As part of its coverage of the strike action threatened by British Airways’ cabin crew, industry magazine Travel Trade Gazette is using Google’s document tools in an innovative way.

Using a spreadsheet from Google Docs, the Gazette is asking readers for their views on British Airways’ terms and conditions with travel agents in a follow-up to BA’s appeal to the trade not to switch customers to competitors, because of potential action. The survey is being promoted in relevant stories on the TTG site.

There have been plenty of lengthy responses so far and its the first time that TTG has approached readers with Google Docs, chief sub-editor for the TTG Group Matt Parsons told Journalism.co.uk.

“What’s also interesting is that it’s causing people to phone the news desk with ideas. The next step may be for us to hold a round-table – we may invite travel agents to come in and speak with British Airways,” says Parsons.

“It’s touched a nerve with agents, but we’re trying to turn around the negativity most people think the web is for, and be constructive. A lot of people are still venting their anger, but there’s some good suggestions coming in after tweaking the Google Doc form wording.”