I think the use of pickets during this strike is going to be interesting to say the least. If the pickets are located anywhere easily seen by the public then what will happen is that enraged customers will walk over and start yelling at those on the line. I suspect the things said will be extremely ugly and those picketing best be prepared for a load of verbal abuse. The only option I would see is for the pickets to be located somewhere the public can't see but other airline workers can with the hope they can generate support from that quarter. Although with many BA staff facing layoffs if the airline goes under or is subject to major restructuring I doubt much support will be coming from there too.
I imagine the television coverage on BBC showing picketers being heckled... unless the union manages this carefully it will be yet another nail in the
PR coffin. I'm also waiting to see the emergence of 'I voted no' buttons worn by CC who are going to be tired of being heckled by passengers on flights leading up to, and after, the strike.
Where BA management may be about to start taking a hit in public opinion is the delay in putting out a list of canceled flights, refusal to refund discounted tickets early on when there was still a chance to find lower priced tickets, and not having been seen to put anybody else on other air carriers. If by yesterday they had at least announced the flights canceled and started rebooking passengers the first few days of the strike that would have helped them. If they don't start doing that today then we'll see the public and press turn on them.