[Anonymous]

[RoadKing]

Hi all
I read recently that BA staff is going to vote on the possibility of a strike over christmas.
In that regard I have a concern. As my membership year is due on January 8th, and I was one trip short of renewing my status, I recently decided to book a trip with the sole purpose of maintaining my status (yes I know, it is insane…). This trip is booked just over christmas…
Then this possibility of strike came around. Now, I am confident that if my trip is not possible to make due to a strike, BA will allow me to change my itinerary or whatever. My worry is that I may not be able to make it before the expiration of the membership year. What is then going to happen? Will they let me keep my status or?

Anyone have experiences with similar cases?

Thx

[VintageKrug]

Is it a longhaul or shorthaul trip?

Are you currently Gold or Silver?

Eurozone or UK based?

How many years have you had BA status?

[RoadKing]

Wow, that was some cross examination 🙂

> Is it a longhaul or shorthaul trip?

Shorthaul, more precise: OSL – LHR

> Are you currently Gold or Silver?

Gold

> Eurozone or UK based?

Eurozone

> How many years have you had BA status?

Not much, I don’t remember. It is 2 or 3. Have been a member of Executive Club for several years though, mostly silver.

[pat_travels]

I recall the last time there was a threat of strike action by BA cabin crew, I had 2 flights scheduled for the days in question of the planned industrial action.

BA as a gesture of goodwill, wrote to passengers [Gold card holders for sure] and actually granted the BA miles and Tier points that would of been accrued for said flights even if they were not flown. As it turned out the flights were not disrupted.

No guarantee BA will repeat this gesture, which was, of course very welcome.

I agree with VintageKrug – there are a number of variables, which may assist you in retaining your status if you are lucky! – good luck in your endeavours.

[RoadKing]

Thanks Pat_travels, sounds like have a fair chance of getting my required points.
Considering the times, I figure the chances for goodwill is better than ever.

[VintageKrug]

I hope you enjoyed your cross examination. I certainly did! 😉

The reason I asked is that shorthaul flights, especially domestic, are the first to be impacted by a strike. You are on shorthaul, so more likely to affected than if it was a longhaul.

In my experience, having been resident in both UK and Europe, the UK Exec Club is more proactive and understanding in such cases. EuroZone accounts *should* be treated in the same way as UK, but you might have to fight your corner a bit. As Pat_travels evidences, if you are effectively denied boarding because of a strike, BA has historically awarded miles and TPs as a gesture of goodwill. NO guarantee of that this time round, of course.

Of course, being a current Gold Card holder means you are more likely to be given preferential treatment, and having held status for a number of years also helps your case.

In summary, even if there is a strike (and historically these have a tendency to be called off at the last minute) you should get your TPs, and if you don’t BAEC will likely either award them to you OR simply comp your status for next year, which is happening more often in the current environment.

Hint: if you are *just* shy of requalification, it never hurts to have a few upcoming fully flex premium (and cancellable…) bookings in your BAEC profile for the status fairy to shine a benevolent glance on your account during your year end date, though *nothing* is guaranteed.

I am personally booked on several shorthaul and a few longhaul sectors in December and am not especially worried.

[FCTraveller]

I was in Paris a couple weeks ago and I was reading a magazine very similar to Business Traveller but can’t remember the name of it. In it was an article about BA’s executive club, someone from EC was quoted, perhaps the MD. He said very clearly that they have been looking favourably at requests to maintain tier level status from members who have missed it by a few points. You know what they say: if you don’t ask, you don’t get.

[BusinessTraveller]

BA staff have just voted in favour of a 12-day strike, from December 22-January 2:

http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/ba-staff-vote-for-strike

[VintageKrug]

Customers who are booked to travel between 22 December 2009 and 2 January 2009 and for 48 hours on either side of those dates who would like to take their flight at a different time can change to another BA flight departing in the next twelve months at no charge.

If a customer’s flight is cancelled because of industrial action, we will offer them the option to refund their ticket, rebook on to a different flight or reroute their journey on another BA flight.

[BusinessTraveller]

In attempt to keep all posts surrounding the strike in one place, we’re pointing users to the following forum string:

http://www.businesstraveller.com/discussion/topic/BA-Cabin-Crew-Strike

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