Pay dispute: British Airways pilots begin two-day strike

Pilots of British carrier British Airways are planning their first-ever strike Monday and Tuesday, walking out for 48 hours in a pay dispute.

According to the British Airline Pilots’ Association (Balpa), a further strike day in the long-running dispute is planned for September 27. Starting at midnight on Sunday, the walkout is likely going have knock-on effects lasting for days, British media reported.

The Guardian UK newspaper estimated that some 145,000 passengers would be affected.  Most of British Airway’s 850 scheduled flights per day will be cancelled, with passengers being offered a refund or a later flight. “British Airways has to wake up”, Balpa’s general secretary Brian Strutton said. Pilots had to accept significant pay cuts during difficult times. Now that the airline was making money, it should give something back to its pilots.

According to the union, on strike day costs the airline about 40 million pounds (49 million dollars). In July, the pilots declined an offer by British Airways of an 11.5-per-cent pay rise over three years. Vanguard