Q&A: British Airways strike action

When are they going on strike?

The industrial action has been called for 12 days between December 22 and January 2 and could potentially affect a million passengers.

Related story: BA cabin crew vote for strike action

Are all flights cancelled then?

No flights have been axed as of yet but there will certainly be massive cancellations. It all depends on how many people actually take part in the strike on each day. The airline says it is looking at its flight schedules and will announce reworked plans as soon as possible. There is no word as yet on when announcements could come.

However, if past experience is anything to go by, it is likely that they will do their best to provide at least some service on major international routes at the expense of domestic UK flights.

How would that affect people in the Gulf?

It could potentially affect quite a lot of people in the region. BA currently flies four times a day to the UAE and operates daily services to Doha, Kuwait, Manama, Muscat (via Abu Dhabi), Riyadh and Jeddah.

What can I do if I’ve already booked?

BA says it is going to contact customers who will be affected by the action directly. So if you have a booking with an out of date phone number of email then get it up to date now.

If you are due to fly during the strike period – or within 48 hours either side of the start and end dates – you will be able to change your flight for no extra charge.

If you want to cancel your flight now - or if you hold on and your flight does get cancelled - you will be given a full refund. BA also says passengers will be able to rebook on different flights or change their re-route via another BA flight.

Why are they going on strike?

In a nutshell, the main issue centres around a decision to reduce the number of cabin crew on long haul flights from 15 to 14.

Unions are also unhappy with proposals for new contracts for new employees, saying the move will reduce passenger service and hurt career prospects for crew.

These changes came into effect in November and the union says it should have been consulted, something BA says it was not duty bound to do.

BA’s Chief Executive Willie Walsh says that BA cabin crew earn a lot more than cabin crew from rival airlines. He cites a need for the airline to cut costs dramatically – as they lost 292m pounds in the last six months. 

Is there any way to avoid the strike?

The union has said it is willing to sit around the table at any time, so all is not lost. However the two sides do seem miles apart and the airline has said there is absolutely no chance of them rolling back the changes which caused the strike. Willie Walsh said that he was open to talks only about future restructuring plans.

How do I get in contact?

You can get more details and advice on affected flights and action you can take by calling your local British Airways office:

UAE: 8000 441 3322

Bahrain: +973 17587 777

Kuwait: +965 2 242 5635/5637/1802777

Saudi Arabia: 92000 2215

Oman: +968 24510811

Qatar: +974 4321434