I wouldn’t be put off booking with any airline because of the threat of Industrial Action.
Even assuming support for a strike among the normally conservative pilots union, no action can be launched until 1 July.
Given BALPAs generally pragmatic and business-minded approach to its interactions with management, it is HIGHLY unlikely this would roll on thru December, so there is little probability of your family’s plans being affected.
Do consider the departure experience when comparing airlines. Whilst Virgin is rightly lauded for its Upper Class checkin and Clubhouse, Terminal 3 is absolutely horrid for passengers without lounge access and Terminal 5 is a much nicer terminal to spend a couple of hours in.
It seems that BA has something like sale, the prices have been dropped today for a trip I am trying to do to the east coast for about £200 on June July, check for your flights to CPT again Lugano.
Thanks again to you all, your responses have really helped. Unless Continental club can come up with an amazing discount offer, it looks like I’ll take the majority’s advice and go with BA, especially with an elderly mother, I just think BA will have the edge.
It does seem a better offering at the end of the day, and I was rather put off SAA by some of your comments, even though I’ve received good service CPT – JNB. But that’s only a 90 minute day flight rather than an 11 hour night one!
