Chiglet, I saw the same report, the usual poorly researched 5hite from 'responsible' journo's. In the following post I will not comment on my feelings towards the industrial action, trawling reporters please note a payment towards the pprune fund if you plaigarise any of the following! This is what BBC journo should have said:
The RFF cat does not change if the 'civil' brigades are unavailable, the airport authority has to be able to provide fire cover under normal operations hence the RFF categories. In the event of a civil strike the green godesses will turn up if they are available but the accident/incident must be able to be dealt with by the airport service, regardless of whether the 'civvies' are available. If the union elements of them do go on strike then the RFF cat may well be degraded or reduced to an unworkable level for most operations. The easy way that this may occur is a series of short 3-4 hour strikes at co-located airports eg LHR,STN and LGW simultaneously. This will mean that the destination and primary alternates will not be available, diversions, crews out of hours, positioning flights etc. Only needs two or three strikes. say Monday morning rush hour and Friday night rush hour, easy, absolute sodding chaos!
The security is slightly easier to deal with, just get pax to report much much earlier, and if they ain't there, then go without em, stay on schedule, no refund as action out of airlines hands. Mr and Mrs public very quickly losing any sympathy with the strikers. And Mr and Mrs Airline sue the TGWU for damages.
These could be co-ordinated, start with the security, if the BAA fail to respond, up the ante with the Fire service, oh and alternate the action on a daily basis.
Now lets sit back and see which media outlet uses this first! Remember you saw it first on PPrune.org!!!