LostInTheWoods

Back in January Renee and I booked a flight to the UK for my fathers birthday. I knew the trip was coming up but thought nothing of it until on Friday I read this:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6690785.stm

So SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) cabin crew were going to go on strike (or “strejk” in Swedish). We have always flown with SAS as they are very efficient and they fly to Heathrow which is the right side of London for us. [Side note: A lot of budget airlines say they fly to 'London' which is not true, they fly towards London when the plane takes off, but land up to 30 miles away.]

But as the weekend progressed, and the negotiations were still in dead lock, flights were being cancelled on a rolling day ahead fashion, we have been getting a little nervous....

Unions here in Sweden are very strong. But this is the first strike I have encountered, and from a group of individuals that are so calm and polite when I have had dealings with them. I know, that's there job, but they have never seemed the militant type to me.

So we have re-booked and are going to fly out of the country with a Danish cabin crew, and then onto London. We lose five hours of our trip, and it is a bit irritating, but I think this demonstrates the pressures that the conventional carriers are experiencing in a market place, where you can find cheap seats with a budget airline that can cost as little as 1p (2¢) one way.

Not only do we get the politicians we deserve, it seems as customers we get the market we deserve. Economic karma. I don't think I will try and chase savings any more, I will fly with what is the most convenient, because one day it might disappear.

That is all.

LostInTheWoods