British Airways strike: Workers call off summer strike action and accept new pay deal | Travel News | Travel

Hundreds of British Airways workers voted on Friday to call off strike action after accepting a pay offer, the GMB union said. Nadine Houghton, GMB National Officer said: “No one wanted a summer strike at Heathrow, but our members had to fight for what was right.”

Earlier this month, check-in staff suspended strike action after the airline made an improved pay offer.

The vote to approve the offer was backed today by 75 percent or workers, according to GMB.

The union confirmed that workers will now receive a consolidated pay rise of eight percent, along with a one-off bonus.

Shift pay will also be reinstated.

READ MORE: Airline strikes 2022: Full list of summer strike action

Previously, 500 Unite union members employed by British Airways voted overwhelming for strike action at the end of June.

However, both parties have reached a deal over what is described as a “vastly” improved pay offer.

The GMB union, whose members also favoured a strike, said there was significant move on pay and conditions from British Airways.

At the time, in an emailed statement, British Airways said: “We are very pleased that, following collaboration with the unions, they have decided not to issue dates for industrial action.”

In a bid to cope with summer traffic, Heathrow has slashed its capacity to a 10,000 daily passenger limit.

Airport chiefs ordered UK airlines to “stop selling summer tickets to limit the impact on passengers”.

British Airways has also been preemptively cancelling flights throughout the summer and into the autumn.

At the beginning of July, the airline axed a further 10,000 flights from Heathrow and Gatwick.

Between August and the end of October, 10,3000 flights were cancelled. 

The airline says the move is intended to “protect holiday flights” from chaos experienced at airports earlier in the year.