British Airways pilots go on strike for high pay

The vast majority of British Airline’s flights taking off from the United Kingdom today and tomorrow have been canceled due to the 48-hour strike for better pay and work conditions.

In July British Airways pilots belonging to the BALPA pilots union voted to go on strike. The action is due to a row over pay, despite British Airways offering pilots an 11.5% pay rise across the course of three years. As such, BALPA had announced two days of strikes.

According to Financial Times, more than 280,000 of BA’s customers are expected to be affected by the walkout over pay, which began at midnight and already prompted the cancellation of dozens of flights on Sunday.

An average BA pilot reportedly earns about £90,000, according to the airline. Captains earn an average of £167,000 plus £16,000 in allowances and the proposed pay rise would take them over £200,000.