UK pilots have gone on strike for the first time since 1974, according to the British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA).
Thomas Cook Airlines says all its flights will operate today despite a 12-hour strike by some pilots between 3am and 3pm, in furtherance of a pay dispute.
BALPA’s General Secretary, Brian Strutton, said: “We have taken this course of action extremely reluctantly, but with no sensible pay offer on the table, we have no other option.
“Thomas Cook pilots have faced year-on-year, real-terms pay cuts, and cuts to terms and conditions, and our pilots have said ‘enough is enough.’”
The turnout in the strike ballot was 88 per cent with 91 per cent of pilots voting to take action in a dispute over their 2017 pay negotiations.
But the Chief Executive of Thomas Cook Airlines, Christoph Debus, told The Independent that its pay offer was above inflation. “In these times which are extremely challenging for the airline industry, it’s a very reasonable offer. BALPA has a claim which, if you sum all the elements up, is about 10 per cent [pay rise]."
The airline has rescheduled 28 flights to ensure its full programme can operate.
The flights due to operate within the 3am-3pm strike period are being crewed by non-striking pilots and management. Two aircraft have been deployed from the airline’s German operation.
The union said "the news that many flights are expected to operate as usual" was welcome. "Thomas Cook customers are not to blame for this action," BALPA said in a statement.
The pilots’ strike follows the stoppage by British Airways mixed fleet cabin crew belonging to the Unite union for almost all of July and August.
