Possible VS Pilot + Swissport Industrial Action

[mitchja]

Virgin Atlantic pilots to take industrial action in row over union recognition

Will work 'strictly to contract " from December 23rd

Due to use the 065 on Jan 6th, fingers crossed

Virgin Atlantic pilots to take industrial action in row over union recognition

Will work 'strictly to contract " from December 23rd

Due to use the 065 on Jan 6th, fingers crossed

1. B*gger. VS9 on the 27th for me.
2. It's not a strike, whatever the press say, it's a work to rule
3. In the grand scheme of things it's small beer
4. Let's hope, to paraphrase Lieutenant George Colthurst St. Barleigh, "The big knobs get round the table and yank the
iron out of the fire!"

*edited to remove incorrect reference to Captain Darling

The thread headline is totally incorrect and is fearmongering.

The eligible pilots who participated in the ballot voted in favour of action short of a strike. It was 88% in favour on an 80% turnout.

It would be illegal for them to strike without a ballot that specifically asked for approval for strike action.

Just miss it on the 19th phew

Check in staff and baggage handlers are also going on strike

Check in staff and baggage handlers are also going on strike

Source? And it is not "also going on strike". And I think we need to be careful with the language we use here. They are not going on strike, they have to ballot for that. They are taking "industrial action" which is something different entirely to a strike.

Can someone change the title from "strike"? It is misleading and scaremongering.

Edited to add: Bugger, I basically said what tontybear said ! Great minds of course !

Check in staff and baggage handlers are also going on strike

Source? And it is not "also going on strike". And I think we need to be careful with the language we use here. They are not going on strike, they have to ballot for that. They are taking "industrial action" which is something different entirely to a strike.

Can someone change the title from "strike"? It is misleading and scaremongering.

Edited to add: Bugger, I basically said what tontybear said ! Great minds of course !

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38347283

Bugger. I'm flying out of LHR on the 24th. Fingers crossed they sort this out.

Check in staff and baggage handlers are also going on strike

Source? And it is not "also going on strike". And I think we need to be careful with the language we use here. They are not going on strike, they have to ballot for that. They are taking "industrial action" which is something different entirely to a strike.

I believe this is what Penny_L was referring to re: check in staff and baggage handlers http://www.unitetheunion.org/news/bagga ... ays-unite/

Grrrhhh. I'm flying out of LHR on the 25th...

Does anyone know if Virgin use Swissport at LHR? If they do I expect they'll be a big backlog to process on the 25th following two days of striking

We're flying JFK - LHR on the 23rd, so fingers crossed this won't have too much of an impact? Anyone able to reassure?

Grrrhhh. I'm flying out of LHR on the 25th...

Does anyone know if Virgin use Swissport at LHR? If they do I expect they'll be a big backlog to process on the 25th following two days of striking

Yes they do. Not sure what, if any affect that will have with 'pilot goodwill.' I can't imagine much as surely they're contracted for delays and such.

Flying with EK, who also use Swissport on Dec 23rd. Fingers crossed.

We're flying JFK - LHR on the 23rd, so fingers crossed this won't have too much of an impact? Anyone able to reassure?

The VS side of things... you should have no impact unless you're incredibly unlucky.

As for Swissport. I have no idea. Anyone know how these guys striking has played out before?

Thanks for the swissport links, I had missed that.

Good luck to any of you travelling, hopefully you will not be impacted.

Worried sick. Flying LHR to EWR on the 23rd. The baggage handler action could ruin Christmas for thousands.

To put all you lucky souls minds to rest going to the sun for xmas Virgin do not use Swissport at lhr they use DNata

To put all you lucky souls minds to rest going to the sun for xmas Virgin do not use Swissport at lhr they use DNata

Thank you so much Sunseeker. That's a relief for me personally though of course thousands of others are still at risk. That said I'm going to New Jersey so not likely to see much sun.

To put all you lucky souls minds to rest going to the sun for xmas Virgin do not use Swissport at lhr they use DNata

I'm a bit out my depth here but I thought they were just cargo?

Swissport do serve VS at LGW though.

And just confirmed BA mixed fleet cabin crew based at LHR will strike on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

This is not what I wanted to read today. I'm flying to Havana from Gatwick on the 22nd so will hopefully miss the problems this end. What are the chances this will still be on-going when I'm scheduled to leave Havana on the 7th of Jan?? If the baggage handlers aren't working at LGW will Virgin refuse to load the luggage at Havana?? Would they send the plane to LHR (assuming there is a slot available) where they could unload it (different handling agents) then shuttle everyone to Gatwick on buses?? Virgin only operate 1 flight a day to Havana, what are the chances of being stranded in Havana because of the 'work to contract' action by the Virgin pilots?

Thoughts anyone? This is my first time with Virgin too.........

Swissport do serve VS at LGW though.

I thought they pulled out at the end of last year. It's Aviator that has the contract at Gatwick now.

I thought they pulled out at the end of last year. It's Aviator that has the contract at Gatwick now.

It's Aviator that pulled out of Gatwick. Swissport only serve Virgin at LGW

Ah, I hadn't seen the most recent change. So to summarise the situation at Gatwick over the last 18 months:

Swissport merge with Servisair and are forced to sell the Servisair part as they were thought to have too much of a monopoly.
Aviator buys the Servisair bits that Swissport sells off. (Leaving it with the same monopoly as Swissport were accused of having).
11 months pass and Aviator pulls out leaving Swissport to take over everything but this time they are seen as the good guys stepping in to save everything.

Looks a bit fishy to me...

I am due to fly on the 23rd from MAN to ATL on VS109. Trying to keep the OH calm... no flight on the 24th as a back up!