HEATHROW STRIKE UPDATE: British Airways and Virgin Atlantic emergency measures

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• nick says:

  2 Aug2 August 18:14

  have a flight 10pm on tuesday 6th from LHR. with kids….

  Situation likely to be better late on Tuesday or worse?

  I could ask to change to 8am on Wed 7th – but how much better would that be? Surely not all to be smooth the next morning?

  • Nick says:

    2 Aug2 August 18:29

    Well the staff will no longer be striking… so security queues (the biggest bottleneck) can be processed at normal speed. Honestly, the ability of some people to interpret what they read 🤔

    • Nick says:

      2 Aug2 August 18:32

      so wed is just gonna a normal day with normal august loads? – No catch-up on previous days cancellations?

      Don’t try be a clever one….

      • Simon says:

        2 Aug2 August 20:33

        It’ll be busy, but you’ll have a fully staffed terminal and fully catered flight. And less risk of cancellation, albeit with some residual risk from aircraft being out of place. Up to you, but I seriously consider delaying if you can. If the strike is cancelled you can switch back. It might not pay off, but you’ll never know in advance.

• Adam says:

  2 Aug2 August 18:28

  What happens if its a travel agent booking and you cant call them until Monday morning (which is after my flight). BA online wont let me change this booking as it want the travel agent code.
  I’m calling the Gold Line but not sure what to expect.

• Andrew says:

  2 Aug2 August 18:28

  How do you get the list of cancelled flights?

  • Shoestring says:

    2 Aug2 August 18:49

    Flyertalk might be your best bet. I guess LHR might put a list out as well.

    Where can I find out if my flight will be affected?expanded
    As a passenger, your airline remains the best point of contact for finding out more information about potential effects on your journey, however, please be aware that the result of the current Unite ballot will not be announced until at least 2nd August.We recommend that passengers flying on all proposed strike dates contact their airline in the days leading up to their flight. We apologise for the uncertainty this is causing. This is a difficult time for passengers, our airline partners and Heathrow, and thank you for your patience.

  • Rob says:

    2 Aug2 August 18:52

    Looks like BA will publish it Sunday.

• Shoestring says:

  2 Aug2 August 18:36

  Article says: [Checked baggage weight allowances will not be increased to compensate.]

  In reality, you’re not going to be asked to pay extra if you have (say) 23kg big bag to check in plus 10kg hand baggage that BA ask you to check in because of these measures. Online, BA just say hand baggage will need to be checked in but doesn’t say overall weight limit remains 23kg (eg European short haul Economy).

  ie don’t worry about the extra weight.

  • Shoestring says:

    2 Aug2 August 18:39

    but don’t stuff your 10kg hand luggage in with the 23kg bag, the single item weight limit will remain 23kg (Euro SH Econ)

• Kipto says:

  2 Aug2 August 19:00

  Re hand luggage, It says on this site that small personal items eg a purse only will be allowed. Ba’s site says as long as it can fit under the seat in front of you it will be ok ?

  • Shoestring says:

    2 Aug2 August 19:08

    yep there’s obvs some small variance between what BA are publishing online and what they have sent to news outlets

    not sure you have a question but I guess the answer would be that when you normally rock up with a cabin bag plus maybe a laptop carrier or purse or bumbag – well, you’ll have to check in the bigger hand baggage but should be fine with the rest, it’s the usual BA rules about 2 items on board except don’t carry your money/ passport/ ticket in with the hand baggage as that’s going in the hold (or staying on the tarmac! 🙂 )

  • Rob says:

    2 Aug2 August 19:16

    BA uses the phrase ‘small personal item’ which is not a laptop bag.

    • Shoestring says:

      2 Aug2 August 19:20

      let’s stay real: BA will not be taking away your laptop case or large handbags/ manbags etc

      they are going to be removing & checking in larger cabin baggage/ rollers/ suit carriers etc

      • Rob says:

        2 Aug2 August 20:04

        You’re missing the point. The issue is NOT full planes. The issue is that there are no security staff. Laptops mean removing items from sleeves and putting them into separate trays. This is a critical time killer with, say, only 10% of security staff on duty.

        The problem is that many people, my wife included, are banned from checking in their work laptops.

        • Shoestring says:

          2 Aug2 August 20:12

          I get the point – but it would have been easy enough to say no laptops on board allowed, & that clearly hasn’t been said. Currently Heathrow’s advice for check in is to allow 2hrs for SH and 3hrs for LH security clearance, so it sounds like they think they’ll cope fine. Just checking in the cabin bags reduces the security trays total by (say) 30%.

        • marcw says:

          2 Aug2 August 20:28

          BA is not saying you are not allowed to take laptops or liquids. They just say the big carry on must be checked in (free of charge). A backpack fits under the seat, so that’s fine.

          I get your point with the laptop. But IME the big issue is usually… make-up, baby food and random checks (or some people trying to get through with a big Scotch bottle)

    • Lady London says:

      2 Aug2 August 20:14

      I always thought small personal item could be handbag or laptop bag.

      • marcw says:

        2 Aug2 August 20:29

        Even a small to medium size backpack… or any item that fits under the seat in front.

        • Shoestring says:

          2 Aug2 August 20:39

          but you’ll still be fine to use the overhead lockers 🙂

          that’s just a size guide

        • marcw says:

          2 Aug2 August 20:40

          -Shoestring. Yes, the issue is just security.

      • Fraser says:

        3 Aug3 August 06:35

        I guess it depends on the size of the laptop?!

        A first for me today at Madrid airport, the guy ahead of me took out a Playstation for screening 🙂

        I’m also in the “no checking of work laptops allowed” crowd so would basically assume it’s not safe to travel via LHR that day,

        • Shoestring says:

          3 Aug3 August 06:39

          laptops are fine as long as they meet the personal/ small item guidance here: [All customers are permitted to carry one piece of hand luggage and one small item (handbag, laptop) on board. Hand luggage must not exceed 56cm x 45cm x 25cm and the small item must be no bigger than 40cm x 30cm x 15cm. Both items can weight up to 23kg each.]

        • Mikeact says:

          3 Aug3 August 09:29

          What’s the difference between a work laptop and personal ?

        • Doug M says:

          3 Aug3 August 10:51

          The consequences to your employment when it’s stolen from checked baggage.

• Shoestring says:

  2 Aug2 August 19:12

  Could get nasty!: Heathrow Airport strikes: 172 flights to and from the UK have been cancelled next week
  https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/9641896/heathrow-airport-august-strikes-update/

• Shoestring says:

  2 Aug2 August 20:17

  there’s still hope!

  Talks continue
  On Friday night, the airport and Unite were still in Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) negotiations to avert the strike action.

• boi says:

  2 Aug2 August 22:28

  We had booked LBA to MSY (BA) then MSY to LAX with deta. If say we(actualy not me but hubby and 2 kids) ask BA to change our flight from heathrow (to new orleans) to one departing from gatwick (to las vegas) will travel insurance or BA reimburse our delta fights?

  • @mkcol says:

    3 Aug3 August 06:35

    BA won’t
    Phone your travel insurance to find out, nobody here knows your policy details.

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