Anyone travelling from the UK to Faro in the coming weeks may be concerned about the possible strikes by BA cabin crew.

PANIC NOT (yet)!

There's a very good chance that your flight is unaffected as the strike only affects BA mainline services and not those operated by codeshare partners. Check your ticket (e-ticket) for the magic words "Operated by GB Airways". If it contains these words you're unlikely to be affected, and I think that most flights to Faro fall into this category.

The details may be quite hard to find on the BA website, so I have copied the salient details below. All flight numbers listed here are UNAFFECTED.


Flights operated by British Airways subsidiary BA Connect, with flight numbers between:
- BA1504 - BA1999
- BA4000 - BA4249
- BA4320 - BA4449
- BA7600 - BA7949
- BA8700 - BA8770

Franchise carriers (GB Airways, BMed, Loganair) and flights operated by our codeshare partners with a BA flight code, with flights numbers between:
- BA3320 - BA3329
- BA4250 - BA4319
- BA4500 - BA7599
- BA8200 - BA8299
- BA8450 - BA8497
- BA8771 - BA8999


Hope this helps...

Hi Richard - I agree that I don't think this affects GB Airways - but if this is the case why are BA emailing me telling me about my options for cancellation etc? - They must surely know that I am booked with GB Airways and are therefore just adding to people's confusion!

Graham, I suspect you got an email along with thousands of others, as a subscriber/club member and not just because you have a booking. I also got an email but there was no specific mention of any booking ref my email - did yours ?

Richard - I am sure you are correct - I just thought that BA were causing unnecessary confusion with this email.

PS Must get another drink in when I have found a new liver on ebay!

Just saw on that they have called it off to allow time for further talks.

Talks broke down during the night. The strike is currently on for Tuesday & Wednesday. However as previously stated should not as this should not affect services to Faro as they are operated by GB Airways not mainline BA. Current Statement from BA:

British Airways has renewed its call for the Transport and General Workers’ Union to support its approach to the conciliation service Acas, after talks aimed at settling the dispute broke down on Thursday.

The T&G has cancelled a planned stoppage by cabin crew on Monday (January 29) but strikes are still scheduled to take place on Tuesday (January 30) and Wednesday (January 31).

Further 72-hour strikes are planned beginning on Monday February 5 and Monday February 12.
We would like to assure you that the airline remains committed to the pursuit of a negotiated settlement.

If the T&G does not call off the rest of its strikes for next week the airline plans to announce on Thursday (January 25th 2007) details of its flight schedule for the first period of action.