British Airways Back in Court Over Pay Disputes

Well it seems that British Airways just cannot keep themselves out of the courtroom. The company is now due to appear back in court in the latest stage of a dispute over holiday pay for its pilots. British Airways, who is already battling cabin crew members on a separate case all together, has been taken to the Supreme Court in London by the British Airline Pilots’ Association in an attempt to secure an increase in holiday pay for its members.

The British Airline Pilots’ Association argues that holiday pay for pilots should be based on what they earn, rather than just on their basic pay without allowances. Pilots at the airline receive a basic salary, but this is supplemented by allowances for everything from simple flying time to flying at night and time away from the base. British Airways just uses the basic salary to calculate up holiday pay, but the British Airline Pilots’ Association is saying that they should use the total pay, which would included the allowances.

This case is supported by Working Time Regulations, which sets out how holiday pay should be calculated. However, British Airways is saying that this legislation does not apply to the airline sector, which is governed by the separate Civil Aviation Working Time Regulation.

Jim McAuslan, the British Airline Pilots’ Association general secretary, said that they are making the case that in the UK, the civil aviation regulations should be amended to give workers in their industry the same rights to a proper holiday pay that everyone else gets. Right now, as many as 12,000 pilots and 30,000 cabin crew could be affected by this ruling.