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Natalie

British Airways cabin crew plan four-day strike from 16 June

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British Airways cabin crew are set to stage a four-day strike from June 16 in a long-running dispute over pay.

 

A BA spokeswoman said: ‘As on the previous dates when Unite called strikes of mixed fleet cabin crew, we will fly all our customers to their destinations.

‘Strike action is completely unnecessary. We had reached a deal on pay, which Unite’s national officers agreed was acceptable.

‘We urge Unite to put the pay proposals to a vote of their members.’

 

Unite said the latest wave of action had been prompted by BA’s ‘persistent refusal’ to restore travel concessions withdrawn from those who took part in industrial action.

Unite’s assistant general secretary for legal services Howard Beckett said: ‘It is disappointing that BA is taking such an approach when we are close to bringing this dispute to a close.

‘BA is almost alone among the employers this union has dealt with in that they can accept the case for a pay deal but want to punish the very people who made the case.

‘For an airline of the size and status of BA passengers want to know staff are treated with respect. Punishing staff for using legitimate industrial means to reach a wage deal is a culture that Unite cannot accept and a culture that will ultimately damage the BA brand.’

Paul

BA Releases Details Of New First Wing At Heathrow.

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British Airways has today released the details of its new First Wing at Heathrow Airport which opens at the beginning of April.

The location and design of the new First Wing means that Gold card holders will no longer have to make the circuitous route around T5 in order to access the lounge.

The details released by British Airways today include several new features.

1. An exclusive entrance – the entrance to The First Wing is through a “scalloped steel and glass enclosure, with the centrepiece carrying the iconic BA coat of arms”.

2. A dedicated security lane – there is a new security channel and then a direct route to the Galleries First lounge and the Concorde Room.

3. Greater privacy – a specially-designed, curved, fluted wall, three metres high and 29 metres long, “keeps the area separate and private”.

4. More space for check-in – the First Wing check-in area is more than 250 per cent larger than before. It also has more seats including armchairs, marble-topped side tables and bespoke leather banquettes.

And if you need to do some last minute shopping before your flight, you can always enjoy the escalators down to the retail area, which you previously had to walk past in order to get to the Galleries First lounge – enjoy!

Paul

BA Introduces Club Europe On UK Domestic Flights.

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British Airways are going to introduce Club Europe, their short haul business class product, to flights within the UK and are also replacing the current UK domestic service with their Euro Traveller brand as the economy cabin.

This change aligns their cabins across their short haul network and enables travellers connecting to or from a long haul destination to enjoy a consistent experience throughout their journey.

Tickets are now available to buy for travel from 1 April 2017.

Paul

British Airways Cabin Crew Strike 25th & 26th December 2016.

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British Airways has today, Monday 19th December 2016, announced that it will operate a full schedule on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, despite being notified by the Unite union that members of its Mixed Fleet cabin crew, based at Heathrow Airport, have called a strike action on the 25th & 26th of December.

British Airways has also approached the conciliation service ACAS to seek assistance in reaching an outcome with Unite, and its members, that would avoid any possibility of disruption.

BA’s chief executive, Alex Cruz, said the following, “Over the weekend we have been working on detailed contingency plans to ensure that we are able to operate our normal flight programme from all our airports on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day.”

As any further developments occur we (GTM) will update them on our web site and via social media immediately.

Paul

BA – Upgrade to First AND More!

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Book a return Club World return ticket with British Airways and receive a complimentary upgrade one way to First. This offer is valid between 6th September 2016 and all travel must be completed by 30 December 2016; the last date for outbound travel is 23 December.

It gets better!

For a limited time only, eligible passengers can also receive TRIPLE Avios points, and companies who are On Business members can also earn TRIPLE On Business points too!

Please note, however, that in order to be eligible to receive the triple points passengers and companies must register in advance.

For Executive Club members register for the offer at www.ba.com/tripleavios

On Business members should register for triple On Business points at www.ba.com/onbusiness-offers

Paul

British Airways Announces Codeshare Agreement With China Eastern.

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British Airways has announced a new codeshare agreement with China Eastern Airlines, the 2nd largest airline in China, utilising their hubs in Shanghai Pudong (PVG) and Chengdu (CTU).

