Having begun their two-day strike following the ongoing dispute over pay and conditions, British Airways pilots actions have already seen tens of thousands of passengers being told not to go to airports - with the airline cancelling some 1,700 flights due to the disruption.
And, despite both sides of the argument - pilots' union Balpa and BA - saying they are willing to hold further talks, no date has been set, with the pilots scheduled to stage another strike on September 27. Balpa said BA management's cost-cuts and ‘dumbing down’ of the brand has ment that confidence in the airline has determinate. This countering BA chief, Alex Cruz’s, claim that investment in the operator had never been so big.
The union's general secretary, Brian Strutton, replied: "It is time to get back to the negotiating table and put together a serious offer that will end this dispute. "BA, Strutton said, “has lost the trust and confidence of pilots because of cost-cutting and the dumbing down of the brand with the management looking to squeeze every penny out of customers and staff alike".
Mr Cruz defended the airline saying it had never in its history embarked on such a big investment programme in services and training. He said that the airline was very much “more than willing” to return to talks with Balpa.
It is the first time in its history that BA pilots (around 4,000) have walked out with the action likely to cost the airline up to £40m a day.