*News* Flying BA: a coping guide, plus last-minute bank holiday deals

The threatened British Airways strike has been averted but it still might be a nightmare to fly. Find out what it means to your weekend, plus last-minute offers via other outfitters.

  • What was the strike about?
    The GMB union has been in unsuccessful pay negotiations with British Airways since January. Both of BA's offers - 8.5 per cent over three years or 10.5 per cent over three years (not tied to pensions) have been refused.

  • So what should I do?
    BA says despite cancellations, it is business as usual. However, both they and the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) suggest that customers should take particular note of check-in times to ensure that they arrive at the airport in good time.

  • Are BA ticket-holders affected at all UK airports?
    Right now, only flights to and from Heathrow are affected.

  • If I bought my ticket through a company and don't know the airline I'm flying with, how can I find out if it's a BA ticket?
    Your travel or booking agent should be able to tell you and your ticket will have a BA-coded flight number.

  • If I do find myself stranded at the airport, what are my rights?
    Until the strike and date is announced, BA can't commit to the level of service they will be able to offer. According to a BA spokesperson, there will be a contingency plan, and their priority is to minimise disruption to customers' travel plans. Contact BA before you're due to leave to find out what their staff advise.

  • If I have flexible or economy tickets, will I be able to reschedule?
    During BA's last strike (July 2003), there was a policy of rebook, reroute or refund for both flexible and economy tickets. BA is allowing customers to rebook at no charge, subject to some conditions. Check BA's website for details.

  • What if I booked a package holiday, including BA flights?
    If you're on a package holiday and your flights are with British Airways, ABTA advises you to contact your tour operator, who is responsible for rearranging outbound and return flights. If the rearranged outbound flight constitutes a significant change to your holiday, or if the outbound flight cannot be rearranged, you are entitled to either an alternative holiday (with the requisite price alteration) or to cancel the holiday and receive a full refund of the holiday cost. However, any costs for accommodation or refreshments while waiting for the rearranged flight will be your responsibility.

  • What if I booked online via a portal or ISP?
    If you booked a break, for example with LastMinute, that includes a BA flight, any problems will be dealt with by BA themselves (and compensated by BA).

  • What other airline carriers have last minute deals over the bank holiday weekend? **
    If you haven't planned your bank holiday weekend yet, there are still plenty of last minute deals on offer. As a general rule, fares are cheaper on Saturday to Tuesday trips than on Friday to Monday. So it pays to be flexible on dates. EasyJet is just one of the low cost airlines with plenty of flights up for grabs. Here's a selection:

    Easy Jet return flights Friday 27th to Monday 30th August: (All fares quoted are return and inclusive in tax)
    Stansted to Amsterdam from £150 return including tax
    Luton to Nice from £258
    Gatwick to Amsterdam from £130
    Stansted to Naples from £205
    Stansted to Prague from £235
    Luton to Berlin from £171
    Newcastle to Palma (Mallorca) from £235
    Liverpool to Cologne from £111
    Bristol to Venice from £171
    East Midlands to Rome (Ciampino) from £191
    Newcastle to Barcelona from £206

    Easy Jet return flights Saturday 28th August to Tuesday 31st August: (All fares quoted are return and inclusive in tax)
    Stansted to Amsterdam from £111 return including tax
    Luton to Nice from £224
    Gatwick to Amsterdam from £110
    Stansted to Naples from £206
    Stansted to Prague from £181
    Luton to Berlin from £151
    Newcastle to Palma (Mallorca) from £211
    Liverpool to Cologne from £111
    Bristol to Venice from £151
    East Midlands to Rome (Ciampino) from £171
    Newcastle to Barcelona from £235

    LastMinute have a dedicated page for weekend breaks, including bank holiday deals.

    Eurostar travel offers an alternative gateway to Europe. Eurostar deals, Paris from £99 return http://engb.lastminute.com/travel/packaging/eurostar.html?partnerId=252 and Brussels from £109 return.

    More information
    British Airways will be providing information updates on www.ba.com. Alternatively, call 0845 77 999 77.

    ** All prices and details are correct at time of publication.