BA STRIKE OFF
Relief for thousands of passengers as pilots cancel 24-hour stoppage
BY ANDY LINES BRITISH Airways pilots have called off their strike planned for next week.
They were due to walk out next Friday, which would have caused chaos for hundreds of thousands of passengers.
But now their union, the British Airline Pilots’ Association (Balpa), has announced they will not be going through with the 24-hour strike, which followed a 48-hour stoppage last week.
Balpa said last week’s strikes had demonstrated the “anger and resolve of pilots”.
But the union said it was now time for a period of reflection “before the dispute escalates further and irreparable damage is done to the brand”.
Balpa’s general secretary Brian Strutton said: “Someone has to take the initiative to sort out this dispute and with no sign of that from BA, the pilots have decided to take the responsible course.
“In a genuine attempt at establishing a timeout for common sense to prevail, we have lifted the threat of the strike on September 27.”
Strutton added: “BA passengers rightly expect BA and its pilots to resolve their issues without disruption and now is the time for cool heads and pragmatism to be brought to bear.
“I hope BA and its owner IAG show as much responsibility as the pilots.”
Balpa said that if the airline refuses meaningful new negotiations, it retains the right to announce further strike dates.
Last week’s 48-hour strike was the first by pilots in British Airways’ history.
In a secret ballot, more than 93 per cent of them voted to walk out in a dispute over pay and conditions.
The strike grounded 1700 flights and left nearly 200,000 passengers unable to fly.
At the time, BA chief executive Alex Cruz said: “’I’m sorry for the position the cynical actions the pilots’ union has put us in.”
Terminal 5 in Heathrow Airport, which is one of BA’s main hubs, was virtually deserted last Tuesday, with only five flights taking to the air.