UK travel chaos looming

If you’re planning a trip to or through London during the bank holiday weekend (27-30 August), you might want to dig out Plan B in terms of how you travel.

Air travel to/through Heathrow and Gatwick (and other London airports) looks like it could be a nightmare if a strike by British Airways ground staff including check-in staff and baggage handlers goes ahead. Indeed, BA has stopped taking any bookings for any flights on its network on that weekend.

BBC NEWS | Business | BA stops taking holiday bookings

Related development – US carrier United Airlines ground staff at Heathrow have voted to strike after rejecting a pay offer, according to a Reuters TV report.

Reuters TV | Holiday Disruption Threat

Then there’s the news that Eurostar train servcies to/from London will also re disrupted due to strikes on 28 August, although Eurostar claims that services won’t be affected.

BBC NEWS | Business | Union sets Eurostar strike date

Didn’t we leave this party in the 1980s?

Update 21 August 11:14 – BA said a deal had been agreed with the union early Saturday and there now won’t be a strike on the holiday weekend. The airline said it had started taking bookings again.

BBC NEWS | Business | Strike averted after BA agreement