Talks of a strike were prompted by the airline’s baggage handlers and check in employees, who all voted to reject British Airways planned cuts to a number of areas as the airline continues to struggle in the economic climate. British Airways CEO Willie Walsh has stated that his employees need to understand that the company is currently fighting for survival.

The union’s workers at British Airways have been meeting regularly over the matter, which only makes the reality of a walkout during the height of the summer season even more likely. This could threaten the holiday plans of millions of Britons, while having a domino effect on other aspects of travel, like insurance, car hire agencies, travel agencies, and could even be the straw that breaks BA’s strained camel back.

The union leaders are coming under increasing pressure to strike unless they can come to a reasonable way to cut costs while still maintain staff and wages that their members can agree on.

One of the union officers handling the negotiations says that he thinks that they can get away without calling for a strike ballot for about two more weeks. However, they have already heard a lot of criticism that they have not called one yet.

British Airways has hemorrhaged more than £401 million in the previous year alone is now juggling with plans to cut 3,700 jobs and freeze pay for its remaining staff. The company plans to revamp or entirely cut the family friendly roster, which is seen as very vital for the union’s female staff.

British Airways is hoping that the union will come to a compassionate understand over how bad their current financial situation is.

Volkswagen has now upped its take in Porsche with a 49.9 percent stake, making it now total 4 billion Euros ($5.56 billion). Reuters is reporting that Porsche’s committee is also considering the idea of selling part of its car business to Volkswagen.

Neither car maker would comment on the transaction. However Porsche confirmed its supervisory board will hold an extraordinary meeting July 23 to discuss the matter further.

Airlines and hotels have always played a key roll in the  for travel management companies and their corporates clients.

As the travel agenciess struggle to maximise their cashflow amid the recession, car rental suppliers say their focus on ancillary products has never been so strong.

Anita Jarratt, Europcar’s business travel manager in the UK, believes that customers were no longer making long term commitments  on vehicles and preferring hire for shorter periods.

“Out of bad situations often come good things, We’re seeing growth that is contrary to the economic climate.”

But she claimed the success of the car rental sector will be sustained as TMCs forge closer ties with suppliers.

“We have been working very closely with the TMCs and getting out in front of the consultants to make sure they have the training and product knowledge. The car hire industry is a sleeping giant and we could be at a turning point. We’re ready to work in partnership when times get better.”

Lisa Eastwood, Avis’s head of corporate sales, agreed there was scope for optimism within the sector.

“We’re in a fortunate position that we don’t have much more market share to win as we have preferential status and partnerships with everyone in the TMC community, But though business is down this year we have seen the TMCs concentrating on ancillaries such as car hire.”

This is the nation’s first electric car sharing and car rental program. The Maya 300 is all-electric and emission-free, and, according to the Center, are road tested, well appointed, and 5 door vehicles with seating for four passengers with room for cargo.From Electrovaya, the Maya 300 car can go up to 120 miles on one charge of its lithium-ion battery system, and can be recharged from a regular 110-volt outlet.

The public can rent hourly or join the car share network as a member and reserve online. Rental rates are $14.50 an hour for the general public, $7.50 an hour for Altcar.org members. “The electricity cost to drive 50 miles in the Maya-300 is about $1.00 when charging during the day. However, if charging is done at off peak periods, the fuelling cost will go down even further,” according to Electrovaya. Between now through July 31, licensed drivers holding an admission ticket can take a free test drive daily. The Maryland Science Center is a science museum located in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. The center was opened by the Maryland Academy of Sciences in 1976, with expansions in 1986 and 2004. The museum’s attractions include several permanent interactive exhibits, traveling exhibits, a planetarium, a demonstration stage, an observatory, a Segway station and an IMAX theater.

Electrovaya says it will make the cars available to the public in 2011, starting at $25,000 for a 60-mile range vehicle and $35,000 for the 120-mile range vehicle, according to the nytimes.com titled “All-Electric Car-Sharing Debuts in Baltimore.”

When will Enterprise, Hertz and other rental car companies take note?

Travel Weekly has been contacted by ex-travel consultant Derry Bailey, who was working for HWT when she made an Affordable Car Hire booking in April for her own holiday, car hire from aberdeen airport, in September. When HWT went into administration this month, she contacted Affordable to check her own booking and those of her clients.

She said: “Affordable Car Hire cancelled all bookings made by HWT because of non-payment, even though ABTA had informed them that, by doing this, they would be contravening agency law.

“When I checked, Affordable said I could still have my booking honoured – but only if I paid again,” said Bailey. “I feel I have let my clients and myself down.”

The Freedom Direct failure in April raised similar concerns that suppliers owed money by failed agencies are not honouring bookings. While ABTA insists the suppliers are in breach of agency law (an area of contract law), suppliers claim they are sticking to the terms of their contracts.

A spokeswoman for ABTA said: “We are writing to Affordable Car rental to remind it of its obligations and that we will inform local trading standards [officers] of the issue.

“They need to honour the bookings that their agent made. This is according to agency law, and can be enforced in the UK”.

However, Affordable nice airport Car Hire’s payment terms in its contract with HWT state it has the right to withdraw authorisation of a voucher when payment has not been received.

Affordable Car Hire managing director Angela Day said: “Unfortunately Affordable france Car Hire has lost considerable amounts of money where clients have already travelled and there has been a payment crossover.

“Given the economic climate, no car hire company can afford to write off thousands of pounds for bookings [of people who] have not even travelled and that are currently unpaid,” said Day.