The agreement enables BA customers to book selected flights via Shanghai Pudong, or Chengdu, to Xi’an, Nanjing, Chongqing and Kunming. The two letter airline code for China Eastern is MU and they are the second largest airline by passenger numbers in China with their main hubs at Shanghai Pudong, Beijing, Kunming and Xi’an.

Destination Information:

• Xi’an in northwest China, is one of the historical centres, home of the Terracotta Army.
• Nanjing in the east, with a large inland port on the Yangtze River Delta, is a modern city of over 8 million people but with an ancient past and many top universities.
• Chongqing, the largest city in the southwest, with access to the mountainous Three Gorges region.
• Kunming is the capital of Yunnan province in southwest China and is a major transportation hub with road or rail access to Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar to the south.
• Hangzhou, located on Hangzhou Bay in the east of China, is classed as one of the most scenic cities in the country, with the UNESCO World Heritage Site of West Lake.

Paul

British Airways – New London Gatwick Routes Announced.

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British Airways has recently announced the details of two new long-haul routes from London Gatwick airport.

Cape Town operations will commence on 24 November 2016 for the winter schedule. The flight will be operated by a Boeing 777ER in a three class configuration, offering 48 Club World seats, 24 World Traveller Plus & 203 World Travellers seats. Services will operate thrice weekly on Monday, Thursday & Saturday (to Cape Town) and Tuesday, Friday & Sunday on the return leg.

Gatwick to New York JFK services will commence on 1st May 2016. Again the aircraft type offering three cabins is as above / as per Cape Town. However, services to JFK will be daily, departing at 1640 arriving 1930, and returning from Kennedy at 2200 arriving 10am the next day.

British Airways Logo
Paul

British Airways – Upgrade to First Campaign.

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British Airways is once again running its Upgrade to First campaign which also includes On Business fares. Passengers can upgrade from Club World to First one-way for no extra cost and, also, receive the eligible Avios & Tier Points for the cabin in which they actually fly.

Furthermore, bookings can currently be made at BA’s semi-restricted fare types (booked in R, D & C classes), between now and 14th June. All travel must be completed by 8th September 2016. Passengers can buy as many upgrade eligible tickets as they wish, however, tickets can only be purchased via a Travel Management Company.

Paul

British Airways – Important Update.

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Please note that British Airways is in the process of standardising check-in and bag drop closure times at airports across its network.

The new standardised time for UK domestic and short haul customers to clear check in, and drop their bags, is up to 45 minutes before departure. Whilst the new standardised time for long haul customers to clear check in and drop their bags is up to one hour before departure.

Global Travel Management recommends that passengers allow plenty of time for check-in, or bag-drops, particularly during peak travel times. GTM customers can access either our itinerary management app, or the BA app, to assist them.

Lastly, GTM recommends that all travellers flying with British Airways ALWAYS check in online for their flight/s.

Paul

New British Airways Lounge in Singapore Now Open.

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The brand new British Airways lounge in Singapore has now opened following several months of refurbishment, during which time British Airways customers have been using the Qantas lounge.

The new lounge is a brand new lounge featuring the very latest Galleries design and an additional 42% capacity due to A380 services which increase to daily from December.

Highlights include stunning feature lighting, a dramatic feature wall and high communal dining tables. All art on display in the lounge has been chosen due its link to Singapore and includes mix of upcoming and established British and Singaporean artists.

The new lounge also features a world first – the exclusive Concorde Bar Singapore where First customers can dine, relax and work.

The Concorde Bar Singapore

The Concorde Bar Singapore is the first Concorde Bar to open anywhere in the world. An exclusive haven for First customers and their eligible guests only, the design is strikingly different in style from the main Galleries lounge with black timber, Nero marble and champagne metal finishes.

The Concorde Bar offers a variety of seating options including communal bar seating, more private sofa corners and dining booths. Customers can enjoy digital panoramic views of the Singapore skyline which will enable them to connect to the time of day outside when travelling through time zones.

Other Concorde Bar openings are planned globally, with the next opening to take place in Dubai.