Unite is holding BAA to ransom, its a disgusting state of affairs and BAA will most likely be forced to give in due to pressure from customers and the airlines and not because Unite have a justifiable reason to have a grevience.

Ben, Watford,

I think the strike is disgusting. Many companies are now closing these kind of pensions, there are other alternatives out there. I have worked for 2 years running my own business with a day off to find my long awaited weeks holiday is going to be ruined. I wouldn't mind so much if the strike was related to baa customers, such as poor staffing, pay and long hours. The strike has no relevance to the people they are affecting.

I think they should all be dismissed!!!!!

J Richards, devizes, wiltshire

It just isn't fair to mess around with the poor people who have worked and saved up for flights and booked in advance only to find that the proposed flight will mean chaos. We are supposed to be flying to south africa on the 14th for our honeymoon and to visit the family who couldnt make it to the wedding. We both work hard and dont have a pension scheme so these selfish people who are going to ruin our holiday should be ashamed.

In my humble opinion!

loli, Newmarket, UK

I am flying into Heathrow from California . I will arrive on the 10th. If I am not allowed to fly out of LAX will my ticket be reimbursed?

Jean, Visalia, California/USA

Ive got a long awaited trip to the usa planned for this time and due to return on one of the strike days. I fly british air because its the only airline offering a direct flight to the area I am from in the states. If this action goes thru and Im stuck and messed around for days I personally will never book british air again. Ive had enough problems with them and this isnt the first time I have had to stress out over their impending strike issues. One thing this union better remember is if they anger the customers enough they wont HAVE any job at all much less worry over their pensions.

nan page, northampton, uk

Quote: "Oh.....for a political leader such as Ronald Reagan ......he settled the Air Traffic Control strike in American in the 1980's ....once and for all - he sacked them all."

Well we live in a democracy and we have the right to strike. Whether that right is used rightfully is another thing. As much as I would like to support this idea. I can't

However BAA better talks to the Union and resolves this issues otherwise the live of 300.000 people will be seriously disrupted.

For my part I am returning from my holiday from Spain and any delay is not welcome. If there is any delay or cancelation I can only hope that the new EU regulation will make the airlines pay dearly and they hopefully claim back their expenses from BAA. As a matter of fact we are living in capitalism and poorly performing businesses go bust (eventually).
BAA get your act together and avoid this strike. Or I avoid you!!!!

Jens, London, UK

One word: Luton. Beats Heathrow by a country mile maybe because BAA don't run it.

Richard Gould, Edinburgh, Midlothian

Barry - the whole point of a Union is to protect the rights of not just existing, but future workers as well; we have seen a succession of employers slowly destroying the private pensions; such that we now have a two tier system of poorer private company pensions and gold plated public sector pensions. Who would have thought that a Labour Govt could preside over this sorry mess.

John Latchford, Prestwood, UK

Nice to see that with these strikes, and the actions of the postmen in some parts of the country, we are going back to the good old days of the 1970s. Here was me almost believing in the shiny Brave New World that Blair and the other gangsters.

David, Wolverhampton,

The absurdity of this strike is that potential future employees of BAA are perfectly free not to work for them if they are not happy with the pension scheme. Unite is flagrantly abusing the principles that have given trade unionism its legitimacy, and so threatening its entire future.

John, Edinburgh,

I cannot understand the justification for a strike about future pension terms and conditions that do not affect any of the current staff. Brendan Gold states that BAA may change the pension system for current staff in the future -- WELL IF THEY DO HAVE A STRIKE BALLOT THEN NOT NOW!!
I thought that we had finished with bully boy union tactics -- what are you going to do about this situation Gordon??

Wendy B. Huntingdon.

Wendy Barker, Huntingdon, UK

A typical Union Christmas ploy..Make life
utterly miserable for travellers..Just because they can..Never mind the joke of this stoppage...Striking
for the rights of people who have not yet been employed...Joke..Ruined my Christmas as I shall worry about his until it is resolved....

Dee.Featherstone.., Exeter, UK.

I'm traveling in January, but not using BAA airports.

No problemo! :-)

I never use BAA airports and I fly at least 30 times a year.

*buffs nails in a smug way while smiling quietly to myself*

There are choices.

clivex, Bristol,

This is so self centered its rediculous,i dont even have the luxury of a pension scheme and myself and my partner along with 25 friends and family are flying to Cuba on the 8th of January as we are getting married there,this is sure to affect us and if i could talk to the union i doubt i could hold my tongue!!

Lee Dennis, Hastings, East Sussex

Oh.....for a political leader such as Ronald Reagan ......he settled the Air Traffic Control strike in American in the 1980's ....once and for all - he sacked them all.

Sure there were ramifications for a while, but as you Brits would say: "problem now sorted".

Perhaps France can loan you Sarko?

Hotspur, ATL, USA

If this industrial action is because of pension rights that do not affect the present workforce but will only affect future recruited staff, as BAA say is the case; why aren't BAA and the airlines that will be affected, going to court to have the ballot to strike declared illegal? How can unions strike on behalf of people not yet emplopyed by BAA? Airlines will only avoid hefty financial compensation claims if they can show that their service was disrupted due to strike action that was unforseen and unavoidable, which is clearly not the case. I, for one, will be making such a claim if my flight is affected!

Allan D, Dagenham Essex, UK

What an own goal by UNITE!

Striking to preserve terms and conditions for people who might work in these roles at some point in the future, whilst at the same time infuriating 1m plus passengers...many of whom already have pension arrangements similar to the one proposed for future BAA staff...Brendan Gold needs to smell the coffee and realise this is one battle that he cannot possibly win!

AJM, Bingley,

OK, let's get the strike over with - that should get our carbon emissions down for 2008 and we can then get on with the serious business of travel.

MarkS, Leeds,

In China, All the monopoly business is under government Control and they have been making billion of pounds each year!!!!
Ironically,have you ever heard any STRIKE that happened in COMMUNIST countries???

Maybe you have enjoyed so much freedom,or you prefer to live in the biggest jail in this world-- P.R.C

Humble Chinese, Beijing, CHINA

The Union is playing it's normal point scoring games to let BAA know that they have the ability to hold an entire sector to ransom.

This does not even affect current employees. The Union needs to be dealt with, they have gotten out of hand and destructive. I doubt they know how to do a day's work as they are too used to riding the Union gravy train.

BAA should sack any indivdual that strikes over this. Bring some new blood into the indsutry instead of recycling the same ineffective individuals that will strike at the drop of a hat!

Chantel, UK,

Haven't people understood that final salary pensions are unsustainable? The ending of final salary schemes has happened all over the private sector. Without strikes. This strike action is totally pointless and self-centred.

Rosie, London, UK

This is a perfect demonstration of why it is inappropriate for a single company to own the three major London airports.

Henry Northcroft, London,

Well done Unite. Now we see the problems of unbounded capitalism, where national infrastructure is handed to other countries to do with as they like.

If the pension scheme is in good health, as I believe it is, why change it? If BAA is losing money, with its monopoly of airports where people have no choice but to fly into, its skimping on expenditure such as decoration and security and its generally poor decision making, either its board should be sacked or it should be broken up in some way.

Chris, London,

Why has our government allowed a foreign company to take ownership of a vital national service company? The Spanish owners of BAA have no real incentive to avoid this strike because the disruption will mainly affect British travelers and businesses.

David Levy, London, UK

What's the problem it would appear that the changes
proposed will only apply to new staff, so what is the union up too.

Barry Holmes, Christchurch, New Zealand