BAA to strike as well

[sma1965]

BAA who control the 7 main UK airports have also announced they are to strike. There are to be two 24 hour strikes on the 7th and 14th Jan as well as a 48 hour strike beginning on the 17th Jan. Looks like I'll be staying in Orlando a bit longer then as we travel home on the 17th.

[FLORIDA MAD]

Now I don't have a problem with being delayed and staying in orlando for extra days but I wouldn't want to be stuck in the UK missing valuable holiday time.:thumbsdow

[sex kitten]

Hi, do you know how that will affect planes due to take off the day before the strike, but landing on the day of a strike. Does that mean the planes wont take off. :thumbsdow

[dolphingirl]

Hi, do you know how that will affect planes due to take off the day before the strike, but landing on the day of a strike. Does that mean the planes wont take off. :thumbsdow

It might well mean that. We have been told today that the airports in question will be completely closed on those days. Three of the airports we fly into will be affected covering 9 flights per day. Yet we have been told that not a single one of our flights will be cancelled. We have not yet been told how they are hoping to achieve this, but I assume that flights will be redirected to Birmingham, Manchester and East Midlands that all will not be affected.

dolphingirl

[Simon Veness]

I'm afraid this is going to be very much a case of 'watch this space' nearer the time as no-one is going to be able to accurately predict how the airports will be affected. You will have to take guidance from your airline 24-48 hours in advance and stay tuned to the news of the situation. Things could certainly change between now and then and some airports will cope better than others with a strike. Sadly, we won't know for sure until virtually the day of the strikes, so the best bet is to have a Plan A (for normal flights or flights with some delays) and a Plan B (for long delays and cancellations) if possible. :(

[pepsi666]

Hi all,
As you know I work at LHR, and for BAA,
I really don't know what has been said on various forums, but this is as far as I know

The management at BAA (Ferrovial) had wound up the staff pension scheme on 1st December, they wouldn't enter into any talks with the unions about it (this would affect new staff joining BAA)

Since Ferrovial bought up the major airports there have been new management bought in , who know nothing about airports or how they are run (since they have taken over they have sold off various parts, airport IT department, property management, they were going to 'outsource' ground security to a contractor, who was prosecuted for employing illegal immigrants and staff with no security clearance)

Managers from Ford, Argos, Wickes, Box manufacturers', McDonalds, Boots, and various other companies

Managers run sections of which they have no idea of what they do (IT manager running Boiler houses, A carpenter running MT, Argos/McDonalds/Wickes manager's running Security section, get the idea ?)

The staff have had to suffer abuse and attacks from the public, increased security checks and have no back up from the management (if we press charges, the reputation of the airport would suffer)

The final straw was the stopping of the pension (we don't get any free flights, discounted flights, free travel on the Heathrow Express, we DO get free bus travel into LHR from Harlington, though)

The first strike was going to be on the 27 December, but this would have seriously disrupted any travel plans for people traveling for the New Year celebrations, so the new date was set, to minimize this (the idea is not to alienate the public)

All BAA staff didn't want this strike to go ahead, but were put in an impossible position, the management wouldn't talk to the unions about the old pension and the new pension scheme is appalling

BAA staff have to take the brunt of any dispute at the airports (even when its an airline or baggage staff who are causing the disruption, we don't control any airline or baggage staff)

I don't want to strike, but I need my pension (as we all do)

I can see this has been a bit of a 'rant' I apologies for it, but I have been at LHR for 20 odd years and I have seen it slowly deteriorate to the building site it is now,
I have seen the rubbish that has accumulated in various areas, I have seen the lacksidaisical and poor dress of the staff, the increase of contractors, the poor quality of food and increase of prices for the public, vast areas shut down to increase sales (there are more shops in T5 than Brent Cross) this is no way to run an airport

I used to be proud to work at LHR, but now I dont wear my uniform home any more I dont like people to know I work there

Most staff will apologise for the strike, I certainly do

[Simon Veness]

Another triumph of British management. Ye gods. And I sometimes wonder why I left the country. Britain is charging full pelt for the garbage heap and the only people who can't see it are in the people in charge...........

Sorry, this is in danger of becoming a rant, too!

Appreciate your post, pepsi666. Thoughtful and well put. I do have a lot of sympathy for staff being put in this position (and the Virgin staff, too), as I'm sure no-one actually wants to strike these days.

