)-Dubai(VS-UCS) on 1st January.

We have committed heresy and booked flights from Belfast to Newcastle on the orange airline and are holding flights with EK to Dubai until things become clearer.

Robert and Gillian


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