British Airways’ problems mount as pilots threaten to walk out
Problems at British Airways (BA) seem to be mounting as pilots have now threatened to walk out in a dispute over salaries.
Balpa, the only recognised union for the carrier’s pilots, said it was in negotiations with the airline “to persuade them that continuing Covid deductions from wages is no longer justified.
In July 2020, pilots agreed to a 20 per cent temporary salary cut, which decreased to 8 per cent over the following two years. Now they demand a pay rise.
“Given the current rate of inflation, a pay rise is necessary to ensure appropriate recruitment and retention of skilled and professional pilots to BA,” said Balpa’s general secretary Martin Chalk.
Both BA and Balpa said they remained committed to continuing talks.
According to Telegraph sources, pilots have considered a strike following the success of negotiations between the legacy carrier and check-in staff.
“Within Balpa we don’t usually like to do that. We would rather take a grown-up approach,” a union source told the outlet.
“But we are under enormous pressure. And the longer this goes on, the harder it gets.”
The airline was forced to axe around 18 per cent of its flights for July, August and September in a bid to guarantee smoother operations.
BA was also subjected to the 100,000 daily passenger cap imposed by Heathrow earlier this month, Morning Wire reported.