But I'm afraid that, again and again, we are afflicted with ****-poor management.

I remember what they said about our tropps in WWI - lions led by donkeys. That seems an appropriate simile for our working situation in the 21st century. It really does make you weep.........

[pepsi666]

the fog today hasnt helped anyone today either, no flights from Heathrow, its going to be a helluva day tomorrow,

Planes out of position, cancelled flights, irate passengers, tired kids, worn out parents

Thank god the passengers dont carry guns:happy-smi

no wonder airlines want you to get to the airport 4 hours before your flight, just so they can tell you the flight is cancelled, BUT it might take off later

[Susan Veness]

Geez....that's awful! I guess you can't do anything about the weather, but it can't be easy for anyone. I have several clients flying out of Heathrow today. :(

Hopefully our weather here won't reach you. Incredible gusting winds, almost to the point of being scary when we look at the way the trees are moving. Fingers crossed things will ease up at Heathrow.

[pepsi666]

Geez....that's awful! I guess you can't do anything about the weather, but it can't be easy for anyone. I have several clients flying out of Heathrow today. :(

I dont think its going to be worth waiting for them,
1 they will be VERY late or
2 they wont arrive

dependant on the airline, they maybe rescheduled for tomorrow, but its up to the weather and its not looking good

We have guards playing baby sitters:happy-smi (just trying to determine who are the kids are)

[Susan Veness]

We have guards playing baby sitters (just trying to determine who are the kids are)

Hopefully they're relatively happy babysitters!

I had a return flight out of Heathrow a couple of years ago (on BA) when the ground crew went on strike in sympathy for the food services crew, who were already on strike. We were already boarded, ready to taxi, and the crew fobbed us off with excuses (would you belive, they said, "The petrol tanks are unbalanced so we have to siphon some petrol off one tank and put it into another. We'll be leaving any moment now." At that point I looked at the woman next to me and said, "This plane isn't going anywhere today.")

Anyway, after NINE HOURS sitting on that plane with no food, no water, no facilites for the babies and children, they found someone who could drive the stairs over to the plane and drive the bus to the terminal, then they dropped all 400 of us off and said, "Good luck!"

I will never forget how scary it was to be in that airport, which by then was shoulder to shoulder. No one was willing to answer questions or help people, it was just a free-for-all, with thousands of angry passengers stuck for heaven knows how long.

Hopefully you aren't experiencing the same thing, but I rather suspect you may be. :eek: It wasn't funny then, but it's a great story now! :D

[Simon Veness]

"The more things change, the more they stay the same."

Good luck to anyone travelling over the next few weeks.

[pepsi666]

The majority of guards can sypathise with passengers and are more than wiling to help parents and children, (you just dont get to see the managers having a go at guards, that is NOT part of your job description)

All they do is follow the rules, WHICH arent laid down by BAA, but the DTI and the security services

The majority of managers move on after 2 years, they have a major airport on their CV, and thats a good career move (it doesnt matter about the mayhem and problems they leave behind)

There is a director who was an apprentice of mine, he did very well for himself, moved all through the management structure, never forgot where he started, always had time for a 'chat and brew' he became Director of Engineering, he saw the mess and how low the morale was, he tried his best to straighten things out, but got ridden over by the new owners and was shuffled sideways, a shame, he had a lot of respect from the Engineers, and was a great bloke

Good luck to everyone on the 7th and 14th

Merry Chritmas all:xmas:

I may see you during the week at LHR, some of us have to work, but hey Ho Ho HO

[Simon Veness]

Look out for my SIL - she is BA cabin crew and is flying back in on Christmas Day from Bombay.....and is very much hoping NOT to be late! Keep your fingers crossed for her :)

[martin1]

simon/susan are you guys ok i saw on sky news this morning about the real bad storms you guys are having it says that there is large scale power cuts all over the area is this the case?? its worrying hearing about it hope you all are safe

[Simon Veness]

No worries here in Michigan, martin; it's VERY cold and we had light snow last night, but nothing to worry about and everything's working OK. Thanks for your thoughts, though. :)

[dolphingirl]

We were informed at work today that the BAA strikes have been called off.

dolphingirl

[martin1]

i just checked out bbc website and they say just the first strike has been calle doff at the moment as progress has been made during talks and they need to ratify something and then the others may be called off . that would be wonderful news it would have caused massive disruption if it went ahead. now its virgin cabin crews turn to call off their strike