British Airways cabin crew have voted overshelmingly to strike as part of a campaign for better pay and conditions, while a strike by Lufthansa pilots which crippled the German carrier has ended early after its union and the airline agreed to new talks.
The Unite union, which represents BA cabin crew, said that 81 per cent of votes cast in a late January election were in favour of taking industrial action over pay and conditions at the struggling UK flag carrier. The union is expected to meet later this week to decide on when a strike will be staged, but has ruled out the busy Easter travel period. Unite had previously threatened to strike over Christmas, but was prevented from doing so after BA sought an injunction.
Meanwhile, a four day strike by 4000 Lufthansa pilots has ended after one day with the pilots’ union Vereinigung Cockpit and the airline agreeing to a new round of talks. The strike crippled the airline’s domestic German and European services on February 22.