Christmas travel chaos as BA strike looms

December 14th, 2009

Holidaymakers are now facing near certain travel chaos this Christmas as BA cabin crew have voted to walk out on Tuesday, December 22 for 12 days, unless agreement can be reached between the airline and union negotiators. The industrial action by around 13,500 cabin crew will heap misery on passengers, at one of the busiest times of the year. If all flights are grounded during the 12 days of the strike, one million passengers will be hit and the union has vowed to cause as much disruption as possible.
However, it is unlikely that all flights will be completely grounded. Some short-haul flights could fly as normal but cancellations and delays are expected. The number of flights which have to be cancelled will depend on how the strike is organised and how many cabin crew take part. Previous experience suggests that British Airways will try to operate as many long-haul flights as possible and sacrifice shorter flights, which tend to be more frequent and easier to merge.
The big question is, are you entitled to a refund if BA cancels your flight? The short answer is Yes, as EU regulations require that the airline offers you either a full refund of the unused parts of your tickets (to be paid within seven days) or the earliest available flight, or flights, to your final destination. If your flight is cancelled, you are entitled to a full refund. If you are stranded abroad or at an airport in the UK as a result of the cancellation, then BA is liable to pay for meals and refreshments in reasonable relation to the waiting time and overnight hotel accommodation and transfers as necessary.
And what about about travel insurance? Travellers are strongly urged to check that their travel insurance policies provide adequate cover for missed departure, travel delay and abandonment. Under the delay section of a policy, most insurers will give some benefit for periods of delay faced at the airport. Do check your individual travel insurance documents as some of the cheaper basic policies do exclude this protection. Also look out for holiday abandonment which, after a set period of delay at your departure airport, offers you the option of not continuing your trip and being reimbursed for your costs up to a specified limit.