The announcement that British Airways (BA) cabin staff are to strike may emphasise the need for holidaymakers to take out travel insurance.
John Tangney, chairman of the AITO aviation committee, believes people will find it difficult to secure seats on other carriers at such a late stage.
"The seats that are left will be in the premium cabins I would have thought, or certainly any carriers with seats left are not going to be selling them at a bargain basement price," he suggested.
Many holidaymakers would have made their arrangements and paid for their flights months ago, Mr Tangney claimed, which may create financial difficulties.
Those who are able to find seats with other airlines will likely pay two or three times the amount they have already given BA, he said, with compensation for those affected by the strikes unlikely to come through for some time yet.
"In all likelihood, the only way BA will bring this thing totally to a head is with a complete shutdown which will turn the travel plans of literally millions of people into chaos," Mr Tangney emphasised.
The airline is unlikely to run a service where they are unsure if workers are going to turn up or not, with a full shutdown of flights more likely, he suggested.
This situation would not be surprising, Mr Tangney revealed, with chaos about to ensue across the travel industry.
Business travellers are more likely to be able to alter their plans, the expert said, which begs the question as to why the cabin crew did not hold off the strike until January.
For many people going to visit families and friends over the festive period, this latest announcement will be a disaster, he added. |
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