Two senior British Airways pilots have been demoted after allegedly fixing a rota so they could fly to Venice together for a night at a luxury hotel.
The airline launched an internal investigation after a whistleblower reported the fling between the man and his married female colleague, who also held a management role overseeing other pilots.
The pair were accused of manipulating the roster to ensure they were on the same trip to the romantic Italian city, The Sun reports.
An insider said: “Word had spread about her relationship with a senior pilot colleague. It was foolhardy for management-level BA executives to behave in this way — carefully plotting a Venice trip together. It broke every rule.
“She was hauled in and asked why senior managers needed to be on a trip together. There was no legitimate reason for them to both stay overnight in Venice.”
Following media enquiries, BA issued a letter to pilots confirming the woman — the more senior of the two — had “stepped back from her management role”.
The letter said: “We thank her for her contribution over the last 15 months and wish her well for her return to the line.”
The male pilot, described as “hugely respected” and involved in training other pilots, has also lost his management position. Both continue to work as pilots for the airline.
Union Balpa is understood to have been involved in the investigation but declined to comment.
A BA spokesperson said: “We do not comment on internal colleague matters.”
