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British Airways Pledges to Fly 60% of Scheduled Passengers Amid Looming Cabin Crew Strike

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Despite the looming cabin crew strike, British Airways has pledged to operate at 60% capacity, with plans to fly around 30,000 passengers per day, using a volunteer workforce of 1,000 cabin crew and 22 hired jets. The airline has also offered full refunds to passengers booked to travel between 19 and 31 March. However, the Unite trade union has offered to suspend the strike if BA resubmits a peace offer, which includes a partial repeal of staffing cuts and a three-year pay deal.

Key Takeaways:

  • British Airways plans to operate at 60% capacity during the cabin crew strike, using a volunteer workforce of 1,000 cabin crew and 22 hired jets.
  • The airline aims to fly around 30,000 passengers per day, with the remaining passengers being accommodated on other airlines or flights on different dates.
  • BA has offered full refunds to passengers booked to travel between 19 and 31 March.
  • The Unite trade union has offered to suspend the strike if BA resubmits a peace offer, which includes a partial repeal of staffing cuts and a three-year pay deal.
  • Tony Woodley, joint general secretary of Unite, has stated that the strikes can be suspended if the peace offer is reinstated.
  • Gordon Brown has intervened in the dispute, calling for the strike to be called off, citing that it is "unjustified, it is deplorable".
  • BA's pilots have agreed to a similar 2.6% pay cut, and the union is now considering revising its proposed deal.
  • The dispute has sparked a political row between Unite and Gordon Brown, with the union receiving £11m from Labour in the past four years.

Statistics:

  • 60%: BA's planned capacity operation during the cabin crew strike.
  • 30,000 passengers: Number of people BA aims to fly per day during the strike.
  • 1,000: Number of volunteer cabin crew BA plans to use during the strike.
  • 22: Number of hired jets BA has procured for use during the strike.
  • £11m: Amount of money Unite has received from Labour in the past four years.
  • 1,100: Number of cabin crew posts axed by BA since November.
  • 700: Number of cabin crew posts that BA could be restored to aircraft under the proposed deal.

Sources:

  • Dan Milmo, Transport correspondent, British Airways has pledged to fly six out of 10 passengers to their destinations during a looming cabin crew strike next weekend, as the dispute escalates into a political row between the Unite trade union and Gordon Brown.
  • Tony Woodley, joint general secretary of Unite, told Sky News: "If the offer is back on the table there is no reason why the strikes cannot be suspended."
  • BA has offered full refunds to anyone booked to travel between 19 and 31 March, according to the airline's website.
  • Gordon Brown called for the strike to be called off, saying it is "unjustified, it is deplorable".
  • Lord Adonis, transport secretary, said he "absolutely deplored" the planned strikes.

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