BA pilots threaten more strike misery for travellers

THE boss of the militant union behind the British Airways pilots’ strike yesterday refused to rule out further walkouts.

The vast majority of BA’s 4,300 pilots are expected to strike on Monday and Tuesday – wrecking the travel plans of up to 290,000 passengers.

It comes after the Balpa union refused to meet BA unless the airline agreed to discuss a ramped-up pay deal worth an extra £11,600 a year for pilots.

Yesterday Balpa general secretary Brian Strutton stoked fury by saying the union would consider new strikes unless BA joined negotiations.

He told the Financial Times: ‘We’ll take stock after the strike action next week. We hope to see BA at the negotiating table, but if it doesn’t happen then we’ll have to consider next steps, and as part of that further strikes are not ruled out.’

Amid mounting anger from passengers due to fly on BA next week, Downing Street called on both sides to ‘get round the table and sort this out’.

BA has found itself deluged with criticism over the crisis and the airline’s Twitter account has fielded thousands of complaints from customers - with some saying they are still waiting for promised refunds.

BA has cancelled the ‘vast majority’ of its 1,600 flights on Monday and Tuesday, including all 40 flights from Heathrow to New York, the airline’s most profitable route.

The worst disruption is expected at Heathrow, where 93 per cent of BA’s pilots are based, with the rest at Gatwick.

BA will operate flights this weekend, meaning some pilots will spend the strikes abroad.

A spokesman for BA said yesterday: ‘We remain ready and willing to return to talks.’

GREED OF BA PILOTS WRECKING HOLIDAYS

Yesterday’s Daily Mail