British Airways has lost its Court of Appeal bid to block pilots from striking in a dispute over pay.
The British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA), which represents about 90 per cent of British Airways pilots, said 93% of its members voted in favour of industrial action.
With the strikes now likely to go ahead at some point this month, thousands of families could see their summer holiday plans disrupted.
Responding to the court ruling, BALPA General Secretary Brian Strutton, said: "BA's attempt to defeat the democratic view of their pilots in court, rather than deal with us across the negotiating table, has sadly wasted huge amounts of time and money that could have been put into finding a peaceful resolution. Now the window for negotiation and compromise is closing fast.
"BA need to wake up to reality. Our ballot returned 93 per cent in favour of strike action. There is a serious issue here and BA has so far refused to help us tackle it.
"On BA's own figures submitted to the court, even a single day of strike action will cost far more than we believe it would take to settle this dispute."
British Airways said it is “very disappointed” that BALPA has “chosen to threaten the holidays of thousands of our customers this summer with unprecedented strike action."
Here’s everything you need to know about the British Airway strike, including how to know whether your flight will be affected:
Why are pilots striking?
Pilots are planning to walk out in a dispute over pay, after failing to reach an agreement with its pay rise offer of 11.5 percent, spread over three years.
The union commented: “BA is making massive profits as the result of the hard work and dedication of staff, including because of sacrifices made during hard times. Thankfully, BA is no longer in a fight for survival so, like the airline’s senior managers and directors, pilots deserve a small fraction of that profit via, for instance, a profit share scheme.”
British Airways responded saying their pay offer over three years is “fair” and “the Unite and GMB trade unions, which represent nearly 90 per cent of British Airways staff, have already recommended this offer to their members.”
When is the strike likely to take place?
BALPA is required to give two weeks’ notice to any industrial action because of rules governing formal notice periods for strikes.
This means the earliest strikes are likely to take place is 15 August, during the peak of summer holidays.
However, it is unlikely that BALPA will make an announcement this week, as talks between the two sides continue. That means August 17 is the earliest a strike could take happen. A strike can be called any time until January.
Which flights will be affected?
A strike will affect all UK airports, including Gatwick and Heathrow, but will not include BA CityFlyer, the short-haul service operating out of London City Airport.
Because no date for the strike has been set yet, it remains uncertain as to which flights will be disrupted.
Further information about affected flights is expected to become available once BALPA has confirmed a date for industrial action.
How can I check if my flight has been cancelled?
If you’ve booked a flight with British Airways, it should inform you directly of any cancellations or delays via text or email.
If your flight is cancelled, the airline says it will try to book affected customers onto the next available flight and will rebook your flight automatically in most cases.
Can I claim compensation for a cancelled flight?
You may be able to claim back costs caused as a result of a delayed or cancelled flight – for example, accommodation costs or food and drink while waiting at an airport.
However, unlike delays for other reasons, airlines are not obligated to offer compensation following industrial action because strikes are usually considered to be ‘extraordinary circumstances.’
Following strike action last year, Ryanair were ordered by the Civil Aviation Authority to pay compensation of €250 to €400 per passenger, so it’s also possible that travellers affected by the British Airways strikes could be entitled to a similar figure.
