BA passengers can claim refund for strike period

Passengers booked to travel BA during the Unite strike period – March 19 and March 31 – the strike period plus one day on either side - can ask to be rebooked onto an alterative BA flight within the 355 days or claim a full refund.

A spokesperson for the airline told ATN: “At the moment, all British Airways flights (including those to and from the Middle East region) are continuing to operate as normal. We are currently finalising our flight schedules for the strike period and have temporarily stopped selling seats on all flights operating on the strike dates.

"We are now finalising our contingency plans and will communicate the precise schedule around five days prior to the strike dates. We hope customers will bear with us whilst we confirm and action the changes. Further information will be posted on ba.com as soon as it is available.

The airline has cancelled 1100 flights from next weekend as it prepares for the strike. Most of the flights affected so far are short-haul flights and domestic services departing out of Heathrow.

The spokesperson added: “We are aiming to operate as many flights as we can during the strike period despite the very difficult circumstances we face. A strike will not ground British Airways. We have had nearly 6000 volunteers, which includes nearly 1,000 who have trained as cabin crew and that number is growing.

"This applies to all customers due to fly in/out of Heathrow and in/out of Gatwick on a shorthaul flight. Customers due to fly in/out of London City and in/out Gatwick on a longhaul flight will be unaffected and therefore normal fare rules apply."