UK domestic market with a train strike
Thread Starter
UK domestic market with a train strike
A few days ago, the RMT rail union announced a rail strike on 21, 23 and 25 June. Not just a small localised strike, but a full "everybody out" strike, potentially the largest since 1989
Normally a rail strike sends airfares soaring.... but looking at the likes of Easyjet and Flybe who focus on non-connecting traffic, there seems to be little impact on fares currently available. BA fares seem to have risen... but possibly because of connecting traffic booked much longer in advance
Has the experience of Covid meant a fundamental change in how rail strikes affect air travel demand ? Can airlines still take advantage when rival providers have a strop ?
Normally a rail strike sends airfares soaring.... but looking at the likes of Easyjet and Flybe who focus on non-connecting traffic, there seems to be little impact on fares currently available. BA fares seem to have risen... but possibly because of connecting traffic booked much longer in advance
Has the experience of Covid meant a fundamental change in how rail strikes affect air travel demand ? Can airlines still take advantage when rival providers have a strop ?
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: In the sticks
Posts: 9,859
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Booking Easyjet or BA is perceived by many now as a risky business. I certainly wouldn’t be booking an internal flight only to find the return leg cancelled with an hours notice.
Those mainly affected will be short distance to/from city commuters, for whom the only alternatives are bus/car or work from home. As OP suggests, the covid lockdowns have made that final option far more acceptable.
For longer domestic journeys, I'd guess many would just re-schedule their rail trips to 20,22,24,26 June? Paying a jacked-up airfare would probably be a last resort.
There's also a degree to which a rail strike might adversely affect air travel, domestic and international, where air travellers were relying on rail links to travel to/from the city or elsewhere - LGW in particular comes to mind. So much for integrated modes of transport...
For longer domestic journeys, I'd guess many would just re-schedule their rail trips to 20,22,24,26 June? Paying a jacked-up airfare would probably be a last resort.
There's also a degree to which a rail strike might adversely affect air travel, domestic and international, where air travellers were relying on rail links to travel to/from the city or elsewhere - LGW in particular comes to mind. So much for integrated modes of transport...
There's also a degree to which a rail strike might adversely affect air travel, domestic and international, where air travellers were relying on rail links to travel to/from the city or elsewhere - LGW in particular comes to mind. So much for integrated modes of transport...
I would suggest the main potential beneficiaries have enough problems running their own current schedules to look to benefit from others misfortunes
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: UK
Age: 48
Posts: 279
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A few days ago, the RMT rail union announced a rail strike on 21, 23 and 25 June. Not just a small localised strike, but a full "everybody out" strike, potentially the largest since 1989
Normally a rail strike sends airfares soaring.... but looking at the likes of Easyjet and Flybe who focus on non-connecting traffic, there seems to be little impact on fares currently available. BA fares seem to have risen... but possibly because of connecting traffic booked much longer in advance
Has the experience of Covid meant a fundamental change in how rail strikes affect air travel demand ? Can airlines still take advantage when rival providers have a strop ?
Normally a rail strike sends airfares soaring.... but looking at the likes of Easyjet and Flybe who focus on non-connecting traffic, there seems to be little impact on fares currently available. BA fares seem to have risen... but possibly because of connecting traffic booked much longer in advance
Has the experience of Covid meant a fundamental change in how rail strikes affect air travel demand ? Can airlines still take advantage when rival providers have a strop ?
No, companies will just revert back to a work from home policy.
Meetings will be done over zoom
Last edited by tictack67; 10th Jun 2022 at 07:04.
While it's no doubt true that companies who are winding down their work-from-home policies are unlikely to reinstate them, you might be surprised at how many companies are still firmly in work-from-home mode and seem perfectly happy with the arrangement.
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: BMA
Posts: 1,043
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Even before covid tube/train strike was the only reason my very inflexible previous employer allowed staff to work from home or if we really needed to be then they offered to cover our parking costs in central London.
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: UK
Age: 48
Posts: 279
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I don't think it will affect, companies will revert to work from home.
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Durham
Age: 77
Posts: 152
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Indeed- I used to pay (well the company) a small fortune for the first NCL-LHR flight and even on strike days it's entirely affordable - its the leisure market flight times that have soared of late which I would assume is a similar story with the rail network
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: EDI, LHR, NQY
Posts: 403
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Exactly this ^^ weekends LHR-EDI are now far pricier than the traditional Mon/Thurs pinchpoints, although the whole week is pricier than it ever was. I haven't paid under £100 for a BA domestic sector for more than a year now, £300 return is now far more normal. I wish the schedule would catch up to reflect demand. BA's lastest LHR-EDI departure was 1750 for months and months, they've finally added a 9pm and a 10pm on Fridays but it's painful.
