Virgin Atlantic plan strike but BA dispute looks to be over

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Holidaymakers travelling with BA this summer will be breathing a sigh of relief today as the bitter cabin crew dispute that has dogged the airline for almost two years finally looks to be over.However, tens of thousands of families still face having their holidays ruined because Virgin Atlantic pilots have so far refused to back down from a walkout. Strikes by Virgin's 750 pilots will hit key long-haul routes, including flights to Disney theme parks in California and Florida as well as destinations in the Caribbean, the Far East and Australia.

Deal accepted: British Airways' staff have been advised by their union Unite to accept a hard-won deal after 18 months of negotiation

Chaos: The threat of summer holiday havoc still looms for Virgin passengers with pilots planning to name strike datesAlthough strike dates have not been announced it is likely that a first walk-out would take place in July - with more to follow over the summer. But there was better news for passengers today though, as BA's union Unite balloted several thousand of its members, recommending acceptance of an agreement thrashed out between the two sides after 18 months of conflict.The agreement includes a two-year paydeal and the return of travel concessions for thousands of staff who took part in 22 days of strikes last year, which cost BA 150million.

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The deal would give the conciliation service Acas a role in arbitrating the cases of union members who were sacked or disciplined during ! the disp ute.Unite leader Len McCluskey has described the agreement as a 'victory for common sense', adding that he hoped for a period of improving industrial relations at the airline.The two sides were locked in one of the longest disputes in the UK for years after cost-cutting moves taken by the airline.

Time to act: Union leaders have urged Virgin supremo Sir Richard Branson to take action to stop the strikeThe dispute spread to other areas after BA withdrew travel concessions from Unite members who went on strike, and took disciplinary action against a number of staff.The pilots, who earn up to 110,000 ayear, are angry at a 4 per cent pay offer after three years of salary freezes, says the British Airline Pilots' Association.
Some 97 per cent voted for walk-outs in a ballot that saw a 94 per cent turnout.
Sir Richard Branson's airline said it was disappointed but was preparing 'contingency plans' to deal with any walk-out.
Travel industry experts condemned the strike as 'disappointing and frustrating'.
Theopening of a new wave of airline strikes comes as a peace deal looms atlong last in the long-running British Airways dispute.
A ballot of 12,000 BA cabin crew over the deal with the airline closes at noon today.Sources said members of the Unite Union and its more militant Bassa branch for air stewards are expected to have listened to their leaders and backed an agreement removing the threat of a summer of strikes on BA.
Now the Virgin action could cause disruption for passengers who booked with Sir Richard Branson's airline to avoid the prospect of strikes on BA.
Bob Atkinson, of travelsupermarket.com, added: 'It really is a case of 'Oh no, here we go again'.
No sooner is the BA cabin crew dispute on the brink of being resolved than the Virgin pilots ballot on strike action.'

Grounded? The strike will hit key long-haul family holiday routes around the globe during the school summer holidaysVirginis based at Heathrow, but also flies from Gatwick, Manchester and Glasgow. It handles 6million passengers a year around 15,200 a day.
Itis the first time that its pilots have voted to strike. The union said Virgin Atlantic pilot pay ranges from 58,000 to 70,000 for a First Officer and 110,000 for a Captain.
Astudy of average salaries by the Civil Aviation Authority put the top earners at British Airways (107,600), followed by Virgin Atlantic (89,500), Monarch (80,100),Thomson Airways (78,300), Thomas Cook Airlines (75,200), Easyjet (74,100), Jet2.com (69,900) and bmi (58,300).
Balpa chief Jim McAuslan said: 'There has been no UK pilot strike for 32 years. But there comes a time when even moderate people say enough.
'Withno pay increase since 2008, a below inflation offer for 2011 and proposals for 2012 and 2013 that will be sub-inflation this is now a six-year attack on living standards which has not happened in any other UK airline.'
He added: 'We do not want to inconvenience the public and hope that Sir Richard will use some of his undoubted flair to settle this.'
A spokesman for the airline said its pay offer was 'industry leading' and 'double the national average for a UK business'.
Headded: 'We are naturally disappointed with the result of the ballot butremain committed to further talks with our pilots representatives to find a solution.'