SarahB

My parents are due to leave LHR on 7th January to come visit us for 6 weeks. Mum rang this morning and said there might be strikes at the major airports so they might not be able to come now?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7155147.stm

So what will happen now? If its a 24 hour strike do they try to give people flights another day? Or will they not be able to come at all? Anybody here know whats likely to happen?

They wanted to come on that date to get here before my little girls first birthday on the 10th. I have said its OK if they get here at a later date but obviously they are a little upset over this.

irnbru14

Bunch of selfish, well, not going to complete that, striking at Christmas/New Year will have such an impact on so many people, they will get NO support from the public if this pushes ahead, I'm flying back here out of Heathrow on the 6th, bet that day will be chaos too if this goes ahead.... :curse:

dreamfish

do they have an option to fly via another airline?
we were threatened with this abck in february and as it happens they decided a day or two before they wouldnt strike. it was very much a case of wait and see what happens.

i think i was given the option to go with another airline, but i wouldnt be refunded my tickets straight away, and if they changed their minds right at the last minute and didnt strike, then they wouldnt honour the refund - so you would therefore have bought two lots of flights and have to pay for them.

think u will find your travel insurance will only cover a portion of the ticket too.

i guess they will just have to travel when they can provide a flight. And suggest to your daughter TWO whopping birthdays :-)

sorry just re read that your daughter will be one...not ten. aww well your babs wont know her birthay is a day or two late ;-)

SarahB

Well, I spoke to my dad today. As it stands the strike on the 7th is still going ahead. There was a meeting Thursday and nothing was decided..... I read that they are meeting again on NYE. Dad has got hold of Thomas Cook and Cathay Pacific but only spoke to complete morons who were totally useless.

They will try to rebook if they can but it will be difficult as they need extra legroom seats and had managed to get them on this flight. Mum cant be cramped in due to health problems.

If the strike goes ahead I doubt I will get to see them. Isnt it typical the one date they book their flight this will probably go ahead.... we havnt seen them in 2 years and theyve never met their grand-daughter. This is just crap.

BEVS

Yes it is . How dreadfully upsetting for all of you I do hope something changes with the situation so you can all be together ... and soon.

Boopy

Sarah, my mate's mam is also booked to fly here on then 7th. I think she feels it'll be a lost cause until the end of Jan.
My mate is flying on 16th, she's lucky to miss the strikes, I think there's one on the 18th.
Lets hope they call it all off.

Maz

That sucks Sarah. I really hope the strikes don't go ahead, that would be truly awful for your family.

SarahB

Thanks, at least we have known about it for a while now so its not a complete shock. I made DS a count down chart of "how many sleeps until Grandad and Grandma arrive" and we still cross it off every day but now it just seems a complete waste of time, I'm very close to throwing it into the bin.

Mum didnt speak to me today on the phone, I guess shes a bit upset that she wont get to see her grandchildren.

I also have a feeling that they wont get all their money back and at 950GBP each they really cant afford to waste it.

Boopy, I dont mind if my parents dont manage to get a flight for weeks, but dads concerned about mums health. He told me today he doesnt think she well enough to travel but shes insisting! Stubborn Welsh woman! lol

littleal

Sorry you're affected by this. I was in the travel agents the other day and they were not giving up hope on things being resolved. If the strike does go ahead, I'm sure your parents will be able to recover the bulk of their money but I admit the stress and inconvenience are something you could all do without.

Alison

dreamfish

i am sure you are entitled to a complete refund if they strike.
only if you dont try to change your booking in any way

after all its their fault you are not flying.

reecefam

Hi Sarah...i spoke to customer services today, as a friend works at LHR and they say it is BA that will be mainly affected/targetted and the other airlines could be better off...fingers crossed for you!

Yotty

If the firemen walk out... nothing will land or take-off!:curse:

reecefam

They are hopefull of them stopping the action...

Yotty

I don't think the union has much support, most large companies closed their Final Salary Pension Schemes to new entrants a while back. I work at Gatwick and no-one I've spoke to has any sympathy with the would-be strikers. Lets hope common-sense prevails so we can all get on with our lives!

Hotpots

They are very hopeful of averting a strike as they did at Christmas. We are due to fly out on the 11th so watching with caution.

Fingers crossed eh