Personal Finance and Investing

Once again, British Airways (BA) cabin crew are set to strike. They’ve voted to take action at some point before the middle of March this year, causing yet more frustration for anyone planning to travel over the next few weeks.

The Unite union, which represents the majority of cabin crew, will reveal details of the action later this week, at which point passengers will be able to find out if they’re affected.

But this time, BA has had a chance to plan and has said it will operate as many services as possible during the strike period.

So what do you need to know if you’re planning a trip before the end of March?

How soon could they strike?

The union cannot organise a strike until seven days after the news is issued. That means if you’re booked to travel before March 01, your flight will be safe.

When will I know if my flight is affected?

Once the union reveals when it intends to strike, BA will contact affected passengers. You should make sure the airline has up-to-date contact details.

Customers can check their information is correct on the BA website, just visit the ‘Manage my booking’ page.

Can I rebook now?

Once the strike dates have been revealed, any passengers planning to travel during that time will be able to rebook flights at a different time, as long as they travel within 355 days.

Can I ask for a refund now?

You won’t be able to demand a refundwithout your specific flight being cancelled, unless your ticket allows a full refund, which most tickets don’t.

Bear in mind that if you book an alternative flight just now, you could end up with two bookings and be unable to claim either of them back.

So, unless you can afford to lose the cost of a ticket, it’s best to wait until strike dates are published before making alternative plans.

What happens if my flight is cancelled?

If your flight is cancelled as a result of the strike action, BA will allow you to rebook onto another flight within 355 days of the original date, subject to availability.

Alternatively, you could rebook onto a different BA flight heading to or from the nearest alternative airport – for example, if you’ve booked to or from Boston, you could rebook to or from New York.

If neither of those options suit, you can simply cancel your booking and receive a refund.

Will my insurance cover me?

If you booked your flights and took out insurance before January 18 this year then you should be able to claim for additional expenses and costs – as long as your policy includes strike cover.

However, it’s bad news for anyone who booked after that date. That’s when Unite announced it would ballot cabin crew over further action.

Because a potential strike was on the cards after that date, most insurers will refuse to cover you. However, it’s worth double checking with your provider as their policies do vary.

What are my rights?

Under EU regulations, BA either has to arrange an alternative flight for you or offer a full refund. However, in the past, there have been occasions where airlines could avoid paying compensation as a result of strikes.

If you are unable to claim a refund from BA then talk to your travel insurance provider.

Don’t forget, if you booked your flight using a credit card, your card provider could have to reimburse you, under the Consumer Credit Act.

Having said that, BA has promised to refund cancelled tickets so this shouldn’t be an issue.

What if my flight is booked from April onwards?

The union has stated that no action will take place during the first two weeks of April – the Easter holidays – so if you’ve booked a family holiday, you should be okay.

However, it’s impossible to say how long action may go on for, so keep an eye on the news for any developments.

Am I safe to book a BA flight now?

It’s very difficult for us to advise customers on this because so much is unknown. If you’re planning to travel before Easter, we recommend booking flights with an alternative carrier, if you can, while details of the strike are unknown. Visit travelsupermarket.com to search for alternatives.

Travellers wanting to book flights after Easter may want to hang fire just now, until more details of potential strike action are know, or simply book with a different provider.

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