British Airways pilots call off strike on 27 September
British Airways pilots have called off a strike at the end of this month, warning more action could do “irreparable damage” to the airline’s brand.
BA pilots who are members of the British Airline Pilots’ Association (Balpa) threatened to strike on 27 September in a row over pay and working conditions. They had walked out earlier in the month, forcing BA to cancel nearly all of its flights.
Read more: British Airways cancels more flights as strikes bite
Balpa said it was “time for a period of reflection before the dispute escalates further and irreparable damage is done to the brand”.
It said it hoped the airline would now “change its approach and negotiate seriously with a view to ending this dispute”.
Balpa general secretary, Brian Strutton, said: “Someone has to take the initiative to sort out this dispute and with no sign of that from BA the pilots have 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 on the 27 September.
“BA passengers rightly expect BA and its pilots to resolve their issues without disruption and now is the time for cool heads and pragmatism to be brought to bear. I hope BA and its owner IAG show as much responsibility as the pilots.”
Read more: British Airways pilots threaten further strikes unless stalemate is broken
However, it warned that strike action remained on the table if no progress in the negotiations was made.
A BA spokesperson said: “We have just received this news. We are considering the implications and we will give updates in due course.”