TRAVEL agents have been advised to prepare for disruption to British Airways’ services amid fears of another summer of strikes.
The carrier is in talks with unions over its plan to raise staff retirement age and cap pension payments to help close a £1 billion deficit in its pension funds.
Both sides insist there has been no discussion of strikes, but industrial action has not been ruled out if a deal can¹t be reached, threatening a fourth successive summer of disruption.
Advantage business travel director Norman Gage has advised agents to consider how to minimise disruption for clients if industrial action goes ahead.
Gage advised agents to sell other airline carriers where possible, and warned customers of the risk of booking direct if a strike is likely. He also suggested double-booking customers whose travel plans are inflexible.
“Agents should be asking questions now because it will allow them to react quickly should strikes occur,” he said.
“As we saw last summer, what looks like a negative thing for agents can become a positive if they look after clients in ways the Internet can’t.”
Peregrination travel agency managing director Geoff Dykes said speculation about strikes at BA “will certainly colour our decisions regarding who we recommend to customers”.
However, Major Travel general manager John Dellaway said it will be impossible to avoid disruption if BA workers go on strike again. “The only thing an agent can do is warn clients likely to book online that they will be on their own in the event of a strike.
“That might just convince people to book with a travel agent.”
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