A planned strike at the end of September by pilots with British Airways was on Wednesday called off, the British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) said.
BALPA said it hoped the airline would now change its approach and negotiate seriously, with a view to ending the dispute.
A strike, which lasted for two days, was labeled one of the biggest in the airline’s history, and the first by its pilots, resulting in the cancellation of hundreds of departures and affected 195,000 customers.
Passengers affected by the strike on September 9 and September 10 were offered a refund or a later flight, with the pilots planning to embark on industrial action by September 27.
In July, the pilots declined an offer by British Airways for an 11.5 per cent pay rise over three years.
According to BALPA General Secretary, Brian Strutton, someone has to take the initiative to sort out the dispute, and with no sign of that from British Airways, the pilots had decided to take the responsible course.
“In a genuine attempt at establishing a time out for common sense to prevail, we have lifted the threat of the strike scheduled for Sept. 27,” Strutton said.
British Airways said it flies to over 70 countries and transports more than 40 million customers a year.