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Thomas Cook Airlines pilots vote for strike action

Thomas Cook Airlines pilots have reportedly voted for strike action over pay.

More than 400 of the leisure airline’s 560 pilots are members of the British Airline Pilots Association and 80% voted for industrial action in a ballot on Friday.

Balpa’s executive committee is due to meet today to discuss final approval of the action, The Times reported.

It is not known when any strike would take place but sources told the newspaper that it could start next month.

Thomas Cook Airlines and Balpa are holding talks to resolve the dispute.

Pilots are understood to have been offered a 1.5% pay rise on top of their annual automatic pay increase of 1.8%, but asked for a 10.7% increase, which would amount to an average pay rise of about £10,000.

The pilots are also believed to have asked the airline to fly them in business class when transporting them between airports to connect with flights.

A Balpa spokeswoman declined to comments but a Thomas Cook Airlines spokesman said: “It is in everyone’s interest to reach a settlement, which is why we have put forward what we believe to be a very fair offer.”

Update:

Thomas Cook Airlines pilots to strike on September 8

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