How can BA pilots strike over £200k pay offer?

BRITISH Airways yesterday lost a legal bid to block a pilots’ strike that could wreck the holiday plans of millions.

Documents submitted by the airline to the High Court show that captains already receive an average salary of £167,000, plus a ‘flying allowance’ of up to £15,000.

Yet they rejected an 11.5 per cent offer over three years that would have put them on around £200,000. The pilots are demanding a bigger pay rise and a bonus linked to the airline’s profits, which hit a record of almost £2billion last year.

BA claimed the strike would cost it as much as £40million a day and cause ‘maximum disruption’ to holidaymakers by grounding most flights at Heathrow and Gatwick.

It mounted the legal challenge after the British Airline Pilots’ Association announced on Monday it had 93 per cent support for industrial action on a turnout of 90 per cent. Seeking an interim injunction, the airline’s barrister, John Cavanagh, argued that Balpa’s ballot did not comply with trade union law.

He also argued that the union did not indicate when the strike would take place, although it is ‘likely to commence on or about August 7’. Unions are legally required to give at least two weeks’ notice of industrial action.

In a blow to holidaymakers, Mrs Justice Elisabeth Laing dismissed BA’s case. The airline immediately vowed to mount a challenge.

Balpa agreed to await the outcome of the appeal before announcing industrial action.

Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said: ‘Most people who face disruption will not be on anything like the salaries enjoyed by these pilots.’

A BA spokesman said: ‘We are very disappointed with today’s decision.’

Balpa’s general secretary Brian Strutton said: ‘We’re frustrated time has been wasted. BA could have spent this time coming back to the negotiating table instead of trying – and failing – to tie us up in legal knots.’