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25-Mar-2010 10:55 AM

British Airways removes striking cabin crew's travel benefits

British Airways confirmed that cabin crew staff who participated in the first phase of strike action on 20-Mar-2010 to 22-Mar-2010 have lost their travel benefits, effective 14-Apr-2010 (Dow Jones/guardian.co.uk, 24-Mar-2010). Travel benefits include 10% discounts on full fares on standby tickets and annual free Business fares for staff who have worked for the carrier for over five years. BA also advised staff they would not be paid for the days they took part in the strike. The carrier originally warned staff of plans to remove the discounts if they launched industrial action in Jan-2010. Unite condemned (24-Mar-2010) the move, stating many cabin crew rely on the travel assistance to get to work following BA's decision to close its regional bases and require the vast majority of cabin crew to operate out of Heathrow. [more - Unite]

  • Schedule plans: Unite also criticised (23-Mar-2010) BA's planned schedule for the second phase of the strike action (27-Mar-2010 to 30-Mar-2010), stating four out of five cabin crew participated in the first strike. [more]
  • Other carrier reactions: bmi added (24-Mar-2010) 4,500 seats to its normal London Heathrow schedule to help BA customers affected by the second phase of the strike. [more]

British Airways: "Our cabin crew knew that if they took part in the strike they would lose their staff travel permanently…This is a noncontractual perk that the company can withdraw at its discretion. The industrial action impacted on our operation and our customers and we will, undoubtedly, suffer additional costs and further losses as a result," Company Statement. Source: Dow Jones, 24-Mar-2010.

Unite: "This is the clearest possible example of BA's bullying and contemptuous approach to its employees. Cabin crew showed last weekend that they will not be intimidated. Unite will challenge this vindictive move in whatever way seems appropriate," Company Statement. Source: Unite, 24-Mar-2010.

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