Some clarifications for you dreamshiner:
Johnny Foreigner - Multitude of issues however BA already employ groundstaff in every airport mentioned, is it hard to add 14 pilots (guess) per base?
BA don't employ groundstaff at any of these airports other than some rare engineering support. Most European staff have been laid off or transferred to a handling company. To run a single daily 757 service to JFK you need a base of approximately 40 pilots.
(don't know the setup was with BMED, but LoganAir fly with BA livery and get **** pay and don't see a whole lot of strike threats from mainline in support, or is it only juicy 7.5 hour Shanwick-Gander routes with a juicy layover that cause this uproar)
BMED operated some BA routes and some of their own on routes that were considered so thin BA couldn't make a profit and using a custom fit of seats that was unique to BMed. They did this using
BMed slots at LHR. BA used the slots that had been used for these destinations for more profitable routes. The EU-US routes BA see as a sure fire money winner so the franchise logic does not apply, especially as the route is to our most profitable destination.
As for your LoganAir comment, tell me, what business is it of BA pilots to strike on behalf of LoganAir pilots or any other airlines pilots? Apart from the fact it would be illegal it's LoganAirs pilots responsibility to fight for their rights and nobody elses. And juicy layovers? Perhaps you can tell me whats so 'juicy' about 16 hours in New York? Thats worth about £32 to me, I can eat that much food in that time without too much difficulty.