Will Travel-BA allows one 13lb. bag each. I don't know if that'll work for us, but if need be we'll try!

I wonder if their "contingency plan" will include higher carry-on allowances in the event of a baggage handlers strike.

Whilst I appreciate it can be difficult you might like to try to have alittle more sympathy with the unions and direct your ire towards BA management - this pay round dates back to a year ago and was meant to be implemented in January. It's now over 12 months since negotiations started and seven and a half since the missed implementation date - the management team have been happy to let the negotiations drag on indefinitely and the unions are now forced into turning nasty - its an old PR tactic long popular with British management.
It's enlightening that only today with the very real threat (notwithstanding all the caveats detailed above by FlannerUK and others) of strike action that BA have finally come back with something the unions feel is worth discussing. And given that some of their members are paid as little as £11.5K pa (and live in and pay London prices)I don't think that something in excess of 8% is asking too much... especially when you consider that the management pushed through pay increases for senior staff of 16 - 23%.

Blame the BA mis-management for this foul-up and save your curses for the truly desrving top-brass.

That said let's hope they can resolve all this over the coming fortnight and that all those who need to can make their connections and take their flights on time - and all those that need it can earn a decent, living wage without recourse to industrial action.

(Here endeth the lesson)

Dr D.

Here is the information on the BA website this morning:

Possible Strike Action
Regrettably, one of the unions representing British Airways' staff has formally notified the airline that they intend to hold a one day strike on 27th August.
We remain hopeful that we can resolve this dispute without any action and are continuing to talk to our unions.
However, we do have contingency plans which are now being finalised and these will be announced shortly if necessary.
We recognise that customers planning to travel over this period may wish to change their plans. If you hold a booking on a British Airways? flight for travel up to and including 4th September, which was purchased prior to 19th August, you may change your travel dates, in addition to any other flexibility that the ticket conditions permit, as follows:
The change can be made up to the day before the original travel date
You may rebook to the same destination on a British Airways' flight subject to availability within the same, or lowest available, fare class and the same cabin for travel up to 10 September 2004. The ticket validity will be extended if it has expired up to the end of November 2004 to allow for this.
If you are not able to, or do not wish to, travel before 10 September 2004 you can rebook to the same destination on a British Airways' flight at the first convenient date and where space is available in the same fare class and cabin as the original ticket. This must be done within the validity of the ticket or up until the end of November 2004, if the validity of the ticket has expired.
You may only change your booking once, and this will be free of charge
In order to change your booking please contact your travel agent or British Airways in the UK on 0870 850 9 850. In other countries please contact your local British Airways office.

I rang BA to see whether they wanted us to delay our homebound flight on the 28th August (we would rather be prepared and delay by a day or two in France with a hotel rather than be stuck in an airport).
They told us that planes would be "in the right places" as they know about the strike in advance. However, they are still hoping to avert the strike action. BA have said that we should be fine on the 28th - especially because we depart in the evening.
The latest news on the talks are that the unions (TGWU, Amicus and GMB) have asked BA to "repackage" the offer along with the sickness payment bonus.

News that they have settled. No strike.

Topping for the Saturday crowd.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3582554.stm

BA has settled, but United's baggage handlers at Heathrow are planning to strike Aug. 27th for 24 hours.