No Strike Against British Airways (for Now)

Air travel to Europe over the last few days has been complicated by fresh ash from that pesky volcano in Iceland. And this week, travel to England and points past the U.K. had promised to be even more of a problem because of a strike that was set to take place against British Airways.

Today, at least one of those problems has been corrected. British Airways went to court to try to stop 20 days of strikes ordered by Unite, the union representing the airlines' cabin crew. The airline won an injunction on what London's Guardian newspaper called a "technical point, arguing that Unite failed to carry out its statutory duties by making sure that everyone balloted was told the result."

Joe Brancatelli, Portfolio.com's Seat 2B columnist, told readers of his JoeSentMe.com business travel site that British Airways strategy "raises questions now about its intentions."

"Since the union has overwhelming support for strikes—the battle is over concessions BA unilaterally imposed on employees—it will almost certainly take a new vote and schedule new strikes. That will only make people less willing to book British Airways throughout the next few months. After all, BA's entire schedule now is at risk as Unite plans its next move," Brancatelli wrote.

Brancatelli suggests that those who had planned on traveling with British Airways this week to double check their travel plans with the airline. "Between rebuilding its schedule and the looming ash cloud and its intermittent airport closures, it will still be a difficult week for BA flyers," he wrote.