P_M

I just read on CNN's travel page there could be a Baggage Handler's strike in the UK. Next month I will be connecting through Gatwick on my way to Geneva, so I am concerned. I realize these threats always don't come to pass, but if it does, what will happen? Will they cancel the flights, or must we take carry-ons only? Heck, I'll carry my bag off and onto the plane myself if necessary!!

But seriously, can anyone tell me if this has happened in the past, and how it was managed? Thanks.

P_M

Sorry, I meant to say I realize these threats don't always come to pass....

janis

These are threatened semi-regularly - if a contract isn't running out, a union member was punished for some mis-deed, or the union chief sneezed. They usually are settled - but not always.

The only time a baggage handlers' strike actually affected me was way back in the late 70's. The strike went forward and MANY flights were cancelled or combined. For instance I was booked to fly LHR to SFO but ended up flying into Seattle instead on a combined flight. This was a REAL pain since I was moving back to the States and hade 10 times more luggage than normal -- including a dog and cat!

Don't know how they handle them now - most likely by reducing schedules and cancelling some flights . . . . . . .

mikemo

Ignore the unions - they are dinosaurs!
M

taggie

Mike - how is this helpful? Regardless of what one thinks about unions, if workers are on strike then one can't get the service the union members perform. I don't understand how ignoring the unions will get baggage moving and keep flights running on time.

flanneruk

mike's comment is helpful because he's suggesting exactly what travellers should do.

Ignore the issue. Or, if you want to worry, learn the facts.

There's a huge gap between votes for a strike and strikes actually happening: a strike vote merely gives the union executive authority to call a strike IF.....

And this is NOT a strike vote by all baggage handlers. It's a vote by one union at one baggage handling company. At that company - Avianco - workers belong to three different unions - and some don't belong to a union at all. Mikemo's right to say the unions are dinosaurs: in many businesses these days, most workers don't bother joining, and not all members follow strike instructions any more.

And at major airports, there are several different and competing handling companies.

Lastly, baggage handling isn't rocket science, or a safety-sensitive skill. If some of the workers walk out, Avianco's management and cleaners will haul bags around. And Avianco's clients - (on scheduled flights, mostly Star Alliance airlines) - will doubtless try to use Avianco's competitors.

Contrary to taggie's theory, if workers are on strike, a properly free market gets other people to perform the jobs the strikers used to do. Britain's air industry is a free market. Strikes in Britain are an issue worth worrying about only in industries dominated by big, near-monopolistic, unions (trains/tubes and mail) and near-monopolistic companies (That comes down to some essential public services like the fire brigade and trains/tubes and mail).

As always, if you want information, Mickey Mouse "news" organisations like CNN are useless on this. Go to the BBC or The Times (the real one, not the New York namesake) for hard information.

Trust mikemo on this, and stop panicking.

P_M

OK, thanks everyone, I knew I could count on you. It sounds like this is not as big a problem as it would seem from reading CNN, so I feel better.

TopMan

Actually, to use the CNN terms: it COULD be a major problem IF it comes to pass. I suspect Flanner would be glad to schlep your bags for you if you offer the "proper" amount of compensation..take out an ad in the "Times" to be sure to get undivided attention...otherwise, have a great trip.

obxgirl

P_M, Asking about a possible baggage handling strike on a travel forum seems like a fairly relevant question to me (regardless of one's opinion on the viability of unions).

Hopefully the threat will evaporate and not impact anyone's holiday.

The BBC is reporting virtually the same info as CNN:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3867185.stm

The London Times (online) is a subscription only service but the article summary is:

"Baggage Handlers' Strike Threaens Holidays" A strike by baggage handlers and check-in staff during the summer would involve more than 4,300 workers across the country and would be likely to lead to long delays and cancelled flights.

I don't see any editorializing about dinosaur unions or lectures on a free market economy. I'l be checking out the full Times article later this week at the library.

Underhill

We've been through Heathrow several times when there was a baggage-handlers' "slowdown," and indeed it meant that collecting luggage took quite a while. That could be a problem with a connecting flight, although for us it just meant waiting around until our bags finally turned up.