News: Gatwick strikes and a ban on agency workers, save £10 at World Duty Free at Heathrow

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• Gordon says:

  15 Jul15 July 06:33

  I read about the strikes yesterday! It was talked about several weeks ago but it is actually going to happen now. Although if you book a flight ahead a long way you can never second guess when and if any industrial action will take place, I’m Just glad I have a choice now when I travel and fortunately it’s never during the school holidays which seem to be a target these days to give the most impact, So on this occasion I am lucky I guess.
  Re Duty free, This will be of benefit to some, But I personally think Duty free should be renamed “Duty not so free” Being a non smoker but I like a tipple, I can obtain spirits at the same price in the main stream supermarkets and an example Costco has 1 Litre of Bombay sapphire Gin for £19.

  • Peter K says:

    15 Jul15 July 08:46

    It’s duty free but price hiked.

    • Gordon says:

      15 Jul15 July 08:55

      Price hiked along with everything else in this world, Sadly Something we will have to get accustomed to!

      • Londonsteve says:

        15 Jul15 July 22:50

        And it’ll never be competitively priced as long as the prohibition on liquids in bottles over 100ml exists. I’d imagine that airports aren’t pushing hard to get this rescinded for the simple reason they sell a ton of booze at high prices and perhaps more profitably, bottled water. The airlines meanwhile aren’t pushing either because money the airport aren’t making from the passengers they’ll look to rake in from the airlines…

• Gordon says:

  15 Jul15 July 06:37

  I was using Costco as an example! I am aware it’s not a mainstream supermarket!

  • Charles Martel says:

    15 Jul15 July 07:26

    According to the Trolley app its £20 in Morrison. I’m not sure the Costco queues are worth the extra £1 saving 🙂

    • Gordon says:

      15 Jul15 July 07:57

      You have confirmed my findings regarding the mainstream supermarkets.
      I didn’t buy Costco membership just to purchase one item in store. I pass a Costco store on a regular basis to purchase fuel at the discounted rate. And because I have a trade membership I can enter the store at 10am an hour before the mainstream, There are no queues then 😉

• Jamie says:

  15 Jul15 July 06:38

  Heading to Bordeaux on Friday 28th July from Gatwick with the return a couple of days later on the Sunday.
  Phoned the Gold Line to see if they would move me to the Thursday night flight but was asked to pay a change fee + fare difference which surprised me. Will have to just sit tight!

  • Andrew J says:

    15 Jul15 July 08:21

    Why did that surprise you? The flight is still operating at the moment.

    • Jamie says:

      15 Jul15 July 11:44

      Surprised me because previously during periods in which there have been strikes, BA have offered increased flexibility to customers.

      • BA Flyer IHG Stayer says:

        15 Jul15 July 13:30

        Any flexibility has to be announced.

        BA hasn’t announced any flexibility yet – likely because they are still trying to work out what flights they will be able operate.

• Adam says:

  15 Jul15 July 06:53

  Air traffic controller here…

  Not sure why having 1 v 2 runways would make a difference to the impact of European ATC issues, which result in ATC Slots (CTOTs – Calculated Take Off Times).

  • Rob says:

    15 Jul15 July 08:53

    That’s what Gatwick is saying though ….

  • Bagoly says:

    15 Jul15 July 12:25

    I was struggling to see that connection too.

  • Hak says:

    16 Jul16 July 11:59

    Interesting. Thanks for your insight.

• Jamie says:

  15 Jul15 July 07:40

  Thanks for sharing! Ron Zacapa XO for €81 with the discount is excellent value indeed!

• The Streets says:

  15 Jul15 July 07:43

  10th August is a Thursday..

• Joe says:

  15 Jul15 July 08:19

  I think (hope) the first strike ends Monday 31st july (4 days from the Friday). I land at lgw on Tuesday 1st

  • JDB says:

    15 Jul15 July 08:30

    The dates in the article are correct, as specified by the holiday wreckers themselves:
    “The workers will strike initially for four days beginning on Friday 28 July ending on Tuesday 1 August. Then a further four days from Friday 4 August until Tuesday 8 August.”

    • Anouj says:

      15 Jul15 July 11:37

      Calling strikers ‘holiday wreckers’ is unacceptable, try living on the measly wages many of the lowest paid in this country get paid. If you believe in the free market so strongly you shouldn’t complain when the market pushes for a correction…

      • Mike says:

        15 Jul15 July 12:03

        “unacceptable”, look at you being the thought police…

      • Alex G says:

        15 Jul15 July 13:10

        Perfectly acceptable. No one is low paid in this country any more. We have a decent minimum wage and high personal allowances. There will always be people who are comparatively lower paid, but if you don’t think you are paid enough, move to a different job.

        • dougzz99 says:

          15 Jul15 July 13:57

          Or, you could organise as a workforce and withdraw labour 😏

        • BA Flyer IHG Stayer says:

          15 Jul15 July 20:26

          Get a different job is a rather glib response.

          And who would take up these vacancies when the current staff left to go to different jobs?

          There is a shortage of people in these roles already at the current rates of pay which is why there are delays in loading and unloading bags and dispatching planes – all things which generate complaints on here and other sites.

        • Londonsteve says:

          15 Jul15 July 22:56

          They are low paid compared to the cost of living, principally property prices and therefore rents. Clearly it’s exponentially more of an issue in the south east of England. It’s absurd the same minimum wage applies in the centre of London as it does in Sunderland. It’s impossible to survive on £12 an hour in and around London if you’re not living in a free house or some form of subsidised accommodation.

      • Swifty says:

        15 Jul15 July 19:38

        If the airport staff are holiday wreckers – doctors striking are therefore granny killers and striking teachers are childhood snatchers. Lol. Sometimes I love these threads.

        • Mike says:

          16 Jul16 July 04:28

          “They are low paid compared to the cost of living, principally property prices and therefore rents.”

          And yet, I assume, you are enthusiastically in favour of the policy that mostly causes this…

    • GeoffreyB says:

      15 Jul15 July 12:28

      Lol

    • David says:

      15 Jul15 July 15:59

      “Holiday wreckers”? How grotesque, though you have previous form with your attitude towards people in low paid jobs.

  • Dilbert says:

    15 Jul15 July 10:53

    Although I haven’t seen the exact timings, I have read that the strikes will begin and end in the early hours, of the dates given.

    • Rob says:

      15 Jul15 July 11:27

      It’s linked to shifts, so anyone whose shift starts before midnight finishes it.

• Joe says:

  15 Jul15 July 08:28

  How do you know the discount? Added a bottle of moet but isn’t taking anything off

  • SteveH says:

    15 Jul15 July 09:37

    Applied in cart – clearly stated at top of page in red

  • N says:

    15 Jul15 July 11:41

    “up to 40% off”, not 40% off

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