This archive report was first published on 23 July 2019.
Published on July 23, 2019, British Airways pilots are set to strike after their union, the British Airlines Pilots' Association (BALPA), voted overwhelmingly in favor of a walkout.
The ballot, which closed earlier this week, saw 90% of BALPA's 4,000 members turn out, with 93% of them voting to authorize a strike.
The dispute centers on a pay raise, with the airline offering a 11.5% increase over three years, which the union rejected.
According to BALPA General Secretary Brian Strutton, the pilots have accepted pay cuts during the financial crisis and now seek to share in the airline's profits.
"We do not wish to inconvenience our customers which is why we have tried to resolve this matter through negotiation starting last November," Strutton said, adding that "it is BA who has regrettably chosen to drag this out into the summer months."
The airline sought a court injunction to prevent the strike, but the court ruled in BALPA's favor.
The union must issue at least two weeks' notice before striking, and no dates have been announced yet.
British Airways carries up to 145,000 passengers a day, and the strike could mean major disruptions, particularly during the peak summer travel season.
